New to message board...elastics???

[wehomeschoolour3]

Good morning. I searched to see if there was an answer to my problem, but after looking through about 150 out of 822 returned posts, I didn't find one, so I figured probably not.

Here's my problem/question...I am 33,I got braced, upper and lower to correct bite alignment and MAJOR overbite in Feb. '08, and I have the self litigating brackets. Began powerchain on upper teeth in mid to late July, then began powerchain on lowers and elastics to pull back uppers in mid September. I previously (before braces) suffered with migraines and slight TMJ problems, but after starting the elastic wear, the TMJ was terrible and the headaches increased in frequency and intensity. I called the ortho who moved up my appt. to Wed. (tomorrow) instead of 2 weeks from now to see if we can fix this another way, and in the meantime I am not wearing the elastics. Currently I see my ortho every 10 weeks.

Is there ANY other way to move teeth back other than elactic wear?? I have a molar in the upper back (one on each side) that have no bracket or band-nothing, and wondered if maybe a bracket there with chains would do the trick, and will ask him about it tomorrow. I told DH if the ortho said nothing else could be done, that would even be OK with me--my teeth look 100% better than they did in Feb. and if the braces came off today, I would be thrilled with my new smile. I have straight teeth with a very slight overbite, nothing like they were a few months ago.

Anyway, sorry this is long, I have no adult friends with braces and just found this site, so I'm excited for finding others to chat with! Thanks for any help with my question!

Melissa

[PuppySmiles]

Hi, Melissa, and welcome! I'm not very well versed in overbites (having an underbite myself) but many on this board have been referred by their orthodontist for having Orthognathic Surgery - to correct underbite or overbite.

Has your ortho ever mentioned this as an option?

[wehomeschoolour3]

Well, initially surgery was mentioned, but I have a little extra skin on my chin (thanks, grandma!) so the ortho said for the profile I didn't need surgery. I am not sure if it is still an option at this point, but it was still listed as 'may be needed in the future' on my contract before getting the braces on.

Melissa

[wehomeschoolour3]

Ok, I went today to the ortho, and here is the verdict. I don't HAVE to wear elastics or have surgery to correct the overbite. As it is, when I was younger, I had some teeth extracted to get braces that my parents ended up being unable to afford, so I have some gaps between my back unbraced molars and the teeth with brackets on now. They plan to band my molars, and make this device that is similar to a bonded retainer that works with the wire, and will pull back the top teeth. I was fitted for the bands and had the gooey stuff for the mold today.

The plus side is that it should shorten my treatment time, which has already been shortened anyway, down a few months from the original 30. YAY!!!

Anyone have any experience with this sort of thing before? I'm not sure what they call it, but it did have a name.

Melissa

[Clo]

Joining the quiz.

Uhmmm, they will retract the uppers using your molars as anchors. To avoid
that those molars move forward, they need to compensate for that. The device
could be a TPA (wire under the palate) or a Nance (wire towards the front and a
small acrylic plate on the palate just above the front teeth, like Lisa65 has). My
guess ... is ... the latter.

[wehomeschoolour3]

Clo, I believe it's a Nance, that at least sounds familiar. Thanks, and now I'm off to look it up......

Mel