
How long after braces until you notice movement?
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How long after braces until you notice movement?
I have been in braces only 2 weeks or so, but I was wondering when yall started to see some difference in your teeth? Maybe I'm being impatient, but I want to see some straighter teeth soon! 



I'm 32 and will be in braces for almost 2 years!
It's different for everyone, so try not to get discouraged. I didn't notice how much mine had moved until I went in for my first adjustment and my ortho pulled out my casting. Big difference. I also heard a rumor that the first couple weeks, your bone is just starting to loosen up, so it can happen more slowly then? I don't know if that's true, but I had heard it. And sometimes it's hard to see the changes because they're slow, but they do happen!
Damon 3s. On 2/15/2006. Off 2/21/2007!
Essix on uppers, Hawley on lowers.
Essix on uppers, Hawley on lowers.
I was expecting movement the next day!! Of course that didn't happen. I don't think I noticed any movement until my 1st adjustment (4 weeks after I got braced) when my ortho was able to connect the main wire to one of my brackets where my tooth was WAY out of the alignment...that's when I realized that movement occured.
BUT...I knew about 1 week or 2 that movement was happenning since my wire was getting longer and cutting my cheek.
BUT...I knew about 1 week or 2 that movement was happenning since my wire was getting longer and cutting my cheek.

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Ceramic top braces: January 9th, 2006
Metal bottom braces: May 1st, 2006
I'm in week 5 right now. I first noticed a little bit of movement at around week 2, but the most noticable movement came during week 4. For a couple days there, I was seeing changes every day.
Hang in there, and like the previous poster said, don't get discouraged. Everyone is different, and I know that just because I saw changes so quickly doesn't mean that I'll be done any sooner. I'm in it for the long haul that's for sure!
It's funny though, the things we notice.... The first thing I noticed was that I could floss between a tooth and the bracket on the tooth next to it (when I started, the bracket was right up against the tooth next to it). It doesn't even equate to 1mm of movement, but it sure got me excited nonetheless!
Best of luck to you and everyone else in the beginning stages of treatment!!
Hang in there, and like the previous poster said, don't get discouraged. Everyone is different, and I know that just because I saw changes so quickly doesn't mean that I'll be done any sooner. I'm in it for the long haul that's for sure!
It's funny though, the things we notice.... The first thing I noticed was that I could floss between a tooth and the bracket on the tooth next to it (when I started, the bracket was right up against the tooth next to it). It doesn't even equate to 1mm of movement, but it sure got me excited nonetheless!
Best of luck to you and everyone else in the beginning stages of treatment!!
Top brackets and spacers on 2/17/06
Molar bands on 3/6/06
Extractions and full braces 3/27/06
Update: 22-24 months total time in braces!
Molar bands on 3/6/06
Extractions and full braces 3/27/06
Update: 22-24 months total time in braces!
I noticed one tooth move forward & down by my first adjustment (6 weeks) and about the same time my canines were hitting each other (not so much fun). Since then, nothing. It's a game of patience that I'm not very good at! 



Ceramic upper & lower 2/22/06--3M Clarity
"Ever notice how instant gratification takes too long?"
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I've seen movement even within the past week (my first) -- I now have a huge gap between one of my front teeth and lateral incisor. It looks worse than it did before I started (I think the front tooth has been pushed back), so I really hope things are just getting underway and it'll fix itself soon! 



i am in week 6 now.....i have class 2 division2 overjet and deep bite....i am noticing that my upper teeth have come closer inwards...and my bottom teeth can touch the upper ones by moving my lower jaw only slightly...previously i had to move the lower jaw a lot to have the same sensation...
so...i have seen some movement..
so...i have seen some movement..
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I noticed what I thought was very subtle movement in the first couple of weeks. I could feel the change more than I could see it. When I went in for my first follow up appointment after just 4 weeks, the assistant asked me how I felt about my progress. I was like, ''What progress? Not much has happened.'' She pulled up my before photos and I was shocked at what a big difference there was. Because the changes happen so gradually, you don't really notice them as much until you compare it to prior images. I take photos every 4 weeks just to document the changes and assure myself that my progress is continuing.

