Metal Mouth Message Board

Hi everyone. I am new here so Hello

I was reading a forum blog today and was inspired to start my own little blog regarding my journey.

Well, so far no braces are on, BUT i am taking steps in preparing for them. I never new there was so much involved!!

First visit to orthodontist was OK. Not scary, nothing happened apart from him reading off some numbers to his assistant and then we were discussing a few things and he told me the cost... my mouth dropped... THEN i asked "do you do payment plans?" and he said "of course!" so then I was more like . anyway... i was sent to get x-rays. I had the x-rays done the next day and was back in his office about 3 days later. "You have 2 baby teeth still!" he told me. I was shocked by this. BUT they are decaying and need to come out, they are coincidently the 5th tooth along from the front, top and bottom on the right (sorry I am not really good with teeth names! I am sure I will know them backwards by the end of my braces! haha! - the opposite teeth on the left side have to come out to to even it up) I have NO bottom wisdom teeth, and to my surprise i have TWO top wisdom teeth, one which has erupted and one which is impacted. I thought "oh god... surgery and hospital it is!" then i automatically thought, there goes $3000!!! Anyway he then took impressions of top and bottom teeth with this weird blue minty tasting (thank god) stuff stuff. Which wasn't to bad, I just was hoping that my baby tooth down the bottom (with a hole in it!) didnt get attached to the stuff when it came out of my mouth! lol. then i had to bite on some wax to take my bite impression. My two top front teeth do not feel that strong. I never eat an apple without cutting it up, basically any hard fruit etc, I never bite straight onto my front teeth, so, when the ortho said "bite harder on this" i was like NOOOOOOOO!!! lol. he then made the wax a bit softer and this worked.

ANYWAY.. I had a referral to a dentist and a surgeon. I needed to see the dentist to get digital x-rays which are really close shots of the teeth as the radiology place can't get really close shots. So i thought, ok, that is easy enough. Went to the dentist, ended up getting 3 x-rays and then a CLEAN!! Now, i didnt think my teeth were that dirty. I know i had a few bits of plaque and crap stuck in between them from not flossing properly, but he cleaned them and I felt like a new person! lol they were so white AND i actually have gaps between my teeth! lol.... I also showed him my big xray and he mentioned that he can pull 5 of the teeth out in the chair. However, the impacted tooth is sitting RIGHT near my sinus, and therefore if I was to get it surgically removed, I risk damaging my sinus!! so needless to say, I dont think that one will be coming out in a hurry! - has anyone experienced this before? Impacted top right wisdom tooth near the sinus?? I would love to hear from you.

The dentist also said that they can "put me to sleep" in the chair, this is not general aesthetic, just some needle thing they stick in your arm and you get all drowsy, and wake up feeling fine, and not remembering the operation. I like that idea! BUT at $600 an hour, I was thinking mmmm maybe i can tough it out... not after the clean and how much of a wuss i was then, i am thinking I will be going to sleep! haha. He said pulling the teeth would only take about 30 minutes. Here is hoping...

I have another appointment with my orthodontist on Tuesday 19th Feb. I am concerned, as he said that he needs to put in separators, size bands and then fit a lingual arch. This is to be done over 3 appointments, one per week. He said that this needs to be done BEFORE the teeth are extracted. Now, is this normal?? how can I have this gadget in my mouth while they remove my teeth?? OR does he need to make sure it fits etc and then teeth are extracted and THEN this goes on. HENCE why I am seeing him Tuesday, to discuss this further as I am really really confused. I also need to speak to him about what kind of braces I am having, I am pretty sure he quoted me the plain metal ones, but I wonder if I can get self ligating ones? I think they seem to look nicer. Also I enquired about ceramic clear braces for just the top front teeth, and was talked out of that idea when he mentioned they break easily, they stain, the brackets are bigger and you need them on longer as they are not as strong. Well, there goes that idea!!

Anyway, I am hoping to get some answers and a plan in place on Tuesday so that I can get these teeth out (scared about that...) and then get the braces fitted!! All this build up is just making me crazy, I just want the process started.

If you can please give me some information about the lingual arch and if it is meant to be put in before teeth are pulled that would be great i mean im sure the orthodontist knows what he is doing, and I am probably confused and misheard him, but its nice to know that I have this forum to type my thoughts etc in.

well, I will check in later, probably next Tuesday after my orthodontist appointment! I have read that seperators are painful, so I hope they arent to bad for me! lol. Knowing my luck they will hurt

Ciao for now

I am going through some of the same anxiety you are trying to figure out what theyare going to do to me and when. Separators are high powered spacers and depending on your mouth may cause you considerable discomfort. I advise taking two Advil before you go. The last time I had separators a friend told me to think of the pain they caused as traing wheeels for orthodontia.

