I wouldn't recommend linguals

Discussions relating to Lingual Braces (behind-the-teeth) only, such as iBraces and LingualCare.

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CAlingual
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Feb 28, 2017 8:53 pm

I wouldn't recommend linguals

#1 Post by CAlingual »

I'm 7 months into my upper linguals. Should have been finished by now, but have two stubborn teeth that don't want to move.
I got linguals because being in my 30s, I didn't want visible train tracks, having done all that in my teens. I was another one of those people who were told by the orthodontist to stop wearing my retainer. Though I actually ignored him and continued for another year. I think my wisdom teeth and later removal of them made the teeth moving worse.

Everything I read said i would only have a slight temporary speech issue, but 7 months in I still can't talk properly. Everyone noticed at first and it felt pretty pointless to have paid extra for the linguals. My friends and colleagues are used to me now, but meeting new people means that strange look where they're wondering what's wrong with you.

I've been very careful but still had a couple of brackets come off and I'm fed up with the sore tongue that comes with every wire change.

Another issue is that my neck has become very saggy and wrinkly. I read about face changes but nothing about the neck! I assume it is because my jaw position has changed. I hope it is temporary because at the moment I'm very depressed looking in the mirror and considering surgery to lift it.

So in hindsight I think it would have been easier to go with the traintracks. Linguals were not invisible or even discreet for me.

SinkFullOfDinner
Posts: 273
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 2:25 pm

Re: I wouldn't recommend linguals

#2 Post by SinkFullOfDinner »

I'm sorry to hear you've had a rough go at it. Linguals definitely aren't for everyone and every case, and unfortunately in the case of speech, you really don't know until it's too late.

I think orthos should discuss the potential impact and not downplay it. To do so is the same as hearing ceramic braces referred to as "almost invisible." Yeah, right. Some people breeze through the speech impact, others don't. I can say, however, that even with the longer dent that was put in my speech, I was happy to have chosen them. Now that my ortho has switched to ceramics to finish, I definitely appreciate the linguals.

What kind of brackets did your ortho use? The smaller, custom brackets (WIN, Incognito, etc) are said to have less of an impact, as you might expect, but some of the other brackets are bigger and might have played a role(?).

Sounds like you're nearing the end, so keep your chin up figuratively (to be optimistic) and literally (keep that neck taught. It's cheaper than surgery!). Hopefully it all works out well for you. Good luck.

CAlingual
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Feb 28, 2017 8:53 pm

Re: I wouldn't recommend linguals

#3 Post by CAlingual »

Ok so the braces came off last night. I was in the chair for 2 and half hours and it was brutal.
As soon as they pulled off the brackets my gums started bleeding. Then came the removal of the composite bonding and there was alot. It was quite painful so they sprayed some antiseptic spray in which wasn't nice either. While removing the bonding I was constantly soaked with water. By the end I was shaking, bleeding and so tired.
When it was finally over they took impressions for my retainer and attached the bonded wire for my front teeth.
Then when I got up I had massive foot cramps.
Came home feeling rough. This morning my gums are still sore and swollen.
I didn't realise the removal would be so horrific. Absolutely never doing anything like that again.
On the plus side teeth are looking good. I will wear my plastic retainer every night forever.

Batanga
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Jul 09, 2021 10:00 am

Re: I wouldn't recommend linguals

#4 Post by Batanga »

Hey CAlingual,
Hope you're doing better since your last post.
I really wish I had seen this thread before getting my linguals!
I agree 100% second everything you wrote - I'm going through it right now!
My orthodontist convinced me to get lingual braces and he completely downplayed the possible side effets. It was also supposed to be all dandy. Instead, half a year in, my life is still a nightmare:
- my tongue hurts all over again every time he makes an adjustment; having constant pain affects all other aspects of my life (eating is les enjoyable, I don't feel like talking to people, I'm "inhibited" at work or in meetings, I'm irritable, depressed... I feel like I'm not myself anymore)
- I still have a lisp
- I have the impression of having a bad breath all the time, no matter how often I rince or brush my teeth
- and one more "detail" that I completely didn't think of when getting thos ebraces, is that it even has an impact on my erotic life (hopefully you know what I mean).
It's gotten so bad that a few days ago, I've decided to stop the treatment altogether.
But now I'm bracing myself (ha, ha...) for the horrific removal you wrote about (which, again, I had NOT been warned about).
Please wish me luck : (

To whomever is reading this: PLEASE do yourself a favor and carefully consider the pros and cons before you sign up for lingual braces. The potential side effects may be dowplayed by your ortho or by people who didn't experience those issues (because we're all so different).
To me, the side effects were definitely NOT worth it.
On the other hand, I couldn't care less if people see my braces or not. I've had regular braces in my teens and it was so much better...

RayK
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Jul 11, 2021 12:43 pm

Re: I wouldn't recommend linguals

#5 Post by RayK »

sorry to hear of your experience, my orthodontist recommended against for my situation and after reading the reviews i am happy we chose self litigating. I chose the metal because even though the ceramic is more 'tooth like' after they attach the large, rectangular arch wire there is not much difference except in cost.
I hope your situation improves and it becomes less painful.

bbsadmin
Posts: 3469
Joined: Sat Aug 28, 2004 7:03 pm
Location: Northern California
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Re: I wouldn't recommend linguals

#6 Post by bbsadmin »

I'll jump in with my 2cents. I got braces when I was in my early 40s. I chose ceramics on top and had metal on the bottom.

To be honest, after a couple of months I wished I'd gone with metal on top because when the ligatures (o-rings) stained (which happened constantly), the ceramic braces looked dingy until my next ortho appointment. What I realized is this: when you first get your braces, you are really self-conscious and you think that everyone will be noticing them and commenting about them. This is simply not true. People don't care. It's a topic for two seconds, then it's done. People are much more concerned with their own problems than the braces on your teeth. And now with COVID, and some people wearing masks, nobody can see your teeth anyway.

If "hiding your braces" is the only reason for getting linguals, please re-consider. Unless you work in a profession where seeing your braces will be a detriment (such as being a model or having a very public job or persona), it really doesn't matter. The pain and downsides of linguals will far outweigh their "invisibility" to other people. Seriously, don't even bother with ceramic braces. Go for traditional metal. The brackets nowadays are small and low profile. And if you go with self-ligating, there will be no ligature stains to worry about, so you can eat curry, drink coffee, and imbibe red wine to your heart's content.
I'm the owner/admin of this site. Had ceramic uppers, metal lowers ~3 years in my early 40's. Now in Hawley retainers at night!

Batanga
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Jul 09, 2021 10:00 am

Re: I wouldn't recommend linguals

#7 Post by Batanga »

@bbsadmin, I wholeheartedly agree with everything you said!!!
I hope more people get to read this thread and that it can help them make an informed decision.
Just to give you the ending of personal story: my lingual braces are out! Luckily, it wasn't quite as bad as CAlingual's experience. My gums hurt and bled for a few hours, but the next day, I was feeling fine- and so relieved! Never again. I'm planning to change orthodontists, and we'll take it from there.

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