Metal Mouth Message Board

Hi all,
I've been lurking here for a long time. I had braces when I was younger which did not include my back molars (I'll get to that in a minute). I have had TMJ since I was 18 or 20 (i'm now 41), and it has always bothered me. I went to an ortho a few years ago to get a consult and she said that she didn't think that braces would help my TMJ right now.

Fastforward. A few weeks ago, I got sick of my jaw hurting and went back to the same ortho office (there are two in the practice). This time they did a cone-3D scan of my head, pictures, etc. I told the ortho this time that my back teeth were really bothering me and that I was sick of the food caught in them. He looked at my scan and said that the TM joint didn't look too bad, and he thought that my pain might be muscular. He noticed that my arches had moved inwards. So, he recommends full braces probably with elastics. He uses damon 3 (the clearer ones) on the top front six and 3m's on the rest. He also uses suresmile. I think that if I had done this several years ago, I would probably still be relapsing without the suresmile and damon system that I've read so much about.

Nevertheless, I made appointments today for treatment (Oct. 12 brace day), but I'm so nervous that I can hardly stand it. How do you tell people--hey, i'm getting braces, yeah, my teeth are pretty straight, but my jaw aches and my back teeth are annoying--I guess it won't be as bad as people asking me about my twin girls--are they twins? are they natural? are they identical or fraternal? You've never gotten so many questions about kids until you've had multiples! And the answer to those questions is yes, yes (what kid isn't NATURAL, I ask!?), and fraternal.

Anyway, thanks for listening. I still might chicken out, so any encouragement would be useful......

Don't chicken out! You will be so much happier and more comfortable in the end. If you can take care of twins you can wear braces!

thanks underconstruction. I actually moved my b-day up to Oct. 9 so that I don't chicken out. I am still nervous, but I don't know why. I had braces before, so I know what to expect, but I was much younger then!

I do have a question if anyone can answer it. My back molars are the MAIN reason I'm doing this because they weren't included in my inital treatment when I was a teen. They are tilted in and forward slightly and not level with the rest of my arch. it is hard to see. I'll post some pictures, and you can see that my teeth are still pretty straight, just my back molars bugging me and my top incisors that have flaired out and I feel like i have fangs again. I'm just wondering how they correct the molars. he said no molar bands...hmmm. I guess I'll find out. I'll post my pix later today.

thanks......

Okay I'm going to try and post a pic now...
here are pictures of my right side with my flaired upper incisor. you can see that my teeth are still pretty straight, and this picture doesn't really show my molars which are bugging me. I'm getting really nervous...let me know what you think...



full front



lowers with 2nd molars that bug me...



am I silly for doing this when my teeth are essentially straight, but my bite is messed up and my molars are food traps?

My teeth were straight but my bite was off, and I'm really glad to finally be getting it sorted out. You will be too, once you begin and start to see positive changes.

Thanks Opera^gal. I guess I feel like people will be asking me why I'm in braces when I have straight teeth. But this is for ME because I'm sick of my jaw hurting. Glad to know someone else who has straight teeth but is back in braces...

2 more days until records....11 more days until b-day

Trish,

People said the same thing to me as far as my teeth go. I guess no one takes into account the bite. It's critical... I would rather be in braces and sort things out than grounding my teeth down and having other issues.

I found the second time to be so much easier. I had no bands this time around. The first time I only needed upper braces and had bands around my molars.

Good luck with the records appointment!

I see that besides having twins, we're the same age, it's the new 31!

B

I understand the anticipation and the fear. I was terribly nervous about how others would react. Strangely, they didn't really react. When I told my family I needed jaw surgery, my sister tried to convince me that I was foolish. Never mind the TMJ or the breathing issues, according to her, it was too much to do at my age. I had the surgery in June and can actually breathe.

