Metal Mouth Message Board

The title pretty much summarized my questions. I have to
have my upper "first premolars", "bicuspids",
whatever they're called (4th teeth from the center)
removed in 10 days. I am horribly upset
about the prospect of the gaps showing when
I smile, or even talk. I am attending a conference,
and then a week-long series of major family
events, all within 4 weeks of the extraction (the
ortho said NO to the idea of postponing the
extractions).

The good news is that he will apparently
put on closing hardware immediately -I am scheduled
to have the wire reattached and powerchains put on
1 hour after the surgery. Powerchains will run from
the canines to the molars, and removeable elastics
will be put on 2 weeks after that, running parallel
to the powerchains. Well, at least the elastics are
only on the top! Will this closing hardware at least
partially obscure the gaps?? Thanks for listening.

Hi mominbraces,

I had four premolars out and i have powerchains on to close the gaps. I too was really concerned about the gaps as i had my extractions two months before getting the braces.
The powerchains look like rubber bands when the are tought so no they wont obscure the gaps. But if you are going to have your braces on, I guess most people will notice the braces first?!

I kept telling myself not to worry about the asthetics, because at the end of the day it will all be worth it!!

I hope you dont worry too much about it, it will be worth it!

Best of luck.

I too had those same teeth extracted. It was about 2 weeks after that I got braces. Even without the "hardware" the extraction sites were barely noticeable and now that I'm braced I can barely see the gaps. I think the powerchain does hide it a bit.