Metal Mouth Message Board

Hi there.

I've been wearing Incognito lingual braces for six weeks and one day, and am just finally settling down enough to start keeping track of my progress.

The first three weeks were the pits. I'm not gonna lie. I lisped terribly, which was embarrassing in a public setting, and my tongue hurt so badly that once I was home for the day, I just didn't want to talk. My husband eventually asked if I was maybe depressed, as I'm usually super chatty. Nope, not depressed, just don't want to lisp and make my tongue even more sore.

For the first week or so, I could only eat liquids. I'd drink protein smoothies for breakfast, have applesauce for a snack, soup for lunch, pudding for a second snack, and more soup for dinner. Oatmeal and scrambled eggs were too hard for me to navigate that first week.

As weeks have gone by, I've been able to add many more food options, like oatmeal, eggs, risotto, rice, and very soft fish and chicken. Having a wider variety of foods has definitely helped my mental state. Around three weeks, I seemed to hit a wall of misery where I just wanted these damn things off my teeth and was really mad at myself for getting into this mess. Thankfully, my orthodontist is kind and patient, and told me that he really thought I'd see some improvement if I just held on.

I'm glad that I did, because it is SO MUCH easier now. I still lisp some, especially when I'm really tired, and my tongue still really hurts sometimes, but overall, it's very managable. I do still use 1/2 strip of silicone wax on my top front teeth and another 1/2 strip on the bottom. Not sure when I'll be able to wean myself off of my wax dependence, but I'm not too worried about it. I just bought a box of 50 packets of the silicone wax, and I'm hoping that they get me through most of treatment.

Today was my very first adjustment, and I was ridiculously nervous. I took two Motrin beforehand, but I'm not sure that I really needed them. They changed out my top wire with a thicker, rectangle one, and replaced one of my top brackets that fell off while they were in there. A second bracket broke off a while later (it had to be coming loose, because they weren't being rough), but they won't replace that until my next appointment. I'm super glad, because it was a bracket that I hated. It has an o ring on the outside for springs, and that keeps chewing up my cheek. It also has a bite plate protector thing that keeps me from being able to eat over there. Good riddance (temporarily).

So I got the thicker wire on the top, one bracket replaced, some twist tie things to keep the teeth from getting gaps. On the bottom I got a new strong power chain on my six front teeth, but no new wire yet.

Everything feels a bit tighter, but so far I haven't really had any discomfort. I'm hoping that the Motrin was able to ward everything off, and that I get through this without too much misery.

The doctor said that everything is moving well, and looks exactly as expected.
Next appointment: January 8th.

Would love to hear more about your experience with the Incognito braces! I looked into getting them, but was on a bit of a budget so I settled for ceramics on top, metal on bottom. I read a lot about the pain/talking troubles, and didn't think I would mind it (I have a high pain tolerance), but boy ... I have had some rough days after adjustments with my metal regular braces chewing up my cheeks and lips. That, by far, is my least favorite experience of the braces. Pain I can handle, but that silly wax stuff is impossible to talk with or eat with - so pointless. How have they been going so far? How far into treatment are you?

Good luck!

I'm almost 100 days into treatment, and things are going well.
I do still use a small amount of wax on my front top and bottom teeth (like where your tongue would hit if you say the word "there"). I can go without, but get sore pretty fast and lisp a lot more.

These days I rarely notice a lisp unless I'm presenting to a large group at work, and need to speak loudly. For some reason I notice it then. I'm only really ever sore if I've had a day of lots and lots and lots of talking; sometimes the next day my tongue is a bit sore, but overall, just fine.

I mostly just forget about them during the day now, which is great. I got a WaterPik for Christmas, and LOVE it. I can't believe that I went so many months without one.

Second adjustment is in a few days. I was at the orthodontist for a few minutes last week to get a wire trimmed, and it doesn't sound like they'll be moving me into new wires. I think that I'll just get fresh ligs and powerchains, but we'll see.

