Metal Mouth Message Board

Hi All, I haven't been here in ages, trying to pretend they aren't there! Popped back in with a question. I got my braces on June 06 ( so just gone 2 yrs). I was supposed to get married next month as ortho was inclined to think they'd be off. Anyway, no wedding happening as I still have almost full size gaps from extractions on the right hand side.... inspite of the last 7 months religiously in elastics. Am starting to get disheartened. I know there are threads on closure but hoped for some info on what was the longest for closing gaps that we know of. I really need to start organising a wedding and can't deal with doing it with braces on........ any ideas? I'm 35 btw (i know the older it can take longer)...rest of my teeth moved like a dream but these molars sure do not want to come forward. Feels like I'm going to be in them for life lol.... am held hostage by my braces . I really don't want to have to get them off and back on again BUT my fiance is getting twitchy!! Thank you

Hi there Pippy,

You have not told us when your extractions
took place (7 months ago?) or which teeth
were extracted. But I can give you some food
for thought based on my gap-closure saga.
Two years ago I had 4 bicuspids extracted
(2 on the top and 2 on the bottom). The
"first" set of gaps closed within six months.
This was the migration of the canines into the
spaces where the biscuspids had been.
That movement created a new set of
gaps, now between the incisors and the
canines, that took FOREVER to close (almost
1.5 years). First off, the ortho did not even put on
closing wires or elastics for the first 4 months,
because he was waiting for the movement of the
canine roots to catch up to the teeth themselves.
He finally gave me closing wires, but he also had to
open out my bite. It took him nearly 6 months to
reach the conclusion that he could not achieve both
goals (gap closure and bite opening) simultaneously,
because the motions opposed each other.
He ended up alternating between bite-opening
wires and gap closing chains; he would trade off
each goal every 3 weeks or so. (I described this
in my post from yesterday, "Debanding date". )

So, all I can suggest is that you ask the ortho
whether he/she is trying to accomplish more than
one goal, that may slow down the closure. Or,
whether the motion required for your gap closure is
more complicated, like rotation of teeth or changes
in the curvature of your arch. Also, ask
whether the closure can be helped along with
springs. Good luck, and remember that this too
shall pass!