New To Ibraces

[GSholes]

I just had ibraces applied to both rows of my teeth 3 days ago. The first 20 minutes of having them on was GREAT then it was all downhill from there. I found out quickly that eating anything other than applesauce and pudding wasn't an option. Knowing that, I still went ahead and attempted to eat the one thing I can't live without - taco bell. That was a mistake. I couldn't even put my teeth together to chew! My orthodontist told me I'd be able to eat and speak normally in about 2 weeks. Needless to say I'm counting down the days. I'm also trying to avoid any words that require me to make the "sssss" sound. I went to the movies last night to see "yes man" and instead of saying it, I told the guy with the tickets I wanted one for the jim carey movie hahaha. Wax and tylenol p.m. have become my new best friends. Hopefully all of the inconvenience is worth it!

[Janesays]

welcome gsholes

Although I don't have ibraces, I am a big fan as I had a roommate in college that had them on.. she ended up having great results, but I do remember the wax being her best friend too!

Keep your blog on here and track your progress.

Good luck

[Sunny]

Great that you've started treatment Gabrielle!

I've no experience of ibraces, but the orthdontist's I work for do offer them and I've seem many wonderful results from there use.

Wax will be your best friend for a while, but hopefully it will get better soon. Reading out loud is a great way to improve your speech, also singing.

Here's to your treatment going well!

[Zoso]

You have a great sense of humour! And your orthodontist is correct - most people do adapt within a couple of weeks, so I am sure ... er certain ... er convinced ... er confident that your speech will return to normal before too long. Same goes for food. In the meanwhile, keep your sense of humour to the fore, and remember that the results will indeed be worth it!

[pab]

The very good - absolutely no one can tell you have them on by looking at you unless you show them no doubt about it. 100% as advertised - if you do not want someone to know you are wearing braces no one can tell by looking at you

The very bad - notice above I said 'by looking at you' because once you open your mouth they will think either you suddenly had a stroke, gained a speech impediment, suffered a bad accident and you are trying to recover your speech, or for some reason have become mentally handicap. If you want to know what you sould like when you have ibraces on? then stuff as much wet toilet paper in your mouth as you can fit in and then try talking and this will give you an idea. Anyone who says you sound better over time are fooling themselves or people are telling them to their face they sound good and behind there back they are saying I wonder if so and so had an accident or drinking to much because they sound awful.

In terms of comfort? lets put it this way - have you seen or heard of the series of movies called Saw? I have only seen a couple and that was more than enough for me but once I put on ibraces the movie Saw first came to my mind that Ibraces would be a great torture device to use in the new Saw movie. I can not believe I hear people say they get used to it! you will not or should not. Lets put it this way its like buying a fancy car which in concept ibraces represent and lets assume the fancy car is great but unfortunately the drivers bottom seat is filled with barbed wire so every time you sit down to drive thats what you face - this is what ibraces is about. Sure maybe over 6 months after your butt is red and bloody and one big callous it may not feel as bad but it does not change the fact of how bad it feels.

In summary, absolutely no one will tell you have them on by looking at you but then your once you open your mouth they will think something is seriously wrong with you so whats the point - if you do not tell them you are wearing braces they will think you suffered a stroke and trying to recover your speech. Also, when they see your tongue look like raw meat from being torn up every which way they again will think you are suffering from a disease so whats the point

I am just surprised no class action lawsuit has been filed against them because this is product with known defects causing seriously problems for people that they are trying to just 'live through' to have better teeth and probably feel stuck once they sign the contract so do not want to spend more $

Hopefully I was much clearer about plus and minuses then other posts

[coconut]

Good luck, Gabrielle - I'm sure you'll get a great outcome.

[Zoso]

Class action law suit? Defective product? *rolls eyes*

I can only assume that you are relatively new to the product and still having a hard time. There are things you can do to help, such as using wax, and staying properly hydrated. But above all, a more positive attitude would help.

[Sunny]

Hi Pab and sorry your experience so far hasn't been so good.

