ssfw--My braces will be on for 24-30 months. I got ceramic on top and metal on bottom.How long will you have to wear braces and did you get ceramic/metal?
Can you tell me how they removed your spacers and what it was like to get the bands placed?
The spacers/bands were easy. You know that little dentist's pick used to clean teeth (kinda looks like a hook?) They basically pulled the little rings out with something like that. My spacers had made significant space in my mind, but they still had some trouble pulling them out (no pain...they just didn't come right out.) Even so, putting on the four molar bands wasn't bad at all for me. The assistant put them over my molars and then had me bite down on a little instrument to push them the rest of the way. She did all the work...she moved this little thing around the band and sorta had me bite every now and again to tuck the band into place. It didn't hurt at all. Then the ortho removed all the bands, added the cement, and put them back on using the same process. Then they used this little light thing on the cement to harden it. I've heard others say they thought it hurt, but I luckily had no pain.
So far, everything else is going alright! I'll be really happy when the huge craters in my jaw (from the extractions) are gone, but they seem to be healing nicely so I can't complain too much!
Have a great weekend!