Metal Mouth Message Board

Wow. It's been way too long. My lower left chin and jaw are still numb. Tingly if I run a fingernail over the area but no real feeling. I've been majorly slacking in my retainer wear and the tilted lower left incisor is slowly reverting to their pre-brace state. I've been cleared from the surgery - ...

It was absolutely worth it and if I had a choice I would have done it sooner!

I had to retrain my jaw to sit in the correct position while I was in braces. Made for a very awkward period for eating but was necessary to get used to the position, retrain the muscles. But after the surgery, as mountaingirl puts it, the jaw is now in the right place, so you don't have to hold it ...

I was told I needed BSSO + Lefort 1 as well. I switched surgeons because of scheduling issues and my new surgeon decided that I did not need the Lefort at all. HOWEVER I do have a slight overjet of about 2 mm because of this. but I'm glad that I didn't need the additional surgery and already very gl...

Offhand, I would say by 2-3 weeks you should be ok to travel and move around. But I would move slowly and plan for a lot of rest stops. I had my jaw moved forward and was banded shut with elastics for about a week. Thereafter on elastics and getting used to the new jaw position. Tired easily but man...

biggs wrote:the thing is ive already had braces two times both times my front teeth have protuded again.

Why were they protruded in the first place? In my case, my ortho warned me that if I did not control my tongue thrust and wear my retainers as prescribed, my upper fronts WOULD protrude again.

When I was debraced, my teeth still felt shaky (I demanded removal as soon as possible) and my ortho warned me to be careful because my retainers would take a week to be ready. So I ate carefully, mostly on a soft food diet. They hardly moved during that week. I got my retainers and they fit fine. T...

What's your range of motion? Do you have other issues like TMJ or biting/chewing problems? Your underbite is minor and not really noticeable at first glance. You have lovely teeth!! If I were you, I wouldn't do anything. Surgery is too extreme for this. If you have one or more of the teeth extracted...

An open bite (horizontal distance between upper and lower front teeth) is not quite the same as an over bite (vertical distance). I had both open bite and over jet and initially required surgery on both upper and lower jaws. But my ortho did his magic and I eventually only had lower jaw surgery to b...

I've always had a lopsided smile. Braces, surgery and elastics have not changed that. Yes, I am still slightly numb on the left chin/lower cheek area. But comparing past smiley pics and current, it's still the same lopsided smile though my jaw is in the right place now. What has changed (minimally t...

Yes a broken powerchain does have impact. Now instead of pulling your teeth together, it will be pulling your teeth apart, leaving a gap between your front teeth. One alternative would be to remove the chain altogether, removing the negative pressures. But please talk to your ortho before doing that!!

In my case, my left and right molars (and therefore, the bands and inner cleats) are rather far apart, even though I have a relatively small mouth. I maintained a straight trajectory without obviously angling to either side and everything went well. Many times. Even with speed. I couldn't nibble tho...

Same here, my front teeth finally touched for the first time EVER post operation, but my upper and lower molars were faaar from one another. As with Audra, it was my orthodontist who closed that gap.

Duh. I meant to say "I've been limiting myself to room temperature water when I have my *retainers* on."

Also forgot to add that I have hawleys - acrylic and wires (with solder). Not sure what exactly essix retainers are made of.

Only 3.5 weeks more of 23/7 wear *grits teeth and bears it*

The retainers are annoying. I had to get some of the acrylic parts filed down, but yet another part is cutting down, under my tongue. I'm trying to endure it, hopefully it'll get better otherwise I'd have to make an early trip back or try to file it down myself. I can't speak properly!!! Yet I am de...