Metal Mouth Message Board

Thanks for the comments.

I asked them if they can use elastics and they said no. I know I need elastics to fix my problem, so CrystalBraces are not an option for me.

I also agree with phasesofbeauty that I don't think they are cheap enough, considering everything.

Thanks kittenpoint.

Do you also have buttons on the bottom, and hooks cut in the top tray?

Do you know why they don't cut hooks in the bottom tray? I wonder if the bottom trays don't hold as well?

Thanks.

I understand that Invisalign uses "buttons" that attach directly to the teeth, and you attach one end of a rubberband to that. The other end is sometimes attached to a hook cut out in the tray itself. How does that not just pull the tray off? As shown here, for example: http://www.archwire...

CrystalBraces are like Invisalign, but they advertise "straighten your teeth at home". You make your own impressions, mail them in, and get a set of trays. I guess it's cheaper. Their faq says if you only need minor movement with 8 trays would cost $998. Moderate movement with 15 trays is ...

My ascii art didn't work. Try again with dashes instead of spaces: Here's an illustration of the profile of my top and bottom teeth with my jaw relaxed: --) --) If I pull my lower jaw back, I can get like this where I can "correctly" bite down (but it's only "correct" if we ignor...

Just to be clear, I don't want my lower teeth to move. The top teeth need to move forward to be where my lower teeth are now when my jaw is relaxed. Right now, the only way to get my teeth together is to use muscles to get my lower jaw back. It takes serious effort to get my lower jaw back far enoug...

You're right, if I had to wear headgear during the day, braces would be the least of my worries. Reverse pull headgear would only be worn at night, or at least at home. I don't think anyone wears that during the day, do they?? It's a huge contraption on your face. I can't imagine. I've never seen it...

Thanks for your comments sirwired. It really helps me to get ideas, as I'm just starting to try to understand how these things work. I had braces as a kid, but never tried to understand anything about it - just doing what I was told. I will be talking to my doc about my options, but I want to have s...

I believe you're right that a palate expander can improve breathing by increasing the nasal cavity. There does not seem to be much debate about that.

Here's why I think pulling the maxilla forward might help in a different way by increasing the airway:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfwAlmXqYSo

Is it possible to use reverse pull headgear without also using class III rubberbands between the top and bottom braces? The reason I'm asking is because then it might not be necessary to have braces at all, but something like this with a permanent retainer type thing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v...

Is it possible to use reverse pull headgear with a retainer instead of braces, where the headgear would pull on the retainer?

If it exists, is there a name for it?

Thanks.

I read that pulling the maxilla forward can improve breathing by opening the airway. Is that true?

Thanks.

Is it possible to move the lower teeth back without moving anything else? I know rubber bands or pull-headgear can position the lower teeth further back *relative* to the top teeth. But, is it possible to move the lower teeth back without moving the chin or top teeth?

Thanks.