Metal Mouth Message Board

When you know your ortho is working on one area or closing a gap in a specific area and another gap opens in another area do you call your ortho and go in? I'm having this issue where we are trying to close a very small gap and one has opened up on the other side of my jaw. I'm just not sure what to do. My next appointment isn't for 8 weeks and I really don't want to wait that long to fix this problem (I know it wasn't his intent to open a gap on this side). Any ideas?

Amy
Damon 2's top and bottom
braced 12/16/04

Personally I dont think they'll do ne thing if u call them...just tell u that, thats supposed to happen. Because I'm having extraction gaps being closed by pulling my teeth back which is gonna leave me with gaps on the sides until all the teeth are pulled back...its just the way it goes.

Normally I wouldn't be concerned but since we are almost at the end of treatment and are just trying to close one tiny little gap, I am concerned that two more have opened up (we closed them once already) on the other side. I have to take my daughter in for an adjustment on Thursday so I'll ask the ortho than to take a look.

Amy
Damon 2's top and bottom
braced 12/16/04

Since you are close to the end of treatment, do you have powerchains or is he planning on putting those on next? Those work on closing the small gaps rather quickly I've been told so I wouldn't be too concerned, but since your appointments are so far apart I would ask about them.

I have Damon's so no powerchains. The gaps I had back in October were closed with springs. This time he just bent the new archwire on either side of the bracket on the tooth he is trying to move. At this point I would be willing to live with the little gap, get the other side closed up and get these stupid things off my teeth. Sorry to vent like that I'm just frustrated because I was supposed to have a debanding date by now and I feel like the ortho is just stalling on me. I've seen my latest pano and the roots are in line with the teeth. I just had this one tiny space and now look where I am. Again sorry to vent.

Amy
Damon 2's top and bottom
braced 12/16/04

Well, I took my daughter in for her first adjustment today (she had a bracket missing and we didn't even know it, it was on the tooth right next to the hearbst appliance so that's why). Anyway the ortho was so busy I wasn't going to say anything and just make an appointment for next week to talk to him. While I was waiting he came over and asked if I was there for moral support or if he was seeing me today. I told him moral support. He asked to take a look and when he saw the gaps he told me to get my chart and sit in a chair. He had an assistant remove the archwire, put in a c-chain (pretty much a power chain) from one side all the way around to the other and than put the wire back in over the top of it. Man oh man does it hurt!! I have a feeling I'll be back in there in a couple of weeks for them to take a look since my teeth move fast and one gap is already closed. But I'm really glad I didn't wait the 10 weeks like he wanted to originally. Thanks for all the advice and good thoughts. Appreciated!!

Amy
Damon 2's top and bottom
braced 12/16/04

Great to hear that all got resolved. It's a good think indeed that you didn't wait all this time.