Metal Mouth Message Board

I am getting my braces off next month (Feb. 22). Yeah!! I have a powerchain on all of my teeth up top and have a tiny gap between a canine and the next tooth towards the front. My last adjustment was on the 8th of January. This gap isn't closing. I am afraid I will go to get the braces off and the gap won't be closed. Therefore, the braces would have to stay on a little longer. Also, my ortho only used half a powerchain on the lower teeth and the rest have just those little rubber bands. I have no gaps on my lower teeth. What could be the reason for this?

It may just need a litle more time to work...with a refreshed powerchain.

Another potential situation could be d/t a tooth size discrepancy. IOW, the lateral incisor is too small relative to the size of the other teeth and should be bonded or veneered after braces to restore it to the proper size. This is fairly common.

Don't you hate it when you have a stubborn gap that won't close up? That happened to me. I received a powerchain that initially closed up the spaces that were forming, but there was one in particular that wouldn't close. They took the chain off and the space reformed. I received a new powerchain that goes across all my top teeth and that gap has finally shut. I was quite sore for a few days as a result, but it did what it was intended to do. Maybe this time around things will work out. Good luck!

are powerchains elastic or metal?
My ortho was putting these elastic things on that went around a couple teeth it had many holes, is this a powerchain?

Yep.

I feel like I've gained a gap between the EXACT same teeth as the OP. I feel like I got it just today. Weird! My Ortho said that he's built in some teeth movement once the braces come off which is Feb. 1 for me. I've already gone back to see him twice with concerns before my debanding date, I don't want to be too crazy and go in again. I mean if it was there before he's got to have noticed it?!?

I feel the same way leftyme (Are you left-handed? I AM!!). I don't wanna travel the 4 hours to get my braces off, get excited, and only arrive to have them on another month or so. It has been two weeks since my last adjustment with a powerchain, and it still hasn't closed. It's not a big gap; it's very little. Noticeable close up, but not far away. I know my teeth won't be perfect; however, I do want to get my money's worth.

I have gaps on my right still that WERE closed before Christmas, but my ortho took off the powerchains and they opened back up :/ However, she didn't seem bothered by this at my last appointment, and didn't put any power chain back on. She did move some of my brackets around however.