Powerchains?

Message

#1 Post by **SinOnYourLips** » Tue Jan 01, 2008 10:32 pm

Well first, let me say that I DID try to search for a topic where powerchains are discussed, but no dice.

(If anyone has a link, let me know

)

So here's what's up.
As I am coming to my final stages of treatment (I had a minor problem with only my top jaw, where a few of my teeth were out of the alignment and half way shifted inward) and after months of springs, creating room and pulling those teeth into a straight arch, we are already on my last tooth. Even my ortho at the last adjustment said "we're getting there", "there" I'm thinking meaning "the end".

BUT as I was talking to a different doctor while waitin for mine to come up, and he mentioned that now that my teeth are within the arch, my top jaw is slightly wider, and since I do not have lower braces (my lowers are perfectly straight and my bite was good which is why my ortho told me I didn't HAVE to get my lowers if I didn't want to) I now have my uppers, slightly wider. I do not have an overbite when I close my teeth, becase the teeth on the sides and back won't allow it, but I do have a little bit of space in between top and bottom so my bite is not tightly closed. This is where I went to him "doesn't that get fixed with powerchains?" to which he replied "yup, that's what you'll get". I was overly excited with how my adjustment was going though at that moment and didn't ask my own ortho about powerchains, and he also didn't mention that.

So now my question, do those powerchains work fast? If I only need to move my teeth slightly back and close invisible spaces, is it possible to be done within 1-2 months? Anyone had similar situations?

I will definately ask my ortho at the next adjustment in 2 weeks, but I was just wondering, if he hasn't mentioned it maybe it won't take AS long.
Also, is that true those hurt the most?

#2 Post by **PfectPitch** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 11:25 am

Hey, SOYL: My experience with powerchains is that they work REALLY fast, like in days. This may or may not be true for you, but I can usually see spaces closing right away. I have had them on upper and lower arches across the front 6-8 teeth for months. They hurt a bit at first, but you get used to them, like everything else the ortho does!

#3 Post by **Miss Smiley** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 11:30 am

Oh man, powerchains worked really fast on me! Sometimes, they'll move to where they need to be and you may have them longer to retain the position they have moved into.

#4 Post by **Clairey Fairey** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 1:35 pm

My boyfriend had a major gap right at the front of his mouth. His teeth were pulled sideways with powerchains which closed the gap in a matter of days

I've got them now, but theres a lot of work to be done so its not going a fast. Doesn't hurt too much though - elastics are worse!!

#5 Post by **TsuKata** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 1:41 pm

Powerchains are uber-fast. If you check my braces blog, you'll see the effects of the powerchains on my extraction gap.

#6 Post by **SinOnYourLips** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 1:44 pm

Wow, thank you guys, all threee of you! This is great news!

Now how about powerchain colors?

I have ceramics on top with white ligs, and I'd like to keep it very natural looking and low key. I also do not smoke, drink red wine or alot of coffee, neither do I eat curry, so I don't think I would have a big problem with staining. My ortho assistants, always ask me how I keep my ligatures so white and clean. But still powerchains are wider and bigger and any staining I'm guessin if more visible, so what are some good colors?

I heard silver/grey but I'm wondering if that looks too dark...

Anyone had pix of their powerchains? (Just the teeth lol) I want to see how it looks!

#7 Post by **Clairey Fairey** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 1:49 pm

I have ceramic too and my ortho gave me white powerchains. I think they do stain easier than the ligs but just be careful with what u eat and it should be ok. I've got a white powerchain across the front that I've had for a month and it hasn't stained yet (I was worried it would, coz with it being across the front it wouldn't look good!!)

Check my blog for pics

Wed Jan 02, 2008 2:25 pm

Miss Smiley wrote:Oh man, powerchains worked really fast on me! Sometimes, they'll move to where they need to be and you may have them longer to retain the position they have moved into.

I needed one to make space in my mouth for a tooth.
They worked SO Fast! I was amazed.
- mariah

Wed Jan 02, 2008 2:25 pm

Sorry about the double post.

#10 Post by **SinOnYourLips** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 3:33 pm

Wow, awesome! I will be checking out the pix right now. I go for adjustments every 4 weeks, so I think I'll be okay with a white one?

I personaly don't have any visible gaps, but when flossing I do know there are spaces between my back teeth, which is good because I need my teeth all to move back a little.
(I actually just decided to perhaps, try and post a picture up, so you all know what I'm talking about, I'll do it within the next few days)

I also think my teeth are slightly flared right now, do powerchains help with that too?

#11 Post by **Clairey Fairey** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 4:45 pm

Yes they do!! Mine are/were flared until powerchains, they are slowly but surely moving inwards!!

#12 Post by **SinOnYourLips** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 9:22 pm

Clairey Fairey, thats great news! Thanks alot, I hope my issue can be fixed in a month! Checked out your white powerchains, they look almost invisible, I am seriously consideting getting the same now.

TsuKata, going to look for your blog now, and how long did you have your powerchains on?

#13 Post by **SinOnYourLips** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 12:58 pm

Thanks Denise =] did he still have to keep them til the next adjustment? I also have midline slightly shifted, so I'm really hoping the pc will fix all these minor problems.

#14 Post by **SinOnYourLips** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 3:30 pm

Wow, cool! 2 years is a long time, I am hoping I finish up before my 12 months are up

I guess powerchains, here I come!

What color pcs does your son have, by the way?

#15 Post by **SinOnYourLips** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 11:15 am

Denis, got it! So since I have ceramics and white ligs, I will defintaley got with white now, and just try to be careful with what I eat.

I just found out from reading this messageroom, thanks to Meryaten, that what I have, with one jaw being slightly wider than the other and the space between two is called - overjet. It is not big but it is bigger than pre-braces (when I didn't have it at all, well I guess I did but it was no more than 2mm which is normal).

Reading on other websites though, I found out some overjets are fixed with HEADGEAR? I HOPE this will not be in my case, for it is very minor, (probbaly around 4 mm , just lmore visible), so my faith is in powerchains and hopefully they will take care of it!