How long is SOME more months? Please answer my question...

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#1 Post by **regulering17** » Fri Nov 02, 2007 8:39 am

Last time I was in at my orthodontist he said(when I asked) I had to have my braces on for SOME more months(I asked because I had to get a filling changed), because my bite was not corrected properly yet. I will get elastics in a week. How long is SOME more months, do you guys think? It's more than a couple(2), but less then halv a year(6)? Or did he just mean, not in the near future? LOL. He's hard to interpret.. My friend suggested 4 months. I think that would be good. So, that would mean I would get them off in Februrary or so. Nice...
Anyway, I haven't told too many people, I want it to be a suprise. Is anyone else like this too?
allthough, those who ask, except close friends(LOL, only told a few, because the day I get them off I'm going to get my hair done, get a new outfit, but on some makeup etc, so I'll look aboslutely stunning when I arrive at school etc:) ) . Yeah back to those who ask. Isnt that annoying?
Anyway: I say I'm going to have them on for a some more months. So tired of people asking, it's like they(braces) annoy them for something..argh. Because honestly, they're not big deal to me. I might even miss them! KIDDING!

#2 Post by **Lala7603** » Fri Nov 02, 2007 5:11 pm

i think "some" could be intrepreted differently by may people. i would imagine that it would be less than a year....more than a few months....

i would say just have the mindset of when they are ready to come off...then they will come off. dont rush it. i think i did and not im going back into braces in 3 days after 3 years of not having braces.

Most people knew i was getting my braces off...but i kept it a secret from my boyfriend. it just made my day so much better to suprise him. some people are just naturally curious and so they ask. i bet its because they are excited to see what your teeth will look like....i doubt its because they bother them.

Smiles
LALA

#3 Post by **Katie A** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 11:46 am

Hi there - I feel your anxiety about what in the world does the ortho mean by SOME months.....I got the same kind of answers during my 3 year course of orthodontia too. Unfortunately, each of us is individual in how we (or our teeth, I should say) respond to braces and move in the direction the ortho wants. I was originally told the plan would be braces in Dec. '04-Dec. '07, but......alas, I will be in my braces one month longer 'til Jan. '08. Also, when I was supposed to have archwire changes, chains, the TPA, etc. at different points in my treatment, the ortho would say "Probably at your next appointment, I'll........(and then name some procedure change), and I can honestly say that sometimes he DIDN'T do the procedure he had stated, and another month would go by before he felt my teeth, jaw and alignment were ready for the next step.

Hang in there. As things shift, move and reposition themselves in your mouth, the ortho will probably become more specific about timelines. Keep asking every time you're in the chair - that's what helped me keep my sanity. I would "bug" him every time with questions like, "But you said you'd be doing such & such this visit. What happened to change your mind?" You have the right to be fully informed of your care and how long things will take to happen.

Good luck to you!
Katie A

#4 Post by **regulering17** » Wed Nov 07, 2007 10:00 am

Thanks guys! I appreachiate it.
I've had mine on for 8 months(yesterday), and this is the first time so far I am sick of having them inside my mouth. Like they make me anxious,'cause I'm quite certain a part of a bracket has disappeared,which makes a sore in my mouth, but worse it just makes me anxious that it is all going to fall out. I've had a lot of nightmares, lol. I know....I'm weird...
But like this is the first time the braces are not "a part of me" anymore, they annoy me 'cause they freak me out a little bit. Guess it's because I've been sick and have had nothing else to do but to obsess about them. Must stop, wish me luck at the ortho tomorrow! btw: you guys are great! I love this message board!
And yeah, I'm a little scared to ask , but maybe it will keep me sane to ask.. Or maybe I'll get disapointed? I don't know...
Hopefully all goes well tomorrow..

#5 Post by **totalwise** » Wed Nov 07, 2007 10:56 am

orthos are very good at tagging people along, my ortho was telling me that I'll only need to wear braces for 'a few more months' after around month 6. As it turned out my entire orthodontic treatment would have lasted 20 months by the time I get it off next month. So a 'few more months' turned out to be OVER A YEAR!!!!

So don't take any notice of his/her estimates too seriously. I think they tell patients that in order to help them get through the treatment. If people were told that they'll be in braces for 2 years, they'll probably be more reluctant to take treatment. Having said that I think every single day under braces is worth it for me.

My case was very different though, in the first 3 months of treatment, my teeth moved so much, all the crowding was gone, and they looked fine cosmetically, but that was the easy phase, the harder phase was when we had to close the gap and move great big giant molars forward. Which is very painful.

Also having to contend with constantly moving (and unstable) bite. which made chewing very hard to swallow.

it's a pity that we have to go through 2-3 years of orthodontic treatment, most animals have perfectly fine teeth, ours seems to grow in all sorts of weird fashion.

#6 Post by **regulering17** » Wed Nov 07, 2007 2:03 pm

I know, it's interesting that humans need to get their teeth corrected!
well, I'm going into ortho tomorrow... Yeah, I know..A lot of people say their ortho was like that; we'll take if off in a few more months...
and yeah, my teeth are as good as they'll get now, in terms of crowding and stuff, but it's the BITE that is the problem..which I will get corrected with elastics tomorrow....
- Mona

#7 Post by **cybersiren** » Wed Nov 07, 2007 10:11 pm

Don't be afraid to ask specific questions. My ortho is kinda quiet unless I ask him to specifically tell me what's going on he pretty much just makes his adjustments and sends me on my way. He lets me ask as many questions as I want, but if I don't ask he doesn't really volunteer the info. unless he's telling me about a new elastic configuration or something that I need to know. Otherwise it's pretty much been up to me to ask. Don't be shy!