Molar bands and bonded molar brackets

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#1 Post by **MissSMILEY** » Thu Apr 26, 2007 2:47 am

Is there a difference between molar bands and bonded molar brackets/tubes? Everyone was telling me that I was going to hate the spacers and bands, but come brace day, I didn't get spacers nor bands. Is it because a difference in treatment theories or do they do the same job? Once I showed everyone these tiny bonded pieces on two crowns and my teeth, they were asking me where the bands were. Does anyone know where my bands went?

#2 Post by **lionfish** » Thu Apr 26, 2007 3:22 am

I don't know why some orthos go one way or the other. I don't have molar bands either, and there are others here in the same position.

#3 Post by **MissSMILEY** » Thu Apr 26, 2007 4:12 am

I'm just worried that my gaps won't close up because the brackets will break or something lame. I popped off a bracket while I was brushing it. My post-tx BF said it was because I was brushing too hard and too long. But I just wanted to make sure I was keping it clean because it's partially hidden behind another tooth. I don't think it would be very ideal to have such a large gap in my mouth. Anyhow, I was just wondering if rubber bands or such would exert too much force that the bonding could not stand without a band.

#4 Post by **LynnHowell** » Thu Apr 26, 2007 4:40 am

Consider yourself lucky your ortho didn't bond molar bands to your teeth. For me, that was the most uncomfortable part of the actual braces.

Number one, it's like nails on a chalkboard when they force them over your sore teeth (sore because the spacers had just been removed). The ortho does this first to make sure he/she has the correct size. They are then forced back off, a lot of cement is applied, and they are forced back on and crimped.

I had sharp edges on mine (that I know now could have been filed down), but still they were uncomfortable. And I won't even go into how disturbing it looks when they dig down into your gums and you wonder how in the world they'll ever come off. (And they do quite easily).

I remember reading once that the type of molar brackets you have can't be applied to teeth that have fillings where the bracket will be placed because it could pull them out. Also, there is much less chance of anything seeping down in between the band and the tooth allowing for decay.

#5 Post by **alanme123** » Thu Apr 26, 2007 11:31 am

wow you are lucky... spacers hurts soooo much. and when they bonded my molars, ouch...

#6 Post by **MissSMILEY** » Thu Apr 26, 2007 3:14 pm

But they did bond them to my PFM crowns on my bottom 2nd molars using porcelain etch. I have another crown on #10 and they just used porcelaiin etch and told me if it didn't pop off over the weekend, I was good. So far, 3 weeks and none of the porcelains have given me any trouble. It was a natural tooth that a bracket popped off while I was brushing.

#7 Post by **lionfish** » Thu Apr 26, 2007 3:17 pm

I'm just worried that my gaps won't close up because the brackets will break or something lame. I popped off a bracket while I was brushing it. My post-tx BF said it was because I was brushing too hard and too long. But I just wanted to make sure I was keping it clean because it's partially hidden behind another tooth. I don't think it would be very ideal to have such a large gap in my mouth. Anyhow, I was just wondering if rubber bands or such would exert too much force that the bonding could not stand without a band.

I popped a couple of buccal tubes early on in the piece, but have been trouble free for over a year now (fingers crossed). I've had powerchains across these brackets and they've stood up just fine. I wouldn't get too hung up over it.

#8 Post by **MissSMILEY** » Thu Apr 26, 2007 3:37 pm

I use one of them ButlerGUM toothbrushes for sensitive mouths or my Sonicare Elite. I do notice that I tend to press harder with my manual toothbrushes rather than the Sonicare. I don't know, I guess it's just become a force of habit from using a Sonicare for 8 years, the manual just doesn't seem as clean. I took care of the loose bracket about 10 minutes after I brushed my teeth that same morning. And does anyone else have a problem with the two molar tubes pinching your gums when the mouth is closed??

#9 Post by **MissSMILEY** » Thu Apr 26, 2007 5:00 pm

Hahaha thanks, Meryaten. It seems to have subsided a wee bit for now. Water and wax have been my best friends so far.