Metal Mouth Message Board

Let's turn this question around. Would you ever consider dating someone with braces? If not, why not? If so, then why would you think that someone wouldn't date you while you were in braces? P.S. I'm well out of the dating pool, but my husband of 30 years didn't leave me when I got my braces, so I g...

If you really want the "best possible outcome" as you say in your email, then one step is to stop thinking about this in terms of "pain and discomfort"! Many (if not most) people on the board have little to no pain during the process. I know that I had very little - one bout of c...

How about just "Hi" and a big smile on your part, big enough to show any part of the metal that you have? I found that most other adults with braces are happy to see a "comrade in arms", but a while ago (well over a year) there was a thread in which several people said that they ...

I hear you, SinOnYourLips. And, sometimes, when you think that you and your retainers are getting along so well together, you fall and break your elbow and have to deal with your retainers with one hand. See my previous vent/whine!

Thanks, Chris. I've been taking my Essix out with my thumb and index finger. I'll give your suggestion a try also.

The worst part is that my splint goes from just below my shoulder to just above my knuckles. I can't get my left hand anywhere near my head!

Well, the point of getting your teeth fixed and "going through the whole ordeal" is that, at the end of it, your teeth will either look better, be better, or both. Yep, there is some maintenance required afterwards, but think of all the other things in your life that require maintenance - ...

Thank you, Ilovemacs and Meryaten. I was hoping that my neighbors bring me a nice bottle of tequila (I'm well over 21). Flossing with one hand is interesting, too. Fortunately, since I'm in the retainer stage, I'm using those little "floss in a plastic holder" things. Glad I don't have to ...

Thank you, Jennielee. This just goes with the old saying "No good deed goes unpunished"!

Yesterday, I slipped on a patch of ice while I was shoveling the snow on my neighbor's driveway. He is out of town on a vacation in Mexico. My arm hurt like the devil so I got it checked and found out that I have broken my elbow! (Insert sympathy here, please) Last night, I got my retainers in (Essi...

I got my uppers removed in April, 2007 and my lowers removed in October, 2007 (don't remember the exact dates!). In both cases, my brackets were removed, impressions were taken, and I got my retainers about a week later. So, I was really naked for about a week. My upper is an Essix and my lower is a...

I guess I should have put a smiley face after my comment about the pliers, Chris!

After my first cleaning with braces, my dentist suggested that I come in every 3 months, because I wasn't doing a good enough job of keeping my plaque under control - I was a little plaque factory! I did get my teeth cleaned before my braces went on, first cleaning with braces 6 months after that, t...

Thanks, Strugglebuggy. Work sure gets in the way of things, doesn't it? :-)

And, thanks to you also, Chris. I won't get my pliers out yet!

In my case, and I think this is probably true in most cases, taking your braces off takes a longer appointment than an adjustment does. So, if your ortho doesn't schedule a longer appointment, then the odds are that your braces aren't coming off. My ortho had some kind of secret code for what appoin...

Any update on this, Strugglebuggy? My retainer was really loose only for one day - seems to be a little better now - but I'm still curious about what you find out. Hope it is good news and doesn't cost any money!