How long did you have your spacers?

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ssfw
Posts: 652
Joined: Sat Nov 12, 2005 1:00 pm

#16 Post by ssfw »

Iceolated wrote:Well, I called the Ortho's office and they didn't want to replace my missing spacer (came out on Saturday) until about 4 or 5 days before my visit. They said it really only takes 4 or 5 days for the spacers to do their work.

I requested that I have the spacer put back in as soon as possible as I didn't want my braces pushed back if I didn't have a large enough gap.

So, I'm off tomorrow morning at 8:10 to get a new spacer placed.

When I went in for my very first appointment I could have had my braces scheduled for the 23. That would have meant about a week less in spacers as I ultimately chose to get 'wired' on May 2.

The reason I pushed it back a week?

Money...no
Too busy....no

We are travelling to Minneapolis on the 26th of this month. In the Mall of America they have a restaurant called Bubba Gump's - serves very very very good shrimp. Whenever we go, that's where we eat. I know that eating shrimp in spacers will be uncomfortable. But I also know that eating shirmp after 3 days in braces will be all but impossible.

:twisted: I must have my shrimp...:twisted:

Cheers,

Ice.

Hi Ice,

What better excuse for delaying getting your braces can you have? Eating shrimp is a great reason! I think it's a good idea that you delayed it also because this way you won't have to worry about any pain/irritation from the braces and not being able to eat at your favorite restaurant. I think the delay will also make you more ready to get the braces.

Are you getting bands? I wonder why your orthodontist didn't suggest you get your spacers when you return from your trip then get the braces a week after that - this way you would not have to have spacers on for so long. If you had the braces placed on the 23rd you would only have had the spacers for about 10 days??? - it could be this was the first available appt. they had since they told you the spacers take 4-5 days to work.

You may want to ask them at your appt. tomorrow if they could remove the spacers and place them back on when you return from your trip and delay getting your braces by about a week - would that work for you? A delay in getting your braces by a week will not make a big difference.
This way you can go on your trip spacer-free.

The only reason I got spacers the first time was because they had to measure me for bands for my expander. After that was done, my orthodontist asked me to come in 3 days prior to the palcement of the expander to get the spacers placed again. I think he tries to avoid his patients from having the spacers in for no reason.

Good luck and enjoy your trip.

ssfw
Quad-Helix expander: 1/20/06 - 1/16/07
Upper braces: 5/19/06; lower braces: 9/7/06

Braces removed: 8/19/08
Received retainer: 8/26/08 - wearing retainer 24 hours/day

Next appt.: 11/18/08

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