Metal Mouth Message Board

My orth use elastics to close the four gaps in my month. He plans to pull all my front teeths back with the gap from the side (4 premoler extractions).

I'm not sure if elastics is the best way to go, is there another tools he can use?? (spring, normal arch wire)???

Hi battleangel232232,

I have a few minor gaps between some teeth, not full gaps but gaps towards the top portion between two teeth. My orthodontist is using a powerchain to close the gaps and I do know elastics will also be a part of my orhto treatment. All orthos do things differently, so it could be yours is using elastics first then a powerchain in the near future? - ask your ortho why he is using elastics if you feel he should be using something else.

Good luck.

ssfw

My horizontal gaps are being closed with powerchains. So far, the only use of elastics has been to close my bite.

currently, ive got 4 springs and 3 elastics to close up the 4 premolar extraction gaps.

wow spring and 4 elastic??? i only have elastic to close my gap!! maybe I should ask my orth to use both to close the gap faster.. u think thats a good idea??

I had 4 second pre-molars extracted and over the course of my treatment, my ortho has used a combination of heavy springs, powerchains and elastics that run from my last molar to the canines on the same arch to create extra force to move the teeth. It worked perfectly - all gaps have closed and I'm due for de-bracing next Friday.

Remember that your ortho knows how much force needs to be applied to move your teeth safely. If he put too much pressure on your teeth, it could cause them to tilt or even damage the root of the tooth. As much as you want this to happen quickly, it won't - closing gaps is the longest part of braces (well in my case it was anyway). It's taken 27 months to get to where I am...

Anyway, best of luck... I hope you're one of the lucky ones who has teeth that move quickly and with little motivation!!

Cheers,

katy

I had 4 premolars extracted.

My ortho is using wires with closing loops to close the gaps. The closing loops hurt like crazy when they're yanking on them to tighten them, especially when then the pliars slip and cut up your cheeks.

But they definantly work so I can't complain.

Dear Katie, or whoever that can answer these:

How long did it took you to close the gaps??

My orth is planning to close the gaps first by pulling back my canines, and "after that" then he will start pull the 4 fronts teeth from each arch back, was your procedure similar to mine or did your orth move all your teeth back all at once????

I know more pressure might damage the teeth but just curious, from your experience which tools (heavy springs, powerchains and elastics )did help to close the gap the fastest????or did the orth use different kind at once???

well, my gaps were closed with a 00000 powerchain.
they closed super quick.
maybe ask him about those.

hey..

my ortho wrapped elastic around my front teeth, where my gap was, and just kept wrapping then tightened it. my gap was closed within the first month of having my braces on.
but when one gap closes, another one forms. so he's just been putting elastic around the brackets where my gaps are. it seems to help alot!
although at my next visit i will be getting power chains to kind of move everything even closer.

Hey, my ortho is using a powerchain. Mine is supposed to be changed every month/5 weeks.

Joanna

Powerchains and elastics for me.

I had 2 x upper #5's (second bicuspids) extracted ten months ago to reduce overjet. So far he's used powerchains to pull the front (top) teeth back and help close my bite, now combined with elastics (lower canines to upper second molars) to get the upper molars moving forward. Both first and second molars are banded (upper and lower).

The gaps are closing but it takes a while.
It's odd there are so many different methods for achieving the same result, don't you think?

Good luck

My ortho's using a powerchain, and surprisingly, it's working quite well! Could it be because I'm young? I've only had it for about a month and a half on my bottoms, and one gap has completely closed, while the other will most likely be closed at my next adjustment in December