Metal Mouth Message Board

Hallo all,

I posted this in 'ask the doc' section too. I didn't get any answers from the
doc until now. But maybe one of you experienced something similar.

I have now braces for about 16 months. Spaces between lowers got better
and crowding of uppers improved too. At this moment my braces look like
this :



What I now experience is that my occlusion is very bad. I measured my
arch widths between my first molars. My upper arch widened after those
16 months by about 6mm ( I had a tpa for about 6 months too ). But my
lower arch narrowed by about 4 mm, due to having those elastics for
almost a year now ( the class 2 elastics ). I could compare as I have with
me my moulds made before I got braces. So, and that can be seen a bit
on the pic, my upper premolars and molars seem to just 'hang' there.
There is not the corresponding teeth under them. My upper arch seems to
be too wide or my lower too narrow. So my question is :

Did any of you had a similar issue ?

Many thanks in advance !

All I can say is FIRST they align the teeth, THEN they straighten out the bite. I had top braces first for 4 months then bottoms. So my bottoms are trying to catch up, rather slowly I might add. My bite was really bad DURING the whole process. Nothing aligns top and bottom yet either. My bite still is deep and I don't touch molars yet. But I haven't gotten to the stage of all the elastics yet. My teeth originally all sunk inwards and now they are flaring outward.

Its hard to stay patient after a year in braces.

Ask your ortho whats going on and what you can expect to see happening in the next few months. What was your original estimate for wearing braces? Did they pull any teeth?

Hi Chris,

Thanks for your post.

I just posted this because I think my braces journey is going into the
wrong direction. This arch width issue got there because of trying to
correct my bite. At least I think so. My class 2 bite got better, but now
I experience this. To answer your questions. I was not given a real exact
(as exact as an ortho can guess) estimate, but I was given some, how do
you call it, 'informal' estimate of 3 years. And no, no teeth were pulled.

Damn CLO, you must be the king of elastic configurations!

john_doe wrote:Damn CLO, you must be the king of elastic configurations!

I've seen worse, and on this forum too.

chris, earlier, he had elastics going from one side of his mouth to the other. I think it was becuase of an overcorrection?

here the pic,

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y196/p ... 904051.jpg

Yeah, THAT configeration I would have a hard time with.

Chris, earlier, he had elastics going from one side of his mouth to the other.

This is 'he' speaking, John_doe.
That front elastic was to correct my lower midline. I had it for 6 weeks,
together with some elastics on my molars. It worked very well. In fact,
it was the only configuration that gave me good results up to now. Other
configurations were / are posterior crossbite elastics, class 2 elastics and
anterior open bite elastics. I have been wearing these configurations for
about a year now. So yes, I have now a pretty good idea what it is like
to have elastics. And, Chris, after such a long time, I do not care anymore
what people will say or think. They are part of my braces, and I just wear
braces, like a lot of people do. I do not even try to hide them anymore.
Guess I somehow somewhere turned that switch.

Talk to your ortho and find out how he/she plans on moving your teeth. Maybe they have to be misaligned before they get into place. If you're still spooked after the ortho's explaination, I would get a second opinion. Right now my teeth look worse than when I started, so I have a lot anxiety too.

Clo wrote:

Chris, earlier, he had elastics going from one side of his mouth to the other.

it was the only configuration that gave me good results up to now. .. after such a long time, I do not care anymore what people will say or think. .

Just shows the power of elastics. And I agree with you about not caring what others think. I admire your patience wearing all those configerations though. So far I've only had one elastic phase and although it wasn't difficult to wear, I found the pulling shut of my mouth uncomfortable sometimes. Aaahhh..the things one must endure to get straight teeth and a good bite.

Hi Clo,

I am a surgery candidate (Sept. 13 is my big day) and my orthodontist and oral surgeon both told me that my bite would get worse before surgery. The orthodontist moved my upper teeth into their proper places, and has moved my lower teeth into their proper places. Right now, because my jaw is off, nothing fits together. Once the surgery is complete, but teeth will meet up properly.

Your orthodontist may be doing the same type of thing with you. Your teeth are probably sitting in the right places, and he is just trying to match up your bite.

I think this is the same explanation that Chris gave you, but I thought I would just share what I was told by my orthodontist and surgeon. It would be best to ask your orthodontist about it, and what his longterm plans and goals are for your teeth.

Good luck!
peanut

sorry clo,

I did not mean to insult you.

Don't get me wrong, I respect the fact that you are taking a proactive step to correct your teeth.