Metal Mouth Message Board

Hi!

I have two small gaps that are not closing. Both are about 1mm. One is between my central and lateral incisorand the other between my canine and first premolar and both are on the same side of my mouth. I've had powerchains for over a year and they closed the other gaps I had (I had spacing on almost all my teeth on the top arch) but these just won't go away. I would be done if they closed, but the ortho today told me that sometimes spaces just don't close - He said he never had a case like that and he will do all he can to make sure it doesn't happen to me. Anyway, I might have to convert to metal braces, but it's just been so long to close the gap. I'm still optimistic, I'm just glad my ortho talked to me about it.

I was given a year and a half and it's now been 19 months. I know I'm in the home stretch, but I'm becoming impatient. He has told me repeatedly that metal braces are better for closing gaps. I don't have a point here, just wanted to vent, I guess. Thanks for listening.

I can imagine that you must feel impatient by now What was the main reason that you got braces? Was it for lots of gaps,crowding? Did you have any extractions and how many?

I'm asking because I had 6 extractions and I asked my ortho about all the gaps. He told me I will have 2 gaps on the bottom next to each premolar area. Not a big gap but something similar to yours. I will still be thrilled with these results because of the severe crowding I have.

What types of things have they used to close the gaps? Right now I'm in powerchains and the gaps have closed at least 3.5mm. That has been in 10 weeks. I still have a loooooong way to go to close the bottom gaps.
It's good that your ortho has talked with you about possible alternatives to close the remaining gap/s


Gennel

Hi Gennel, thanks for the response. I have not had any extraction gaps, I was most worried about my upper teeth, lots of spacing and very uneven.

Here is a picture of me the day I got braced:


Here are my teeth now, I've had powerchains for over a year, springs on and off for the past 7 months, I am on a closing wire, I've had elastics for 5 weeks, and he repositioned brackets about 4 months ago.

I have a couple of those. It's so annoying. My ortho just keeps giving me powerchains, but nothing happens...

Not to belittle your issue- but I think your teeth look fantastic. Don't forget sometimes we are the most critical of our own teeth.

I have no idea if im right or not. But it looks like your teeth meet at the top and only have spaces at the bottom. If this is the case I don't think there is much you can do, maybe bonding after treatment. I would discuss this issue with your Ortho..

Best wishes,
leah

I think your teeth look beautiful. sorry i forgot to add that in.

thanks for the replies... this is the first time I've posted a pic here, so to hear someone call my teeth "nice, fantastic" just makes my day! There is a space at the gumline, I added another pic, here is is:

I see from your last picture that your teeth don't quite touch at the gumline, they should be able to colse.... Talk to your Ortho. And keep us imformed
Best wishes,
Leah

I saw the pictures and understand what you are talking about.I'm no professional but it looks like that can be closed a tad more. With the shape of your front two teeth, it may be impossible to fill that area in completely all the way down. Bonding is an option if you are not totally satisfied.Every patient's teeth are shaped and move in a similar but unique way. Ok now that I've said all that let me tell you that your teeth in my opinion look awesome! You have a beautiful smile. If you had your braces taken off today I think 10 out of 10 people will tell you just how good they look I know that we are our worst critics.I have no idea of how I will truly feel at the end of my treatment. Right now I feel that having them at least aligned and not all crowded the way I have them would be a tremendous improvement

Off subject example: I just painted my daughter's room and it was a tough project because it invloved stripes in different sizes.Once we took off all the tapes my teenager came to see her room. She was so excited with the results and was in love with her room. I was not that thrilled because I could see some drops of paint that went through the tape . I took an additional 2 hrs or so to go back with a tiny brush and made the lines perfect. No one else could see the imperfections except for me.

Please post pictures when your teeth join the naked club!

here's to your awesome progress!


Gennel

I have that problem. Was given an estimation of 4-5 months until I was debraced and that was 6 months ago. Can't quite manage to close those top extraction gaps, they are still 3mm each!!!!!

At the last appointment I got springs and it seems strange to say this but when I felt pain I was very happy. Don't seem to have moved yet though , Must be something happening, havn't had aching in a long while.

I'm so fed up now but just keep saying will eventually be over and I got braces for a reason. The idea of having them taken off never stays longer then a few minutes. The fact that I finished paying 3 months ago also makes me determined to keep going just to get what i've paid for lol. Anyway hang on there guys, its not forever even if it sometimes feells like it.

Louise

I think your teeth look great, but I know how that when you get braces you tend to obsess over your teeth.

I have the opposite problem. My ortho is trying to create a gap between my right front tooth and canine (I had this pulled as a teenager because it grew out of the roof of my mouth). My upper teeth are straight and uncrowded and I never noticed a problem until an ortho pointed out a few years ago that my midline is half a tooth off. Anyway, my ortho said my tooth should move about 1mm a month, and it's been a month and there is probably a .1 mm gap. I have a spring on here and that's all, I have clear sapphire braces on top, metal on bottom. He's said it would be 18 months, now I'm wondering if that'll happen. I don't even know how he's going to fit another tooth in there, I didn't have any extrations. When the gap opens up enough, he's going to put a plastic tooth in there. So my debracing won't be all that great because I'll have this huge gap until I get an implant in, and I wonder about coordinating that with retainers and all. I've only had braces for 2.5 months, I think I'll get totally impatient if I had to get powerchains and all and it didn't go as planned. I know there's no way to predict these things, but I'm impatient, and I wonder if I won't blame the ortho. I hope not!