I'm pleased to add that one of the ortho's I work for uses ibraces and I've not yet seen one of his patients look anything like you describe ... except for ...

no one can tell you have them on by looking at you

It sometimes takes two weeks or longer for the tongue to get used to the 'space invaders', but it does adjust and from then on the use of wax can be decreased, as the comfort level moves to 'not noticing you have ibraces except when eating and brushing'.

I hope you're a new patient to ibraces and you allow yourself an adjustment time. Here's to things improving for you!

[pab]

I still do not get peoples comments about ‘you will get used to it’ . Lets put it another way – if you bought a coffee maker and everytime you used it you got burnt and then you went back to the store and they said ‘do not worry you will get used to it and your body will develop golf ball sized calluses so eventually you will not feel it but it does make the best coffee and then the person told you should soak your arms in a bowl of wax every couple of hours so your body is prepared when you use it and do not get burnet what would you think? No matter how good the coffee is in the end does this not make the product defective in some fashion? Its just fact it does the job but is defective

I am sure being a POW in the first year is harder then fifth year but does not mean the experience is any better. People end up getting used to it because they are stuck pure and simple as you will not be able to return it as a defective toaster so for that money you will let your mouth and tongue turn into raw meat but your teeth will look good

The facts are the ibraces can not be seen and in the end they will do the job but the ride getting there in these will be rough. Its like driving a porsche but your driver seat bottom is filled with barb wire - of course the first 100 miles will be more difficult then next 100 miles when your body gives up and becomes numb to it but does mean something goes away or makes the ride better in the next 100 miles and in the end you will get in the place your going but then you get there and ask yourself was there a better way and was it worth it??? because as you were trying to call for help from your porsche no one could understand a word you were saying anyways with the ibraces on as you will sound like someone with a bag of marbles in the mouth. If you like pain and are a monk who does not speak then this is perfect for you. Now that waterboarding is outlawed they should look at this as an alternative unfortunately though what ever information you get you will not be able to understand a word being said with them on so I guess it defeats the purpose...

[Zoso]

You're not stuck with these braces, pab. If you can't hack it then go and have them removed. Yup, you'll lose money, but if it's as bad for you as you're painting it, then make the choice to save yourself. It's not like you are imprisoned by these braces - the choice is entirely in your hands - so the crown of thorns is ill-fitting.

But, I will reiterate, wax, hydration, and a better attitude would work wonders. And the first step on the attitude front would be to accept the fact that it is not that people get used to being in pain and talking oddly due to the linguals, but rather that their mouth gets used to the braces so that it no longer hurts, and their speech returns virtually to normal. If this does not turn out to be the case for you, you'll be the first person I've ever encountered for whom that is the case.

[pab]

You are right they are easy to get off. You practically have to eat a liquid diet so they do not fall off which is not really a bad thing if you need to lose weight or become a vegetarian because the ibraces will help you do both and will make you a healthier person so thats good as eating will no longer be pleasurable you will want to snack as little as possible to minimize the blizters from popping in your mouth. Anything larger than a piece of corn can knock them loose. If you want to get yours off all you need to do is eat an almond or peanut

[Zoso]

You are right they are easy to get off. You practically have to eat a liquid diet so they do not fall off which is not really a bad thing if you need to lose weight or become a vegetarian because the ibraces will help you do both and will make you a healthier person so thats good as eating will no longer be pleasurable you will want to snack as little as possible to minimize the blizters from popping in your mouth. Anything larger than a piece of corn can knock them loose. If you want to get yours off all you need to do is eat an almond or peanut

If they are debonding with normal foods, then they were not bonded correctly in the first place. Whether the braces are linguals or "regular" braces, there is no need whatsoever to adopt a liquid or even a soft chew diet for the duration of treatment. And you need only limit snacking as much as you want to limit brushing afterwards. Again, the issue with sores is a temporary one, whether you want to believe that or not. And, I will reiterate yet one more time the advice that you use plenty of wax until your mouth does adjust and that you drink plenty of water on an ongoing basis to help the tissues in your mouth to cope more easily.