Hello 2xround thanks for your post

What process are you up to at the moment? I saw your timeline, have you had braces before? It is so much to take in, I feel like I have to organise all these appointments and to get the teeth pulled etc, and I am worried that they wont all be able to fall in line and I will end up having to wait for ages to get the teeth pulled etc. It is all up in the air at the moment! That is why I am just looking forward to seeing the Orthodontist on Tuesday, so hopefully then I can have some plans in place!

I have heard that seperators do hurt on some people and others not. I think if they put them in my bottom teeth they will be ok, but my top back teeth sometimes get sore on the gums (i think my wisdom tooth that has come threw is suffering at the moment... ) so if they put the spaces close to the back top they might give me some grief, but I will have to toughen up!

I have already thought of foods I can eat when the seperators and even braces are in. I might have to make a list

Hope you have a lovely day

Hi 2xround, I am just a new member so I cannot view ur private message yet hopefully soon I can!!

Wow this sounds like quite a journey your about to be on! It is exciting to think that after some teeth come out you will get your braces started!
I too am on this nerving journey and its quite a thrill, except having to wait so damn long!!! lol

I am excited to follow your story!
keep us updated!!

Hello annashefia

yes, it is kinda scary but exciting! I am so glad that I joined this forum! I enjoy reading all about other people's journey and it is interesting to read!

hahaha i know!! the waiting is soooo annoying!! Do you have your braces on yet?
I will have to check out your blog

I will keep you updated for sure, enjoy your day!

Hey!
I am so glad i found this forum too! I dont know anyone going through this, especially not any adults, lol
nope i go in on march 11th! I feel like its SOOO long away but I think ill be glad that i was able to take a little more time and eat whatever i want until then

have a great day!!

No braces yet. I will find out Friday when I talk with the orthodontist. Sounds like we are on track to be brace buddies

Annasefia - oh yes I just saw that you are going in on March 11! that is so exciting for you and so good that you dont need seperators etc etc! very cool!

I hope I can get my plan organised on tuesday! until then, I will keep reading up on the forums here! and you know what, i was gonna eat my normal boring salad for lunch today, but instead, i went and bought a sandwich cos i know that once i even get the seperators in it is going to be weird to eat! so that is a great idea eating what you want until then. Least you have your trip to look forward to and then you come back and you can get you braces! what a perfect plan

2xround - oh that will be awesome if we will be braces buddies! hehehe. I am hoping to have mine on around 15th of March. That is MY aim, whether it is my orthodontist aim is another thing! haha

I hope you go well tomorrow (is it this friday?) keep me posted

I have a little ticker now hehehe

I am not 100% sure if seperators are actually going in, I think so, but i wanted to seem cool with a ticker as well

Hi Kids

I am pretty sure I have settled on silver/metal braces all over. In my previous post I mentioned how the orthodontist talked me out of getting clear ceramic ones (even tho majority on here has them?? they seem ok?) he told me they break easily, stain, treatment is longer etc etc... then he showed me GOLD ones. He said they are not as visiable as the metal ones and seem to blend into the teeth better. I kinda think hrmmmm and then think nahhhhhhh i dont really want to look like some gangsta with a gold grill lol.

I was tossing up between the metal and gold ones tho, but I think I will go all metal.

What is everyone else's thoughts on this?

Ok I am freaking out a bit now cos I have came across people talking about TMJ and i was like what is that!? so of course, I googled it. I am scared now that I HAVE IT!! lol.

I clench my jaw constantly, i have jaw pain, headaches, eye pressure, neck and shoulder pain, headaches at the back of the neck etc. ARGH! Would my xrays show if I had TMJ? I knew I shouldn’t of googled it! lol.

Hi Welcome to the board! You might have TMJ if you clench your teeth. I have it. I actually just went and bought a mouthguard for sleeping because I've found it's gotten a little worse.

Your x-rays will only show it if you have cartlidge damage (I don't but I told my ortho about it). It's worth mentioning to him/her though.

Hi tobelei

Did u get the mouth guard specifically made for ur mouth? I have mentioned to my orthodontist that I clench my jaw and he didn't say anything so I will bring that up at my discussion appointment on Tuesday. I hope it is not to bad I was excited but now slightly disheartened

Thanks for ur advice