Metal Mouth Message Board

Hi, I'm due to be braced in two weeks - gulp! I keep reading on here about spacers and my ortho hasn't mentioned them yet. Does everyone need these? Are you meant to get them before you have the braces fitted? Sorry if this is a very stupid question - I tried to find the answer with search without success

not ever case needs spacers , some orthodontist have switched to an all direct bond , even for the molors , this is what my tmj/ortho guy use's

that may be the case in the good old USA, but here in the UK...?
You could be very VERY lucky Nik, but you'll probably get the spacers
They're only in for a week to make room for the molar bands, but my goodness, for such tiny little things they hurt like f~@%!
Preparation for braces, which are blissful after those little blue Os!

Nik37Damon3BDay9Feb08 wrote:Hi, I'm due to be braced in two weeks - gulp! I keep reading on here about spacers and my ortho hasn't mentioned them yet. Does everyone need these? Are you meant to get them before you have the braces fitted? Sorry if this is a very stupid question - I tried to find the answer with search without success

My ortho never mentioned spacers - I just had four extractions (one on each side, top and bottom) with braces fitted the week after, and that seems to have worked fine for me. None of my friends who have done the braces route had spacers either. I don't know if that helps, but I wasn't under the impression they were inevitable for every case!

Ortho never mention spacers but they did put 4 spacers on the top I think for the nance appliance and used my molars as bands on the bottom so I didn't need spacers for those.

I'm in England and I didn't need spacers.

Thank you everyone!

I will report back as to whether I needed spacers or not! As I have crowding I would have thought I did, but I thought the Ortho would tell me I needed to come in before the braces fitting. I get the feeling I am going to get a few surprises!

Nik

Not everyone needs spacers it really depends on the way your ortho approaches treatment and whether or not you need any extra appliances. I had the spacers top and bottom for two weeks and while they might be a little tender for a couple of days it's not that bad. Within 3 or so days I was back to normal.

I was booked in for appointments in 2 consecutive weeks, with little explanation as to why...but the first turned out to be spacers. I was in the chair probably less than a minute as he rammed these things in. Imagine forcing a credit card between your teeth where there is no gap and you're halfway there!

Not that I'm trying to scare you of course

I had 6 spacers between my upper teeth. AND... I did not get molar bands. Just buccal tubes. Just wondering why i had them in the first place...

I just got my spacers today, a total of 8. Oh my goodness they hurt! All of my teeth feel loose like they are going to fall out. I can't imagine eating anything but i am soooo hungry I somehow manage to scarf things down here and there. I hope its true that this really is one of the most painful parts of the process! My orthodontist said I will have them on for a yr and then I will have upper and lower jaw surgery which I am sure will feel worse then right now but for now this hurts lol. I am in Japan on a military base (I am in the Air Force) so I didn't get to choose my dentist but I also don't have to pay for my braces either so I am not complaining. Anyway, this site has already been so helpful to me, thanks so much for this site!

Twinjoy

my teeth are so tight together i have had spacers four top n four bottom, i have already had braces fitted by aparently i have to have two teeth taken out too

Hi all

Had my Damon 3 braces fitted today. My darling hubby has been so sweet, he reckons you can hardly see them - love him!

Anyways - no spacers! Not a one! The ortho said that now braces are bonded onto the teeth, they no longer need spacers or molar bands. Not quite sure I had got that bit right but it was something along those lines.

Getting a bit tender now and chewing is a problem. Guess the journey has started properly now

I've got the little f***ers in right now and feel like ripping my teeth out!!

I didn't realise that if you have a filling where the spacer is meant to go it doesn't leave much room for the ortho to get the little "O" down there. SO instead he shaved one with a miniature strip of sandpaper looking stuff!!

And when the other one wouldn't go down he got out some electric tool that looked like a mini hoe that vibrates side to side.
That didn't work either.
Now I have a metal spacer in there that looks like a little round loop on the outside and the two ends of it push between my teeth. I've been waxing it but I've still stabbed my tongue a couple of times.

My canines are incredibly tender and it feels like my front teeth are all being jostled and pushed around!

Ouch kittymeow - that sounds awful. What braces do you have?

It seems as though the spacers pain does wear off after a bit though, hope you don't have to wait long for that to happen for you so you feel better soon.