Metal Mouth Message Board

I am 18 months into my treatment right now and in my last appointment (1.5 week ago), the orthodontist put these little loops in the archwire. Are these closing loops to close that huge gap that remains? (I had 4 extractions, and he closed all 3 but that one, which he created by pulling back the tooth w/ the elastic attached)




(side view)

I searched this forums but all the pictures I've seen of closing loops look way different than this one.

I really want that gap closed because it creates such an awkward smile. It makes me feel extremely uncomfortable and I feel people tend to judge me because of it (seriously, ppl have made comments about me missing teeth)! The gap didn't previously exist, but the ortho pulled back the tooth (that the elastic is attached to) last August and it's been like that ever since. Hopefully the gap will close soon and my midline will be corrected -- as you can see, my smile is crooked and way off.

I did not mind wearing braces at all (pain, etc!) until he created that gap!

Yes, I'm getting impatient because my estimated treatment time was 18 months.. and it doesn't look anywhere done yet (I really want to go out and enjoy my early 20s without braces + nice teeth!!)

My entire progress (pics) thus far..

Thanks to anyone who can help me figure this out.

They look like closing loops to me!

I can't really work out what's going on there, to be honest. is that pic your natural closed bite? The canine on that side (the one the elastic is attached to) has been pulled quite a way back of where it should be. Your top midline is a long way displaced though, so it could be that he's trying to use that space to move your front 4 top teeth over, leaving 2 small gaps (one on each side) and will then allow the canines to come forward to finish closing the gap. In that pic your top teeth are also biting slightly inside the lowers especially on that left side.

Sorry your treatment is taking longer than you expected. From the pics I can see you've made a lot of progress but it looks like there's still a way to go. If your ortho is amenable to being asked questions, perhaps it would be worth having a good talk next time you go for an adjustment and ask him to explain what's happening and what he intends doing with that gap he's made.

Good luck with it!

Thank you for the replies everyone


I hadn't realized the ortho had put in those loops until he had already left and I was with the assistant only. It was not until she put a mirror up to show where my elastics attached when I noticed the loops. I asked her if we were finally closing that gap and she half-heartedly said, 'Yes.' She is not one of my favorite assistants -- she looked like she didn't care at all! So I don't know if she was really paying attention to my question or what.

So all I can do is just wait until my next appt (June 20th) and ask for certain. (Or if I do see that gap closing by then!)

Lisa & Meryaten - I know, I am thoroughly confused too! I have a feeling he's trying to move the teeth as a group too... there must be method to his madness. Now I'm wondering if those 'loops' are for future elastics... how perplexing. I wouldn't mind elaborate configurations later on -- but gosh darnit, close that gap and fix my awful midline!

I took a better picture of my "natural bite"... the pictures above were of me trying to smile (and the elastics pulling my bite back), which really showed how misaligned my top teeth currently are!

They are indeed.
I had the same loop to close my gap and it worked well, though I also used elastics to speed up the process.

johnnya wrote:They are indeed.
I had the same loop to close my gap and it worked well, though I also used elastics to speed up the process.

Really?? Wow, this is *excellent* to hear! I seriously went through like 50 pages of threads concerning closing loops and nothing looked like mine.. so I thought my ortho had some weird loop method!

It's only been a couple weeks, so I haven't really notice much movement in that gap closing yet.. but woohoo, I am happy to hear it is indeed a closing loop!

The loop itself actually wont move your teeth but insted will not allow your teeth in the back to move forward.
You'll need elastics to make the teeth move back.
This is why in itself, the loop is only a start.. elastics do the job!

Hmm.. i have those crazy kinks in both my top and bottom wires! My top midline was all way off whack too so maybe thats what it was for, but i've got some elastics hooked up to them as well...

I tell you what, all you guys who have got communicative ortho's are really lucky. Mine is great, but he doesnt explain what things are and what they do, wish that he would! Its sorta hard to ask with your mouth wide open and half his hand shoved in there!

Hi all, I just wanted to give an update bc I had a checkup today with the ortho. Asked him specifically about these loops and he stated that they were to close that gap. He said to expect ~1 mm to close per visit (which is about every 6 weeks)... and for me, it looks like 5 or 6 more visits. *grumble* He also threw in the usual line about not wanting it to move any faster because it's not healthy for the teeth.

I guess I did notice the gap get a teeny bit smaller, but I had thought perhaps it was just my eyes deceiving me! But at least I now know for certain that that gap is slowing being worked on. Just have to keep repeating to myself that it'll ALL be worth it in the end.

Ok I was wondering if you had any pics from before the gap was there??? I just had the 1st bicuspid on the right taken out and I am wondering how all this is going to work in the end. Esp. since he didn't remove one on the left side
Thanks
Diane

wwdia wrote:Ok I was wondering if you had any pics from before the gap was there??? I just had the 1st bicuspid on the right taken out and I am wondering how all this is going to work in the end. Esp. since he didn't remove one on the left side
Thanks
Diane

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa14 ... ogress.jpg

If you look at my full progress shot, you will see that I did not have the gap there until the tooth was pulled back (in the photo, look to the top right side).

Wow I swear that is just freakin amazing!!! I can't wait to see what my teeth look like in a couple months!!!
So of course now I'm wondering (in your case) are they moving your teeth from the right side over to the left? and if so will they file down the tooth in front of the gap to make it look like the one on the opposite side?
Did that make sence??? Sorry

wwdia wrote:Wow I swear that is just freakin amazing!!! I can't wait to see what my teeth look like in a couple months!!!
So of course now I'm wondering (in your case) are they moving your teeth from the right side over to the left? and if so will they file down the tooth in front of the gap to make it look like the one on the opposite side?
Did that make sence??? Sorry

Sorry for the late response, but I was out of town.

The gap is slowly closing. I can actually see the gap getting smaller now! I don't really 'get' the science behind how he's doing it with these particular loops.. but by jolly, the gap is closing (oh so slowly but surely)! And that is making me one happy camper.

It looks like he is shifting the right side over to the left.. although my midline is still waaaaaay off.

I'm not sure about the filing though. Guess we'll see when I am at that point though.