I really did take me about two to three months to get fully comfortable with these braces, but I'm good now.

I do not have lingual braces, I have braces showing but I too had pain for more or less the whole first week and found it difficult to eat anything that wasn't soft for a long time! I STILL need to get a WaterPik myself... I think I'll take the plunge when I get my next student loan installment! Glad things are going well

Roses, just now seeing your response. Definitely invest in a WaterPik if you haven't already. I use mine at least twice a day, and hated going out of town without it recently. I almost bought a travel version, but am too much of a tightwad.

My second adjustment appointment went fine, but holy Moses, was I sore for a couple of days afterwards. I was not expecting that - it was almost as bad as when I originally got them on. Lots and lots of ibuprofen to get me through. I got new powerchains and some other form of chain thing that felt like pure torture at first.

Posting an update today, because I'm on day 129, and as of tomorrow will have less than 600 days left. For anyone out there on the fence about whether or not to get braces: do it, and do it soon. The sooner that you get started, the sooner you're on the other side. These 130 days really have blown by pretty fast, and I expect the next 600 to also.

Next appointment is on February 18th. I'm still on my original thin wire on the bottom, but have a thicker wire on top. My teeth appear to be moving veeeerrrry, very slowly, so it won't surprise me to stay where I am wire-wise.

Meanwhile our 12.5 year old daughter has had hers for about seven months, and is on the last wire that she'll need. She is being so good about her bands that the doctor was super impressed. I think that she'll be done right at the one year mark.

Third adjustment today!

I went in with a list of questions, mostly focused around changing out the Incognitos for plain metal or ceramic braces on the fronts of my teeth. I keep battling this recurring sore on the left side of my tongue that is so painful that it's pretty much all that I can think about. I'll get it healed for a week or so, and then it happens again.
It actually healed up just this past weekend, so (of course) my tongue looked perfect in there today. After talking it over with the doctor, I think that I'll just stay the course with the Incognitos unless they become too gnarly. I'm feeling pretty good about them today since my tongue isn't hurting...let's see how I feel in a few weeks when I'm miserable.

Anyway, I am making slow progress, but am progressing nonetheless. My bottom teeth are almost in the mushroom shape that they want to see to move up a wire, my top teeth are apparently behaving themselves, and I was told that I'm doing an excellent job of keeping my teeth healthy and clean (let's all have a moment of silence to honor the beloved WaterPik).

The changes in powerchains and ties and whatever else they did was less painful than usual, so overall I left the appointment in a really good mood. My bottom teeth are just now starting to realize that something tragic happened to them, so I expect them to be shrieking at me by dinnertime. My top teeth must not be that smart, because they don't hurt at all.

This Incognito business makes for an interesting experience, especially when used on someone as neurotic as me.

Oh! The very best news is that he said that I'm definitely on track to have them for two years, and in fact, if I do a good job with everything, may have them less time than that. That was like being given a diamond ring and a puppy at the same time. Best ever.

Updating just because it's day 150 of being braced. Even though I still have a whole lot of days left, it's amazing how fast the time is going.

Everything is really good right now. My tongue is behaving itself, my teeth are clicky and seem to be doing stuff (I suddenly have a huge gap on my bottom left side), and I'm feeling way less whiny overall. I've been more adventurous about eating, though I'm still a bit timid on that account because I've had brackets come off three times (all from teeth with a crown, so not unexpected). I think that I'm less dependent on wax, and my husband swears that I never lisp when I talk, though I still hear it when I'm in meetings at work.

I'm looking forward to my next adjustment, which are words that I never thought I'd say. Totally on board for keeping things moving along.

Love the puppy and diamond analogy...so true!! Glad you are doing better.

Adjustment day!
I got a whole bunch of new ties on my upper teeth, and a bigger wire with a bunch more chains and ties on my lower. The appointment took an hour and a half, and was the most painful one yet. I could tell before I even left that I'd be hurting tonight/tomorrow. Thankfully, all seems to be looking good and I'm still on track to finish on schedule (or even before, if I get really, really lucky. Oh please God, let me get lucky).

