Metal Mouth Message Board

Hi All, I have just gotten my ALF appliance fitted ( 5 days ago!) and was wondering if anyone else on here is using this? My upper and lower arches are too narrow (my bottom is too far back aswell) I also have crossbite and overbite. My Ortho has said I will need to wear the ALF for about a year or maybe a little more, then I will get the normal braces for about 6 months.
Would love to hear from someone who has had or is having this treatment? Ill also be happy to share my experience with anyone who needs any info! I am in Ireland and as far as I know the Ortho I am going to is one of the only ones in the country doing this treatment, so would love to hear from others out there to reassure me it will work !!
Thanks!!

Hi Tracey
I'm in Ireland as well and wearing an ALF since last November. A lot of movement already. I can floss easily between all my upper teeth and between some large clearly visible spaces have opened up. Also my breathing has improved - as the upper arch expands the tongue is adopting its proper rest position on the roof of the mouth and I've started to nose breath again. The guy who is treating me says its hard to put a time frame on treatment but that duration is not specifically age related.
I reckon my maxilla needs to come about 6mm further forward, the size of the pre-molars that were extracted for orthodontics as a teenager.

[quote="Eurodude"]Hi Tracey
I'm in Ireland as well and wearing an ALF since last November. A lot of movement already. I can floss easily between all my upper teeth and between some large clearly visible spaces have opened up. Also my breathing has improved - as the upper arch expands the tongue is adopting its proper rest position on the roof of the mouth and I've started to nose breath again. The guy who is treating me says its hard to put a time frame on treatment but that duration is not specifically age related.
I reckon my maxilla needs to come about 6mm further forward, the size of the pre-molars that were extracted for orthodontics as a teenager.[/quote]

Hi Eurodude, hi Tracey,
I have been suffering for years with TMJ - headaches, teethgrinding etc and I was researching functional appliances. I had a brace when I was younger and had 4 healthy teeth extracted! Just today, I came across ALF and it seems to be the answer to my problems (hopefully). I was having difficulty finding a dentist who actually offers that treatment. I'm glad to see that both of you are in Ireland and you've found someone. Please tell me the name of your dentist.

This ALF appliance sounds interesting :)
I've been looking for a solution to extractions. This might be it!

Hi Elaine,

My Ortho is Hugh McDermott in Dundalk , the website is http://www.mytooth.com/mytooth.htm , if you are asked for a password for the site its mytooth. I'm nearly 6 months into treatment and can see a lot of movement already, lots of space being made so am very happy with how its going so far! Its not too awkward to wear, cant see it at all and is easy to take in and out for cleaning. its great that theres no need for extractions, coz getting healthy teeth out seems just wrong! If theres any questions you have or anything about the treatment - my experience of it, ill be happy to help

Hi Tracey,

Thanks for replying to me. I just sent an e-mail to that dentist, so hopefully they will contact me. I've been trying to ring all day but I just keep on getting the answer machine. What is the best way to contact them? I'm glad to hear that ALF is making a difference and is not to difficult for you to wear. Will you have to have braces fitted later on?

Hi Tracey and Eurodude

I went to see a dentist in Dublin on Friday (got his name from a list on Hugh Mcdermott site). He took x-rays and moulds and I have an appointment to see him in 6 weeks. He said I will probably have an ALF but I also need to get a new bite splint for night time due to the teeth grinding. I already wear a bite splint but he will probably have to make one to fit in with the ALF appliance as I will have to wear that also!!

Eurodude, the site won't let me read the message you sent me!

Hi, Eurodude, Tracey, Elaine,

How much does your ALF treatment cost or what were you quoted?

I also want to undo extraction treatment. Does the ALF just widen from the middle or can it move the front teeth forward, too?

braces2 wrote:Hi, Eurodude, Tracey, Elaine,

How much does your ALF treatment cost or what were you quoted?

I also want to undo extraction treatment. Does the ALF just widen from the middle or can it move the front teeth forward, too?

I paid €800 for the ALF up front and €150 for the adjustments every 6 weeks.

The ALF is designed with three loops in the wire, one at the front and two on the sides. Theses loops are slowly widened at each visit creating light pressure to stimulate bone growth along the suture lines. The front loop expands the maxilla crossways / laterally, the side loops expand the maxilla forwards.

My face is changing dramatically, wider cheekbones, fuller lips, stronger chin. Hard to believe

I wanted to try ALF, but the closest ALF dentist is about 4 hours drive from me. And it costs a fortune, I was quoted over $8,000 for the whole treatment. Plus, he did say I might still need regular braces after that (for an addl cost of course).
So I decided to go with the regular braces instead, esp that I am a non-extraction, non-surgical patient.

Hi there,

I am due to get my ALF in 3 weeks. I was told that my front teeth will come forward and so will my lower jaw. I was quoted approx 4000euro in total (ALF, bite splint and braces). I was also told that it would take roughly two and a half years! But I don't mind cos that will fly in and if it works - I'll be delighted!!

Eurodude - thats amazing that you can notice such a difference. I'm sure you're thrilled!!

Elaine

Eurodude or Tracey, did you notice widening of your nose since it's expanding along the suture? In my case, I wouldn't mind forward movement since it looks moved back with previous extraction treatment, but am a little concerned retreatment could widen the nose too much.

Why did you choose to go with a dentist who uses the ALF? Did you know someone who had successful retreatment? Did you meet with other orthodontists who suggested other options? (Anyone else can answer this, too.)

I know an office that uses the ALF, but they don't seem to have very much experience undoing bicuspid extractions. After a bad first experience with braces, I'm extra cautious.

braces2 wrote:Eurodude or Tracey, did you notice widening of your nose since it's expanding along the suture? In my case, I wouldn't mind forward movement since it looks moved back with previous extraction treatment, but am a little concerned retreatment could widen the nose too much.

Why did you choose to go with a dentist who uses the ALF? Did you know someone who had successful retreatment? Did you meet with other orthodontists who suggested other options? (Anyone else can answer this, too.)

I know an office that uses the ALF, but they don't seem to have very much experience undoing bicuspid extractions. After a bad first experience with braces, I'm extra cautious.

Hi
No I haven't noticed my nose widening but I have noticed that I am nose breathing again. The way the ALF treatment was explained to me is that the appliance moves / develops the bones the teeth are attached to. I did some internet trawling and found a paper by a dentist in Florida called Dr.Edwin Delz DDS who provided before and after pictures of patients who had undergone maxilliary development with ALFs. Beforehand clear torques / distortions were apparent in their cranial structure which the ALF then normalised.
One other orthodontist wanted to put me straight in Damon braces. The ALF guy said he would do the Damon system later once the cranial bones were expanded and there was enough room to start the fine tuning. It complicated, there are different approaches out there. I know for sure I didn't want to go for retreatment to a standard orthodontist who believes its fine to extract teeth for treatment. Some orthos who in my opinion are more progressive refer to teeth extraction for braces as 'amputation' which puts the potential fall out in proper perspective.

Thanks! Your answers are really appreciated.

Is your appliance bonded or is it removable? I have heard of both.

Hi,
I am wondering if this is what I will be getting... they told me that I would also have a TAD placed in the roof of my mouth. On my paperwork it indicates that I have an extremely narrow pallet and then it says "skeletal". What exactly does that mean? Does anybody know what effect this would have on the ability of the appliance to widen my upper jaw?
Thanks