[bead]

My goodness. I was going to make an appointment with an ortho in Don Mills, i.e., Toronto area for an ibraces consultation, but maybe not. Is it really that bad? I mean if you can't see them, but people will definitely know something is up as soon as you talk, what's the point? I hate my teeth, but I am also very terrified to take that first step. Now in my forties, with 3 kids, I really don't know if I have the courage............

[Zoso]

Please don't let negative posts discourage you too much. There are many many people - some your age, some younger, and some older - who have successfully gone through orthodontic treatment, be it with linguals, or be it with "regular" braces, and very few have such a negative view of them as this poster has. If you hate your teeth, then you owe it to yourself at least to take the initial step of heading in for a couple of consultations to see what the doctors have to say.

Good luck.

[Sunny]

Hi Bean and welcome to this forum!

Please talk to some orthodontist's about ibraces, before being too concerned about negative posts. Where I work, the patients with ibraces do find it takes a little longer to adjust, maybe a few more days or a week ... but they adjust quickly. We have no more ibrackets coming off during normal wear than any other type of brackets and the only recommendations our ortho's make is to wait four hours before returning to your usual diet.

With the excellent oral hygiene that should be used with all types of orthodontic treatment, your mouth will become adjusted and your gums will look healthy. It's important to keep well hydrated, use plenty of wax if there's any irritation.

Good luck finding out more about ibraces and what types of treatment would be best for you!

[contemplatingbraces]

Hi everyone,

I've been thinking of getting ibraces for a few months now and I finally got them put on last week. First thing I noticed was my speech -- I am speaking with a bad lisp. I tried singing and talking the entire day and ended up with blisters and cuts ALL over the back of my tongue. It was and still is soooooo painful. I've tried my best to not make conversations and eat/drink as little as possible. Really, the wires are no joke, and I had no idea they would be poking/stabbing every time I spoke and moved my tongue (swallowing is the worst). I simply can not swallow anything without the wires sticking into the back of my tongue. I'm reading that most people will get used to them but when? I actually have a very high tolerance for pain; however, these gosh darn wires are constantly stabbing me. The orabase isn't doing much, and I can't seem to keep the wax over the end of the wires. Is my tongue just going to get used to this awful pain? I've read that a callus is going to form? Did you all get used to the poking/stabbing wires? If so, when? HOW? These ibraces feel like torture. *I do have a long tongue so maybe that could be to blame?*

Another thing is that prior to getting ibraces, I had no idea that I would have metal brackets covering all of my molars. The model of the ibraces that was shown to me only had brackets on the lingual sides of the teeth. It was aesthetically pleasing and non-obtrusive. The ones in my mouth look nothing like the model. I can't close my mouth all the way because of the metal coverings and chewing is difficult so I've been eating soup and broth the past several days.

All in all, my experience with ibraces have not been pleasant. I have been a very sad and angry young woman the past several days, and to top it off, I feel as if karma has struck me. I chose ibraces so no one would know that I have braces but I feel as if I'm paying the price for being vain. It's costing me close to $10,000 out-of-pocket for the entire procedure. I'm beginning to wish I had gotten the traditional braces.


Any help would be so appreciated

[Zoso]

Almost all people adapt to the lingual braces over time - longer for some than others. But most get back to speech that sounds, to anyone else, like normal. Same goes for eating. One thing you can do to help is to make sure you are always properly hydrated - this is essential, since when you are dehydrated your oral tissues are much more prone to sores.

As to the molar bands, why the big deal about how they look? Nobody will see them all the way there in the back of your mouth, truly

[Sunny]

Hopefully you will adapt soon and feel loads better. Keep well hydrated and keep pushing the wax on and over as many spots as possible to make those areas easier for your tongue to cope with. Wax can be difficult at times, but it's important to use generous amounts and keep the wax on when you're eating and sleeping.

Many ortho's still use molar bands and most patients adjust quickly to these. Hopefully you'll be the same.

If you have pieces of archwire poking you, give your ortho a call and you should be able to get in to have them clipped.

The adjustment period can be a challenging time, but for most people it happens quickly and for a small number it may take a little longer, but please be confident that it will happen for you! Take care!

