Metal Mouth Message Board

I just got to the end of my invisalign treatment and was scanned for refinements. I should be getting my refinement trays within a few weeks, and in the meantime, I was instructed to only wear my current trays at night. That was around noon that day, and so I didn't put my trays back in after my app...

I'm not sure I'm understanding? My tongue doesn't even really touch my teeth, it's just sort of behind them, so I don't know how it could be effecting what they do. Where are you supposed to place your tongue at rest?

So I've been thinking about my open bite recently. It's my main issue with my teeth and the biggest reason I have braces, to fix the open bite, but I'm a bit confused about the things I read online about them. From what I've read, open bites are caused by thumb sucking or tongue thrusting, and I'm p...

I've had rubber bands for about 19 days now. I started braces with an anterior open bite that will eventually be fixed, although I'm not sure what my current rubber bands configuration is working on. Anyway, while my bite has never been great, it always felt natural before. Now, not so much. Basical...

Last week I got rubber bands for the first time and went through the typical adjustment period with soreness and such, but what hasn't been typical (from what I can tell) is that the rubber bands have actually been cutting my cheek just as much as the brackets/wires ever did. I'd gotten used to usin...

It's hard to describe but if I tap the hooks with my finger (like when I was putting the rubber bands back on just now) they wiggle a little...like a bobble head maybe? That's the only example I could think of, sorry, haha. I'll have to examine them closer to see what's holding them in place.

I got rubber bands for the first time today and while I was in the chair, they put new hooks on my braces so that the rubber bands could make a box shape. Anyways, the new hooks on the top are fine, but I noticed that on both sides on the bottom, the hooks are wiggly. Since it's on both sides, it ma...

I haven't had my braces for super long (about 2 months now) but I think I may need wax for the whole time. Some days I'm fine without it, but I think my problem is that I sleep on my side, and the pressure of that causes my wires/brackets to cut into my lip. It's just the part of my cheek/inside of ...

I'm a little over a month into having braces and as of a few days ago, I've got a new problem. I bit my cheek on the right side at some point and since that injured it, I guess it was sticking out and making it easier to keep biting it whenever I'd eat. I've been trying to my best not to, but it's r...

I wonder about that too actually. I was told I was grinding by my dentist, but when I wake up, all I'm doing is clenching really hard. I'm not sure, but it seems like clenching is probably pretty harmful on its own. Maybe it's not as bad as full on grinding, though.

I'm having the same issue. It feels like my teeth are just way too short or something, haha. The brackets on my back molars are right on the gum line and when I try to kinda brush under there with my interdental brushes, it's like hitting a nerve. I just do it really gently and try to brush well wit...

I'm only a month in but I feel like my confidence has gone down with braces. That may be because I haven't seen any changes yet, though. My confidence improved slightly when I was able to eat normally again and stopped lisping, but I still feel a bit self conscious when I smile with braces.

I was estimated 18-24 months. My hope is that it's way closer to 18 months than to 24! It's only been a month and I'm already very ready to get them off.

I was told I needed braces when I was a preteen. My parents were pretty well off and could have afforded it easily, but when they asked if I wanted them, I said no and we never did it. So frustrating to think back to my preteen self's decision, knowing now the problems I could have avoided. Oh, well...

I got mine a month ago and that hasn't been my experience...almost everybody I know has commented in fact, usually with a, "Whoa that's weird! I'm gonna have to get used to that!" It's not so bad though. While some have judged me for getting them because "your teeth were fine!" o...