Metal Mouth Message Board

It seems most are estimated for 18-24 months. Do you think all orthos state this .. and as the time gets near - they change their estimates?

It seems like there are a few posters that got their braces off early! Yay!

.. but on the other hand, there seem to be a few that have had them for a lot longer...

Any ideas on why that is? It's too early for me to ask my ortho on time frames.

I guess it's pretty hard to estimate how long you will need braces because in the end it's up to your body and how fast your teeth move. You might take them off sooner if your teeth move fast, or have to keep them longer if they don't. Keep in mind that estimating is just that: an aproximation, not an exact amount of time.

i hope so because i'm not too excited about wearing mine for 24 months!!

True, I assume that half way through treatment - orthos have a good idea on how long.. (I'm hoping).

I'm hoping I'm one of the lucky ones - as we all do.

In our office, treatment times are generally between 1 year to 3 years and we set treatment times in between by half year increments. Most of them do come in at the 2 year mark.

We base our fees upon these estimated treatment times, so at our initial visit, it is important to combine our current diagnosis with with previous experience of similar malocclusions to make this estimate. There are a lot of factors that can lengthen or shorten one's treatment time, with the major ones being compliance with the use of elastics and making it to each scheduled visit.

FWIW I don't know any doctors who enjoy keeping patients in braces longer than they have to keep them on .

Just got mine on today! I will have about two years.

Treatment estimates will always be a 'best guess' at the time. Until you get started no ortho can be sure. Be prepared for the worst and hope for the best!

Hi,

Lots of replies to answer your Q but just to add that my estimated treatment time is 12-14m. Altough I feel like I have major crowding I think that my bite being fine and not having any extractions planned probably brings the treatment time down significantly.

ST

seriousthinker wrote:Hi,

Lots of replies to answer your Q but just to add that my estimated treatment time is 12-14m. Altough I feel like I have major crowding I think that my bite being fine and not having any extractions planned probably brings the treatment time down significantly.

ST

Hmm, I'm wondering if you're correct! If your bite isn't an issue - maybe it'll be a quicker treatment? It'll be interesting to see. My teeth are pretty straight, ever so slightly crooked on the bottom - but it's my bite that's the main issue. It'll be interesting to see if it takes a shorter amount of time to fix or not. Or if bite issues take longer.

I know it basically has to do with how fast teeth move - so it's a bit subjective. Just an overall curiosity

I was told 2-3 years and I couldn't get my ortho to give me odds on whether it was actually closer to 2 years or closer to 3 years (I really tried), His reasoning was that everyone is different in how their teeth move and how they comply with treatment. He said he would be just as disappointed as I would, if he pinpointed a target date that ended up to be wrong.

I was told 18 months at my initial consultation but after 11 months I only have 3 weeks left until they come off. I’m a bit disappointed, I will miss them.

I had a perfect estimate! Mine were estimated at 18 months and I'll be getting them off on the 28th which will make it 18 months and 9 days. Sometimes it all works out according to plan I will NOT be missing them.

caitlin1120 wrote:I had a perfect estimate! Mine were estimated at 18 months and I'll be getting them off on the 28th which will make it 18 months and 9 days. Sometimes it all works out according to plan I will NOT be missing them.

Congrats on getting them off soon

18 mths isn't too bad. I'm hoping I have a similar "sentence" - 2yrs just seems like a loooooooooong time.

My original estimate was 27 months - and I haven't asked for an update on that. I like to hold on to the hope that it might be quicker, though I'm not counting on it!

My ortho said between 10-24++ months. I have to tell you, I am a year in and he better be lying. I do not want to wear them for another year plus.... I'm just going with it but I hope I'm more on the year and a half side.
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