[tsodessa@gmail.com]

I am reading all of these reply's laughing to myself. I have had the ibraces for almost 2 years now and there are pros and cons to them. At the ortho practice I use the year I had mine put on they did 8 others and the other people bailed b/c it was too much for them. There are many times I want to tear them off but I am getting great results. You never get used to them b/c every 6 weeks there are issues that arise once they change the wire. Your teeth and gums hurt like hell, once the teeth start shifting your tongue gets cut up and your entire jaw hurts. I am a mouth breather therefore my tongue is dry in the morning and it feels burnt. Never use your tongue to clean your teeth.......
You must carry with you at all times: brushpicks for cleaning teeth and flossing gums, wax and anbesol. NEVER LEAVE HOME WITHOUT THEM. If you can get your hands on painkillers I recommend them.
Though you cannot see them you will tell everyone about them because you talk differently, you drool, and you thrust your tongue.
So good luck and let me know if you have any more questions.......

[Sunny]

Great to read that you results are so good!

Most of what you write about applies to all types of braces ... and that's really what ortho treatment is about. Where I work, I've not yet seen one patient bail who's had ibraces, although a few have come close to it. Also our patients are encouraged to use generous amounts of wax and rinse often with warm salt water, so fortunately don't have the problems you write about of your tongue getting cut up after adjustments.

Good luck with the rest of your treatment! :thumb"

[tsodessa@gmail.com]

The big question is........How much money is your practice making on the ibraces from the company or are the people who are responding who have never worn them actually work for ibraces.. If you have NOT worn them do not give advise.... you are not qualified even if you see and treat people wearing them.

The group I see refuses to continue with the company because of the imperfections of the braces. So don't be so insulting to us who actually wear them. Braces are not easy as an adult but the ibraces are worse.........................

[Sunny]

I'm sorry things aren't working for you, but you speak for yourself not for others.

I'm not sure what you mean by how much money our practice is making on the ibraces, as I don't see how that affects our patients choice or comfort level?

I have to give advice to people who wear a variety of brackets and appliances ... and yet I've I've only worn two types of brackets. We learn most of what we do from what other's are experiencing and the study we do. Were I work we're well qualified and our patients appreciate the advice we give.

If you need to whinge ... whinge to your ortho. You and the people you see, chose to do this and chose to use ibraces. Complain to your ortho, as there is no need for braces of any kind to be difficult as an adult, unless this decision is a poor one for you.

[tsodessa@gmail.com]

Honey,

I am not complaining but I am giving an honest review of the ibraces. Since I am wearing them I am qualified to answer their questions. There is a common thread with posted messages........


The people who are actually wearing them have a difference of opinion than the people who are not wearing them. You say you have a lot of patients who have not had any problems or complaints, if so why aren't they posting messages for future users and why are we only hearing from you?

Please ask them to post so that they may help the people who are asking for help

[Sunny]

It's not my job to advertise overseas sites to my patients ... and it's not someting I will do. I'm sure if they want to find this site they have enough skills to do it.

You are qualified to make comments with regard to how you feel ... but you don't have any qualifications to make sweeping statements. Also we've had ibrace wearers on this site before and most are happy with their decision. I guess the reason most aren't still writing, is they're so satisfied they don't have anything to ask or write about.

As a moderator on this forum ... this is part of what I do ... and I'm happy about that.

[coconut]

For what it's worth, I had lingual braces on my upper arch for almost 2 years. No, they weren't ibraces, but the principle is the same: custom designed brackets applied to the back of the teeth. I progressed through a series of wires and wore elastics too.

The first 2 weeks were rough while I adjusted to them. My tongue got cut up and any food that had a hint of acid in it was hell to eat. From thereon in, things settled down and apart from a day or two of soreness after adjustments, it was pretty much business as usual.

I took painkillers once during treatment.

Having worn "regular" braces on my lower arch, I can say that I had as many effects to deal with as a lingual wearer would only in a different way.

That's my experience.

[Sunny]

Your experience sounds very similar to what our patients report Coconut.

I guess when you're an adult, you're usually mature enough to accept why you've made this decision and be grateful for the opportunity to have been able to do this.

