Metal Mouth Message Board

Well I have braces again, for the second time in my life. I had them when I was a kid, like most people, but my jaw didn't develop correctly and so last July (2006) I got braces, again! I was really dreading it, but I was definitely blowing it out of proportion. It's not the end of the world, especially as a college student. I am supposed to be having my surgery either at the end of this year (doubtful) or early next year. All I care about now is to get the surgery done with, and then time will fly! Currently I have a retainer because my molar needs to be rotated significantly, but beyond that, it's just fixing my bite and BAM I'm done

Also, I did have my 4 wisdom teeth, plus 4 other teeth extracted. I just read up on how people are sometimes afraid of having extractions because it would cause their face to have a sunken-in look. I really glad no one told me about that, as I would have been hesitant to do it. But I did it, about a year ago, and I can't tell a lick of a difference, so all is good

Look forward to hanging out here

Thanks guys.

I'm not sure what the technical names are (they just put these things in my mouth and I try to ask questions but they give vague answers ), but my molar has a normal band on it, connected to the wire normally. But I have a bottom retainer that covers most of my teeth (except the front - you can't see it) and it prevents my top teeth from touching the molar, so it can be rotated. At first I was taking out the retainer to eat (huge pain when eating anywhere but home), but then my ortho said I should try eating with it in, and so at first it was weird (could barely taste food), but I'm used to it.

At first it was weird having just braces on, now I can barely remember life without my retainer

Anyways, again I don't know the technical name for the surgery, but I have to have my jaw shifted forward. They will end up breaking both my top and bottom jaw to align them, so it's a big deal surgery I guess. I will be on a smoothie diet for a few weeks and wired shut!

But after everything is over (surgery and braces) I will probably look slightly different (for the better, hopefully!), and will be able to eat properly!

Thanks for the details Meryaten. It was about a year ago that I heard all this info, so I will probably just wait until my surgery date is closer to find out more.

My last appointment was May 2, and then they scheduled me for June 28 for the next - it's killing me! Usually it's only 4-5 weeks but I am traveling for a week in that timeframe and their office is closed another week for vacation. But I went in yesterday to get my ligs replaced, since they recently stained badly (I learned my lesson with mustard!). I may post pics in another thread - before and after the quickie checkup (they were nice enough to let me come in on a day they don't have patients!).

A groovy practice to be a patient at indeed!

Progress is going slowly now. It is now 1 year since I've had braces (July 06) and my teeth are nice and straight but they have been trying to rotate a molar for several months now, it is just taking a long time. After that I think it's closing gaps that they created with my retainer (which is helping the molar rotate), and then correct my bite a little more. But in comparison to what my teeth were like when I started braces, I love my smile now. Wish I took pics before and after braces, oh well. I will definitely take before and after pics before my surgery.

Sometimes I think it would have been better to just yank my rotated molar and get this done faster