I had a green smoothie with protein powder for lunch, took a couple of Motrin, and had a nice nap this afternoon (I'm off work on Mondays...greatest schedule ever). Oatmeal for dinner, and I'm about to make some soft and gooey peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies for a snack. Hopefully by tomorrow I'll be able to bite into soft things.

I can't believe that I'm already passed the six months mark. I still have moments of wondering WTH I was thinking in getting braces, but for the most part, it's going smoothly. I will admit that I've started daydreaming about what my first post-bracket removal meal will be. It's good to plan ahead.

One ridiculous thing to note is that I got Incognitos so that people wouldn't know that I have braces (which now that I don't lisp anymore, they really don't know!), but every time I go for an adjustment I'm irrationally bummed that I don't get to pick cute lig colors. I really want pink ones.

Oh. Ouch. Feeling a bit sorry for myself today. I could tell that yesterday's adjustment was gnarly, as I hurt during and right after the appointment. Usually I'm not sore until later in the evening, but yesterday I was sore all day. Woke up miserable this morning, and had oatmeal for breakfast. That's as much as I can deal with right now.

I also have a migraine that won't go away. Wah! I'm a giant whiny baby. I'm glad that my next appointment is almost eight weeks away.

Ouch... sorry to hear that you were in so much pain today. Let's hope that means lots of movement to get you ahead of schedule and braces off sooner! I've never seen the incognito braces in real life... do you have any progress pictures you are willing to show us? If not, that's okay Hope your pain goes down soon!

parsleysage wrote:Ouch... sorry to hear that you were in so much pain today. Let's hope that means lots of movement to get you ahead of schedule and braces off sooner! I've never seen the incognito braces in real life... do you have any progress pictures you are willing to show us? If not, that's okay Hope your pain goes down soon!

Absolutely! I'll take some for you tonight.

I am much less of a complainypants today. The migraine is more manageable, and my mouth has mellowed out. Still tender, but I'm able to focus on work and behave like a normal human.

Day 200 with braces!
I really can't believe how fast it's flown by in a lot of ways. If anyone is reading this and on the fence about getting braces, I encourage you to do it and do it soon. The time will go by quickly, even if some days suck.

There's really not much to report. My last adjustment took about a week to get over. It was definitely the worst that I've had, and the ties that I got are really pokey this time around. I'm still a huge fan of Orthosil silicone wax, and use it 24/7.

My favorite things about Incognito braces are that once you get over the lisp, people REALLY DON'T know that you have braces. They have no clue. That's been pretty great. The other good thing is that I can still use white strips to bleach my teeth on occasion.
Downside is that I don't get a choice of colored ligs. Ha.

So. Day 200. Not bad at all.

Almost to day 250 with braces. I really can't believe how fast it's going. I know that I sound like a broken record, but it's going by quickly.

I had my 5th adjustment on this past Monday. I got a bigger wire on the top, and then a bunch of chains and whatnot. I've taken to not asking many questions, because honestly, I don't understand most of the answers. Usually I'm really involved in my medical decisions and treatment, but in this case I think that I'm going to sit back and trust that my orthodontist has got things covered.

I've had a pretty good run lately with the Incognitos; no raw spots or soreness aside from after an adjustment. But I'm still not entirely sure that I'd recommend them to others. If I had it to do over again, I would go with regular braces. I don't hate the Incognitos, but I'm comfortable enough with the idea of braces now that I don't feel like it's imperative to hide them.

Our daughter just had her one year braces anniversary yesterday, and is within a couple of months of getting hers off. I can't wait to see how she looks! I've gotten so used to her brace face that it's going to be a bit of a shock. She's super excited about getting them off, but has done an exceptional job the whole way through with her elastics and brushing/flossing/WaterPiking.

Oh, and I still think that WaterPiks are one of the greatest inventions that man has come up with.