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I'm heading into month five now, and apart from the changed bite from the molar bands, the only difference I've noticed is two spaces opening up in my upper arch that didn't used to be there!
Like CLAmom, I'm afraid patience isn't my strong point. I keep pulling out the pictures my ortho mailed me from my initial consultation to compare. I got my first powerchain last week along with some "hefty" wires so I'm looking forward to some changes soon!

Like CLAmom, I'm afraid patience isn't my strong point. I keep pulling out the pictures my ortho mailed me from my initial consultation to compare. I got my first powerchain last week along with some "hefty" wires so I'm looking forward to some changes soon!





A gap appeared between my front teeth in 8 hours when I got my braces, but things slowed down from there. I got braced in June and there was little movement until September when I got my first powerchain. Boy, did things start moving then! You can see the changes in my picture gallery: viewtopic.php?t=444&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=165
So at first it seemed like nothing was about to happen and then suddenly I saw major changes. I hope you'll experience the same
So at first it seemed like nothing was about to happen and then suddenly I saw major changes. I hope you'll experience the same

Case: Impacted canines, crowding & crossbite.
Treatment: SARPE 2004/10/6, RPE 2004/9/28 - 2005/1/31, w-arch until 2005/11/22, impacted canines extracted 2005/5/18.
Braces on: top 2005/6/2, bottom 2005/8/30.
Braces off: 2008/6/9.
Retainers, phase one: expanding Hawley retainer 24/7, bonded retainers on top & bottom.
Retainers, phase two: Hawley on top, bonded both top & bottom, positioner for night time use.
Treatment: SARPE 2004/10/6, RPE 2004/9/28 - 2005/1/31, w-arch until 2005/11/22, impacted canines extracted 2005/5/18.
Braces on: top 2005/6/2, bottom 2005/8/30.
Braces off: 2008/6/9.
Retainers, phase one: expanding Hawley retainer 24/7, bonded retainers on top & bottom.
Retainers, phase two: Hawley on top, bonded both top & bottom, positioner for night time use.
I had a pretty big shift within 5 days. I only had my lower arch in a wave, so there was really no visible change to the outside world
but I could see it.
In fact, my teeth moved so much, my upper canines were chipping against lower brackets, so they had to put some bumps on my molars to prevent them from touching. This was on Day 5.

In fact, my teeth moved so much, my upper canines were chipping against lower brackets, so they had to put some bumps on my molars to prevent them from touching. This was on Day 5.
i saw a change within 10 days...but everyone is different. also, i had 4 teeth extracted, so my teeth had a lot of freedom to move more quickly (and my ortho had told me i prob would not see any movement until i had the extractions, so that would have made a difference)
just from reading some posts on this board, too, it seems that the worse your teeth are, the faster you see movement, but if your teeth are kinda straight to begin with it takes longer. my teeth were really crooked, so that may be why i noticed a change right away
just from reading some posts on this board, too, it seems that the worse your teeth are, the faster you see movement, but if your teeth are kinda straight to begin with it takes longer. my teeth were really crooked, so that may be why i noticed a change right away

four bicuspids removed 1/3/06
clear uppers and metal lowers placed 1/5/06
timeframe for braces: 24-30 months
When i first got braces..that was about a year or so ago i notice movement right away! Though that may because i had some spaces around the teeth that need to be moved. Though just be patience you may not notice any movement because you are used to looking at your teeth and something might have changed that you arent able to tell. So maybe ask a friend if they notice any movement
I think it depends on the procedure. When I got mine the wires were zigzagging all over like a rollercoaster. Within the first few days I could actualle see the wire straightening out, day by day. On the other hand, some gaps took months to close just a little bit. So i guess it all depends on what has to be fixed.


Nov 2 05 braced, 1/1/07 debanded & got positioner
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