mewing

Why I Decided to Try AGGA (plus some lingering concerns)

Alyssa Luck · Nov 12, 2019 · 10 Comments

You guys. I wrote this post in MAY, and somehow managed to not hit publish. So here it is, almost six months later, which means I’m six months into my AGGA treatment, which means I’m way overdue for more updates. Given my track record, I’d say you should expect another update in April, but I will do my absolute best to exceed expectations.

Ever since I halted my last palate expansion attempt due to bone loss concerns, I’ve been exploring other options and deciding on the best course of action. Now, almost a full year later, I’ve started treatment with a new dentist (Dr. Ed Suh) doing AGGA and CAB.

It wasn’t an easy decision-making process, and it’s not a perfect solution by any means (not that a perfect solution exists), so I wanted to share all of the factors I’ve taken into consideration, and why I ultimately decided that AGGA is the best route for me.

I’ll also share the remaining concerns that I have about the treatment, and how I’m dealing with them (aside from sporadic mild panicking. Only slightly joking.).

Everything You Need to Know about AGGA (Anterior Growth Guidance Appliance)

Alyssa Luck · Mar 28, 2019 · 16 Comments

Note 2/5/2021: I badly need to update this page (especially since my website transition resulted in all the pictures being lost…ugh), but much of this information should still be useful/relevant!

Hey folks! This is my first post in what will hopefully be a series about the various orthodontic appliances used for non-surgical palate expansion and facial growth in adults.

You should all know by now that I’m not a dentist or orthodontist, so unfortunately, I won’t have any groundbreaking contributions of knowledge. But at least I can put all the info in one place, right? I’ve linked all of my sources throughout this post, so you can go link-diving if you want to read other people’s words and learn more.

Table of Contents

What is AGGA?

Who came up with AGGA?

What is involved in AGGA treatment, and how long does it take?

How does AGGA work?

Is it legit?

Are there any dangers or downsides to AGGA?

How much does AGGA cost?

Where do practitioners learn how to use AGGA?

How can I find a practitioner who uses AGGA?

Before and Afters

Where can I learn more about AGGA?

[Read more…]

Everything You Need to Know About Mewing

Alyssa Luck · Mar 5, 2019 · Leave a Comment

(But not actually everything you need to know, because many others on the internet have talked about mewing EXTENSIVELY. I hope to flesh this page out with more resources eventually, but for now, this very basic primer was last updated 4/8/2019.

What is mewing?

“Mewing” is a term coined by followers of Mike Mew (and his father, John Mew) to describe all of the actions/exercises involved in developing and maintaining proper tongue (and to a lesser extent, lip/cheek/jaw) posture. In addition to keeping the tongue in its rightful place on the roof of the mouth, this also includes things like proper chewing/swallowing technique and various tongue exercises.

(That’s the broader definition. Alternately, “mewing” can sometimes simply refer to maintaining proper tongue posture on the roof of the mouth.)

Mewing has started to pick up steam as an underground/fringe movement, and is notably popular among incel communities. (If you aren’t familiar with the term “incel,” I’ll let urban dictionary educate you.)