[coconut]

I guess when you're an adult, you're usually mature enough to accept why you've made this decision and be grateful for the opportunity to have been able to do this.

This is so true.

[GSholes]

I've had my ibraces on for just about 9 months now and my experience so far has been alright. Other than the unsightly gap in my front teeth that I didn't have until a few months ago (I look like a creep) I'm very pleased with the results. I am able to eat just about anything and the lisp is long gone. It returned after I had the second wire put on my top row but went away after about a week. I haven't had to use wax in over 6 months - my orthodontist found a way to bend the ends of the wires so they don't cut my tongue. No one knows that they're there and most of the time I even forget I have them on.

If you are considering ibraces I think it pretty much comes down to this - any kind of orthodontic treatment is going to suck. Both regular braces and ibraces are going to be an inconvenience at times. If you're willing to pay a little extra money to spare the "embarrassment" of having braces on the outside of your teeth, then do it. In the end, the results will most likely be the same.

[Sunny]

Great things are going okay for you GSholes ... and that you've discovered what a creep looks like. Hopefully this is just the common occurance of 'sometimes it gets worse before it gets better'.

Great your ortho took care of the ends of the archwire for you and your tongue is much happier.

Good luck with your progress!

[linzyp]

I just got my iBraces put on 4 days ago. At first my teeth felt tight as soon as they put the wire on. Then I noticed that it was very akward to try and bite down (the band on my molar to correct my bite causes this). The braces didn't really hurt for about 2 hours....then the pain came!! Oh man did they hurt!!! I've been on a soup diet until today when I was able to eat a shredded chicken mexican casserole and a cupcake! My braces hurt much less than yesterday...I can tell they are getting much better. Hopefully I will be able to eat normally within a week or two. The first few days def sucked though. My speech was not weird at all when I first got them on....It was once my teeth hurt that my speech was a little off. But it's only noticable to me. I went to a party for my friends birthday and no one noticed anything about my speech. They didn't even know I had braces until I ordered soup for dinner (I'm usually a big eater) and they asked why I wasn't eating. They had no idea!

I've decided the best thing to do is just take tylenol every 4 hours and tough it out for a few days!! Wish me luck!!

[linzyp]

Oh! My tongue really hasn't gotten cut up either!! (I for sure thought that was going to be the worst). It was just my teeth that ached so badly!! If i would accidently even touch my teeth together I would almost scream the first 2 days!! Running my toungue along the edge of my teeth was like torture! Ha...But after the first few days they are much less sore...I can actually kinda tap them together without them hurting! Thank goodness!

[Sunny]

Great your treatment has started Linzp and hopefully you'll be a load more comfortable with your braces very soon.

Remember to keep well hydrated and use wax generously ... if necessary.

Chewing is the best way to help aching teeth. It doesn't sound easy ... but with practise it does become that way.

Good luck!

[Bob]

I completely agree with PAB. The ibraces suck!!!!!!! I had them taken off after only 3 days because they were not as advertised. I had huge silver metal brackets over the top of all my molars that were completely visible unless I kept my mouth 90% closed. I also couldn't talk without extreme pain and sounded like a stroke victim like PAB said. I know I would have gotten used to the pain, but I ordered i-braces because I wanted invisible braces!! I didn't see the point of enduring the pain and not being able to eat solid food and talk correctly if they were visible. If you are considering Ibraces, don't!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[pierre]

I'm wondering what hurt you so much. I have no pain whatsoever. Only if the wire sticks out, but a little wax or the ortho's pliers will take care of that.

Moving your teeth will make them sensitive, particularly when you bite on something. Which you should therefore do with care.

Anyway, it's sounds like a win-win, me no pain-you no pain, .

Cheers!

[Sunny]

Pierre it sounds like Bob had molar bands on his teeth ... this is not a problem with lingual braces ... but his ortho should have told him this would happen, so he knew what to expect.

Also after three days ... no matter what type of braces you have, no one can make an accurate judgement about the brackets they have, as it's all way to knew for your mouth and psyche at that stage.

Great that you're progressing so well Pierre!