Archwire/Braces Estimation Questions

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#1 Post by **LongBeachErin** » Tue Nov 03, 2009 2:19 pm

I just got In-Ovation-R braces, will be getting orthognathic surgery in about a year.

In the center of my front two teeth, on the archwire, there is a black mark/line. I've only had my braces on about 3 weeks, & it seems as if that black line that used to be in the center of my top & bottom two teeth has shifted.

I just want to know if that mark on the archwire is an accurate way to see the movement of my teeth. Is that line on the archwire meant to track movement??? or is it just helpful when putting in the archwire?

I would also like to know if that "midline" or whatever is placed back in the center of your teeth when you get your braces tightened.

On another note, my ortho estimated a year of braces before surgery & another 6 months after surgery for me. His estimation could be wrong, right? I KNOW it's wishful thinking, but do you think it's possible for that year to be brought down to at least 7 or 8 months ? How accurate was your ortho's estimation for the legnth of time you had your braces on?

#2 Post by **Jewles** » Tue Nov 03, 2009 5:34 pm

Its possible, but it seems way more cases run over time than under time, and wanting to go from a year to 7-8 months is cutting off over a third of treatment time which seems very unlikely.

#3 Post by **drrick** » Wed Nov 04, 2009 9:38 am

Personally I try to guess high and finish early.

#4 Post by **MyLittleTeeth** » Wed Nov 04, 2009 6:15 pm

My ortho initially estimated I would be in braces for 9-10 months before having surgery, but I only had to have them on for 4 months before getting the procedure done.

#5 Post by **Inova** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 6:14 am

My initial treatment time was 18 months. My new estimate is 15 months but I have no surgery planned.

#6 Post by **LongBeachErin** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 9:33 pm

Thank you guys so much...

I think that guessing high & finishing early is definitely a better way to look at it.

BUT it's sooo great to hear some of you guys got them off earlier than expected! I'll go in with no expectations. But you can believe I'm brusing 4x a day and flossing once a day just to ensure if my teeth can move faster,, they will haha ahh

thanks so much for your responses! i'd love to hear more cases of people who got their braces off earlier than expected.

&& can someone explain the black line in my archwire in between my front (top&bottom) two teeth,, the question i asked in my first post? because the line is continuing to shift..it started dead center of my front two teeth & now has shifted over significantly.

#7 Post by **LongBeachErin** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 9:38 pm

Inova wrote:My initial treatment time was 18 months. My new estimate is 15 months but I have no surgery planned.

did your ortho tell you mid-treatment that he was changing his initial estimation?

#8 Post by **Unlikejoey** » Sat Nov 07, 2009 3:43 am

My estimation seems to change every time I go and although I don't want to have my braces on for longer, I trust my dentist and would rather have them on longer if thats what it takes to achieve the best results. When you look at the bigger picture a few months is nothing. I dont pay a huge amount of attention to when they are coming off. I know they will be off in the next 2-4 months.

#9 Post by **sdawdy** » Sat Nov 07, 2009 8:52 pm

My estimation was 18-24 months....my tops have been on since Feb 2007. My ortho gave an estimate of what they thought based on my teeth...however, my teeth have been proven to be very stubborn and my journey is taking much longer than anticipated.

The black marks on your wire is the center of the wire. They will use that to line up the wire for your adjustments. (I asked my ortho about it one day when i saw it). If it has moved it could mean movement, or it could mean that the wire has moved to one side more than the other (slipped out of place). That happened to me a lot at first. They can put a little thing on the wire called a stop....and it will make the wire not move any further than a certain point.