Metal Mouth Message Board

It's been a while since I poked my head in here...just got an adjustment today, the ortho said all she needs to do is crank my top teeth back a little more and I'll be ready to be debanded.

So I got a powerchain on the bottom, zinc string (?) on top with some figure eight things starting at my canines going back a tooth or two? And I'm taking a break from the rubber bands. I don't know how any of this is going to get me where I need to be, and still have stubborn gaps between my canines and lateral incisors (CURSES!!!!) but does she maybe need those in order to continue to pull back what remains of my overjet?

Anyway, my teeth look so different than they did when I started. It's subtle to people who didn't look closely and can't remember, but so major to me. My teeth are all one height, pointing in the same direction....my bottom teeth don't tilt in and the arch isn't concave...all of these little things make such a a huge difference.

Here are a couple of current pictures.

Those silly stubborn spaces!

Your teeth look really good. Like your smile looks so nice!

I'm not sure about the treatment plan changes...but I hope you get your results quickly. Can't wait to see your "debraced" smile!!

What she said!

Beautiful looking bite. Congrats in closing in on your debanding.

furious george wrote: and still have stubborn gaps between my canines and lateral incisors (CURSES!!!!) .

were your gaps bigger than what's pictured now? I'm curious as to how your ortho closed them/is closing them?

I have annoying gaps in the same places but my gap on the right is bigger than the gap on the left side. I really hate it because it makes me not want to smile in pictures because the gap on the right side is so visible.

Believe it or not, they were MUCH bigger.

The doc did warn me that I have small lateral incisors and I might need to have them bonded so she may not close them all the way, but there is still way too much space there regardless, and I'd rather have them closed. I'm so sick of looking at those gaps. I asked her to put a wrench or vice in there, and all I got is a zinc string.

Anyway, although she told me to take a break for now, I started wearing elastics somewhere around last January (the galapagos tortoise ones). I think that's been the primary method...that and I've had either a powerchain or a zinc string across the top forever.

I don't really understand how orthodontics work though and that's the most frustrating part for me in all of this...not understand why they take the actions they take. And you can't just look this stuff up on the web like normal things you're curious about! Like right now I have a zinc string and those figure eight ties that go from the molar band to the canine. I really don't understand how any of that is supposed to help the overjet and reduce the gaps any further. I mean, the zinc string in theory, but it's clearly not enough for my stubborn gaps.

Has anyone had a closing loop archwire? My aunt (who works at an ortho) expressed some curiosity as to why they haven't given me one of those yet, and I forgot to ask..

Interesting.

I just looked back at old pictures. I guess that gap was not THAT much bigger. My canines were really tilted and rotated, so it looks better but I don't think the gaps have improved that much at all.

Now I feel like crying.

Have I mentioned how much I HATE those gaps? I would take headgear at this point if it would close those horrible things.

What's a closing loop arch wire? I think I may have that. The ortho told me this new annoying looking wire I have is suppose to close my spaces somehow but it's been on for almost 12 weeks and I haven't really seen any improvement so I'm getting a little frustrated.

The wire I have now is a bronze looking color and has a loop right where my spaces are on each side. My lip gets caught on it on the right side :/

I hate my gaps too. They look so crazy when I smile

Beautiful smile and bite!

I totally understand about gaps and spaces, waiting on my spaces and gaps to close and it's taking forever... So ready to be done!

TTW, it does sound like you have a closing loop wire.

I'm jealous. I don't expect I'll get even the slightest change in the next month. These gaps need more than a darn zinc string. UGH.