Metal Mouth Message Board

Apparently between the last time I had called my dentist and when they called me to say my case was ready - they got my clincheck back and approved it for me and ordered the trays.

He said that they sent back 2 videos and he choose the one he thought had the best result (the way he made it sound was like as to not confuse me and make me choose). I'm not sure how I feel about that, but I've been going to him for a long time and trust that he knows what he's doing (never had any issues with him on anything else, for me or my husband who also goes to him). I do like the video and what the results will be so I guess that is what matters, and what's done is done.

I will have two attachments on the bottom that I will get at the 6 week point. I wear each tray for 3 weeks (he said he has better results that way than with 2 weeks). He said if we see that my teeth fit comfortably in the trays with no tightness after 2 weeks and week 3 isn't really doing anything to help move them, we can always go to 2 weeks of each tray.

So I've had them in for a week now - and things are getting better. Initially it was pretty uncomfortable but advil seemed to help. The biggest issue was the excess saliva, my tongue rubbing on the bottom aligner and speech issues. My tongue is used to it now (or my brain has found a new way to move to not rub and not make me talk funny) and doesn't bother me. The saliva has gotten better but isn't gone yet - I still find myself sucking the spit out of trays quite often and swallowing alot.

The speech seems to get better a bit each day and is worse when the spit is more - probably because I'm aware that there is extra spit that makes it sound funny so I try to compensate and not spit on people and that makes it more obvious. I have the most trouble with S and TH sounds and if I talk for any length of time without stopping to suck the saliva out.

The inside of my upper lip and a couple spots on the insides of my cheeks still rub but from what I can tell they are the spots that rub when I suck the saliva out of the trays so I think that when the saliva dies down more that will stop too and it's not really all that painful, just annoying.

I have had no issues removing them with my short nails - so hopefully once the attachments are on I will be used to it enough to get them off with a tighter fit.

So all in all not too bad so far. I just hope the saliva issue and speech get better soon! For those that had these issues - how long did it take to go away?

I do tend to snack less too - mainly because I don't want to have to brush/floss/clean the tray just for a small snack, so I tend to add the snack on to a meal as "dessert" and it seems to be fine so far. Hopefully I can lose a bit of weight this way.

It also looks in the video that my gumline on a couple of teeth will be lower on one side than the other after they move - it is lower now but not too bad/noticeable but in the view of the after it looks like it might be. He said that if when we're all done it's too low or I don't like how it looks, he can always trim back the gum and take a bit out from between my teeth in that area (it's thicker on that side than the other due to the gap). I guess i'll see when we're done how it looks and go from there. He said we could also do some filing and such for final touches if one is a bit longer or diff shape than the other, etc - but again wait until we're done. Right now one tooth is longer than the other but one is also slanted/crooked so he's thinking that once it's straight they will be the same length or close enough to where a bit of filing will make them look the same. Anyone else have to have gum removed at the end or during treatment to make things "even" - how painful is it and what is the healing time?

I'll keep you updated, but so far not too horrible - altho had you asked me that the 2nd or 3rd day when I was thinking "what was I thinking" you would have heard different LOL.

I just got a call from my ortho yesterday saying they got the clincheck in but wasn't happy with it so sent it back for a refinement. I was unsure about this too, but I trust her to know what she's talking about better than me so I was glad to hear your Doc did this, too. They said they should have another sent in a couple days so that's good. I'm getting anxious to start, or at least see what the final results should look like.

I'm a little worried about the saliva/talking because I teach a couple classes at a community college and think the lectures might be rough, so can you let me know how long it takes for that to calm down? Thanks!

I wouldn't be too concerned about your dentists doing multiple clinchecks or sending one back for updates. This means they are doing their job up front to be sure you have a good treatment plan. It sounds like they are making a conscientious effort to do their best.

KUMonkeyMomma, it sounds like your dentist is being cautious starting off with a three week wear time and possibly going with two later. This could help avoid refinements or mid-course corrections later. Sometimes, slower is actually faster!

kimnim1, when you're giving class lectures, it'll be a good idea to have a bottle of water for a while. Believe it or not, dry mouth can be a problem for the first month or so. I frequently give presentations and water definitely helps!! Other than that, I would expect speech problems would only happen for a short time (I didn't experience any!).

Good luck and I hope all goes well!!

I had speech issues too, just a slight lisp, which went totally after about 2 weeks.

Good luck

thanks for the advice on lectures. i just got back from my clincheck and accepted. they said it should take as little as 4 to as many as 10 days to get the retainers in and about 10 months for the initial treatment (probably refinement after that though). my case isn't too severe just some crowding and my bite is a little off. i am really excited, already bought extra travel toothbrushes to take to work and stuff. they did say 4 attachments on top and 4 on bottom but it's the teeth shaving that has me freaked. has anyone here had that? i've heard of it, but wouldn't mind hearing more. thanks.

Hi Kimnim 1,
I can tell you that I have had tooth filing or shaving of almost all my top teeth- not all at once though, a few teeth at a time throughout treatment. Like you, I was completely weirded out (and actually very afraid) by the thought of it.

In the end, the tooth filing wasn't a bad experience for me. It did not hurt in the least. The worst part is really the sound of the tooth being shaved. Usually, the spaces created by the ortho aren't really visible in a mirror; however, you will feel the space when you are flossing. I have had no problems with the spaces closing. In my case the spaces generally closed within the following 3 trays.

IPR, or shaving, was pain free for me too...a lot less scary than anticipated! I had this between most teeth at some point, lie Second Time Around.

All of the gaps closed within the following 2 trays, mine were visible but not whilst wearing the trays. Im on 16/17 trays now and am thrilled with the results

thanks, i feel better about the shaving. maybe i'll bring my headphones so i don't have to hear the drill

Hi kimnim, I've had quite a bit of IPR. This is my experience: first, the orthodontist starts with by flossing between the two teeth. Then he inserts a thin strip of something like very fine grade sandpaper and goes back and forth a few times by hand. This is followed by a circular drill attachment which whizzes between the teeth (this feels a bit like an intense tooth cleaning by your hygienist!). The final part is a thicker strip of the 'sandpaper' which he yanks back and forth between your teeth (sorry, but for me, it really did feel like yanking!). This may be more than you need to know, but I think it's always best to be prepared, right? It is an uncomfortable part of the treatment for me, but I'm a real pansy when it comes to anything resembling pain. All the assistants tease me about it! I reassure myself by thinking that if it were not for IPR, I would probably have to have had extractions, and that would be a LOT worse! Good luck!

Just to add another insight, my ortho has never used the sandpaper 'technique' which many talk about on here, he uses a tool which sounds a lot like a drill but is pain free. Its a drill-like appliance with a disc on the end which spins and files the enamel.

Either way, its not something most people relish the idea of, but seems like they both get the job done all the same!