Archwire over empty spaces in the mouth

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#1 Post by **bocabear** » Sun May 11, 2008 1:45 pm

Please offer suggestions for the following which causes me considerable discomfort:
I have had 4 molars [ankylosed- 2 top, 2 bottom] cut from my jaw bone. This was followed by braces to right the misaligned molars that grew over those teeth. My problem: the archwire which is essentially a hanging bridge over these four gaps where the teeth are missing, cuts deeply into my cheeks. Clearly this is aggravated as my cheeks tend to fall into this vacuum. Wax doesn't help much since the wire is so thin, it just doesn't hang on well.

Has any one encountered a similar situation? Is there any type of removable dental prosthetic that someone knows of. It will be months before I can get the implant posts placed in, and a year or better before my teeth are straight enough to accomodate the crowns over the implants.
Huge thanks,
Bocabear

#2 Post by **Luella** » Sun May 11, 2008 2:01 pm

I would think the ortho can do something about that for you- I'd call and ask!!!

#3 Post by **Buffy** » Sun May 11, 2008 2:51 pm

I'm sure I saw a pic on here somewhere of someone who made themselves a makeshift wire cover with a straw.

You cut a small straw section, and then make a lengthways slit in it so it'll pop over the wire.

Seemed to work for them - worth a try perhaps?

Sun May 11, 2008 6:20 pm

i have bare wire on top as well, for the first week it irritated my mouth badly
i didnt do any salt rinses im lazy, my ortho refused to put the rubber tubing over it, but i guess i got use to it after the first week and a half
it doesnt bother me at all now

#5 Post by **bocabear** » Sun May 11, 2008 9:52 pm

So many thanks. Its very heartening to receive your suggestions on which I will follow through.

Bocabear

#6 Post by **Lola** » Sun May 11, 2008 11:50 pm

That happened to me - the wire was bridging over two extraction gaps- so the assistant bent it inwards. I thought this was odd since the bends are supposed to affect the way the teeth are moving but it didn't seem to cause a problem.

#7 Post by **esmeraydances** » Tue May 13, 2008 9:08 pm

I have the same problem. Unfortunately, I have not had a complete resolution.
on the tongue side of the
I do, however, have one trick that works really well for when it's so irritated I have a trench in my cheek... Because the wires don't hold wax very well by themselves, I ball up a piece of wax to fill the gap, then apply wax to the buccal (cheek) side of the wire. The balled up piece works as a bolster to hold it in place, and the wax is soft enough that it doesn't impede the movement of teeth!

#8 Post by **Miss Smiley** » Wed May 14, 2008 4:10 am

I had tubing and I bought the braces covers that snap onto the archwire. Here's a pic of the tubing!
viewtopic.php?t=18851&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=60

Wed May 14, 2008 6:15 am

Miss Smiley wrote:I had tubing and I bought the braces covers that snap onto the archwire. Here's a pic of the tubing!
viewtopic.php?t=18851&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=60

it was from your story i learned about tubing, and i asked my ortho and she said no she doesnt do that

#10 Post by **Gennel** » Wed May 14, 2008 12:37 pm

I had this problem ,not only did the archwire cut into my cheeks,it also kept slipping off the last bracket. I somehow managed to put wax. I shaped it wth my fingers into a long tube shape. It was a huge glob but it gave me the relief I needed. I would honestly try and get some of those little coffee stir straws that you get at Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts. Get a few and cut them to the size of the gap you have then slice the little piece of straw in the center so you can slip it over the archwire. I would take it off before every brushing just to make sure no food is in there.
I would have thought that your ortho would have some sort of plastic tubing that could be used on the archwire....

Gennel

P.S. after a while my cheek toughened up and I had no cuts or scrapes and no more pain either.Keep hydrated. Water is a must!!!