Remember one thing from this. You are not doing this for anyone else but yourself. You believe that this has the potential to positively improve your quality of life. If you can afford it, who can fault you for trying to improve your physical or mental well being? You are the one committing to keeping them clean, making all sorts of appointments and watching what you eat. You have to put the effort into it. You also enjoy the results. This is something you're doing for you, not something being done to you (like our braces we suffered during high school)

Mike

thanks browneyedgrl...
I had bands and all metal the first time around also. I never had elastics, though. So, I am anxious about that, but if this fixes my problem...YEAH! I'm sure after having a singleton and twins that my pain tollerance has gone up! LOL!

I'm glad to meet another twin mom (same age!) who has had braces. My twins are 4 next wednesday (Oct. 7th) and my older one is 6. We just started kindergarten also....

thanks for responding!

trish

Trish,

Braces are a piece of cake compared to childbirth. If you can handle the TMJ pain, this will be a walk in the park! Don't get me wrong, I had a couple of days of discomfort after an adjustment, but nothing an 800mg motrin or a stiff drink can't cure!

Your kids are at a great age, I loved when my big one went off to school, I had a little extra time with the girls (2.5 hours), and once they hit 3 and they were potty trained and I didn't need to carry a ton of stuff life was so much easier!

B

thanks Mike...I'm just getting my guts up...it took me a year ot pick out a couch! haha!

B...yeah, they are at a great age (until my one has temper tantrums!). Love them.

My dr. told me also that this may not correct my TMJ, but i'm so sick of the dull ache all the time. I swear since I decided to do this, my jaw KNOWS and hurts MORE! Plus as I mentioned, my 2nd molars don't touch on one side and the other side one is butting into the one in front of it. When I was in grad school, I went ot my old ortho and he put a spacer in to try and move it back. It helped some, but it just isn't level with the other ones. He told me then that the only way to fix it was braces. I've just been too chicken to do it. Amazing what happens when you turn 40, huh?

I'm hoping the braces diet will also get my baby weight off too! Maybe i'll be able to start exercising again now as well...i'm changing one thing, might as well do the whole body, right!?

thanks you guys....tomorrow is records. i'll letyou know how it goes. I'm not supposed to get any spacers, so hopefully they won't change their minds!

okay, just paid my life away and got impressions. Oh yeah and the most important thing I got today was a TSHIRT! hehehehee... Met one of the two assistants for my 'chair' that i've been assigned and now i just have to wait until next friday. I really can't believe I'm doing this, but here we goooooo....

Trish, how fantastic you're taking this step for yourself! The other posters are so right, we do this for US and we're the ones who know the benefit - even if it's something "invisible" like less jaw ache or a better bite. You have gorgeous teeth and I'm sure you'll end up so happy to have addressed the things bothering you. Next time someone questions you for getting braces ("Why would you do that?? There's nothing wrong with your teeth! Chuh!"), just tell them "Because I find braces to be a sexy fashion statement, that's why". I tried that last time I was frustrated and noticed that it immediately renders the questioner speechless.

I know what you mean about the Psychic Jaw Syndrome.. I didn't think much about the clicking and such with the mild TMJ I have, but I swear since I finally made the decision to get braced and had to read the demonic TMJ booklet, I swear my jaw has been 50x worse... I'm sure it's just because I'm obsessing about it... power of the mind, ha.

Good luck and keep us posted!!!

Ahhhhhh the dreaded t-shirt for $6000 deal.
While I dearly love my ortho (Dr. P is a wonderful person), her t-shirts and other clothing seems to juvenile for any adult, let alone one on "that" side of fifty. I'd gladly wear clothing to advertise her practice as I've recommended her to several people already.

I hope you're at least wiling to wear it in public.

Mike

thanks petitcanard...yes, this is truly for myself!

and Mike, I can even earn Orthobucks to 'purchase' items. To earn them, I have to show up on time, have good oral hygenine, etc. AND I can earn an extra one if I wear my t-shirt during my appointment. SERIOUSLY!