Metal Mouth Message Board

That's awesome that you decided to take the plunge, caseymray! I started treatment to erupt my impacted canine at age 27 too. Just recently got my braces off, two years later. Well worth it in the end.

Good luck with your treatment, keep us posted on your progress!

So on your bottom do you have something like a hawley? Yeah, I think it's called a spring retainer. It's like a hawley, but more bulky and restrictive (uses a lot more acrylic material). Also, did they put the bonded retainer in right after they took your braces out? Yep, immediately after. Braces ...

I really like it - it's a dream compared to the removable spring retainer I have on my bottom teeth! So far, I've had no issues with relapse (knock on wood). As far as I know, it's in my mouth forever - I think I read somewhere that it doesn't offer the same type of retentive qualities as a removabl...

As you say, all cases are different, but I've never heard of anyone having to wear both a permanent and removable retainer full-time. Some people with bonded retainers get removable retainers for nightly wear as a supplement, and some (myself included) use a permanent retainer as the only form of re...

I had an impacted canine exposed under general anesthesia, not by choice - if it were up to me, I would have opted for local, but my tooth was lodged in the roof of my mouth in a strange position, so my oral surgeon insisted on general. I think there are definitely some benefits of undergoing proced...

To me, it looks like at least some of the gaps exist just because of the way your teeth are shaped. I think your smile looks great, but if it really bothers you, bonding could probably eliminate the spaces.

I have an upper lingual retainer. I floss using a floss threader that's made for dental bridges, by kind of threading the floss in between my teeth at the gumline. It's not difficult or painful, but I to me it doesn't seem to be as effective as flossing teeth that aren't bonded to a retainer, becaus...

Minor results so far. My teeth don't appear to be quite as transparent as before I started using the paste, but the change definitely has not been drastic. That said, my enamel was quite worn - like my front teeth were close to completely see-through - so it would be unreasonable for me to expect th...

How long after you first got your braces you will get the elastics? I have had my braces for almost 5 months now and I just got 2 premolars extracted two days ago to make room on the top. My next appt. with my ortho is next saturday. Do you think I will get my elastic then? It varies depending on y...

I had canine exposure surgery. I remember the site looking pretty ugly at first - like someone took a chainsaw to the roof of my mouth or something. The good news is it heals pretty quickly, as long as the area is kept clean.

Good luck!

P.S - do you brush as normal & then pop this stuff on afterwards? Do you use it every day? Once / twice a day? Yep, you keep your normal brushing routine, and apply the paste to your teeth afterwards. I usually use it at night, right before I go to bed. I leave it on for like 20 minutes, then s...

I use a similar product called MI Paste Plus; it's manufactured by the same company and has the exact same packaging. I think maybe the difference lies in the type of topical - mousse vs. paste. My dentist recommended it to me after I got my braces off because my teeth were really translucent toward...

I've had dental work done under nitrous oxide, and the only effect it had on me was making everyone around me sound like they were in a tunnel (like they were speaking with kind of an echo). You're still fully conscious and aware of what's going on, and I could still feel pain (i.e. the novocain sho...

congrats, ccrisis! After 4 years, I'll bet you're more than ready to see the end result. Be sure to post before and after pics, I'm sure everyone would love to see them

P.S. I agree 100% - this board has been an extremely helpful resource for me too!

I have a permanent retainer on my top teeth, and a removable spring retainer for my bottom teeth. My top braces came off in late October. No noticeable movement yet (knock on wood!), but I'm definitely concerned about the long-term stability of my upper teeth. I may actually request to have an upper...