molar bands taller than molars

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#1 Post by **suetemi** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 6:10 am

So yesterday I got the last round of molar bands in, and on two of the molars the bands are sticking up higher than the actual teeth. It's driving me crazy because my tongue keeps getting scraped by the excess of the metal jutting out at the top of my molars, and also they act as little cups/caves for my food to get stuck in. The molars are eroded at an angle from the way my bite is so they are shorter than my other molars, which makes sense as to why the molar bands are too tall for the teeth. But why don't they make bands that vary in height and not just width/shape? Anyone else have this issue? I wish they could have somehow cut the bands to fit my teeth better. Wow, it feels like I've got a mouthful of barbed wire and sandpaper right now

#2 Post by **Lisa65** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 7:57 am

Your ortho can file them down if they are sticking up too far. I had one like that.

If it keeps on feeling sharp then give him a call.

#3 Post by **cersepn** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 8:10 am

This was just what i was wondering too. My last molars are all very short on one side due to grinding.
In fact, on the grinded side, there's probably at most 2mm of teeth.. really bad.
My ortho didnt say it would be a problem though so i hope she has something up her sleeve

#4 Post by **Dutch** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 10:26 am

I had a molar band that sat to high and it actually cause the molar to become loose as I was bitting it. a quick trip to the ortho and it was fixed. nothing a 5 min appt can't handle.

#5 Post by **ReneG** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 11:20 am

Parts of my molar bands are fitted so far down it actually gets under my gums. Yet they were a tad too tall. My ortho had me bite down hard on the pliers to get the edges to fold inwards so they wouldn't catch food or my tongue. At that time I didn't know why and my jaw was getting tired from all the clenching he made me do. Look at this picture, especially the left molar band and see how the top edges curve in instead of stand straight up.

#6 Post by **kittymeow84** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 5:24 pm

My ortho made me bite down hard on the bands so they would fit nicely too.

I have teensy teeth and he didn't have enough of the size 6 bands for all four teeth and so he put a 7 in. That one he had to file down a lot before it would be comfortable. Apparently I'm meant to have that changed to a 6 when I go in for my next adjustment but the bigger one doesn't bother me at all.

You should definitely ask your ortho to file that one down. He should have done that in the first place!

#7 Post by **Miss Smiley** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 7:10 pm

My band cradles the crown of my tooth and the band does not stick out above the tooth.

#8 Post by **cersepn** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 8:49 pm

Just another question while we're at this.
Will the last molar be banded during the orthodontic treatment? Or only the 2nd last?

#9 Post by **jennielee81** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 2:24 pm

cersepn wrote:Just another question while we're at this.
Will the last molar be banded during the orthodontic treatment? Or only the 2nd last?

that all depends on your treatment plan. some never get that molar involved and others do. I had mine bracketed at the beginning but it was only included in the arch wire for about 4 months.

This seems to be a very individual thing so who knows if yours will be included or not.