Metal Mouth Message Board

I'm getting Damon braces upper and lower on 10th Feb. But I keep seeing most people talking about spacers, and having them prior to the braces getting fitted. My orthodontist hasn't said anything about spacers, so presumably I won't be having them? Why is that?

I think it has to do with whether or not you have fillings in some of your teeth. All of my spacers are placed between teeth that have minor fillings.

I don't have spacers either. I'm not going to need bands. The assistant I was talking with said that they don't use the bands any more. I'm not sure if she meant that they never use them or if she meant they use them less than they used to. Anyway, no bands for me so no spacers, maybe it's the same for you. I'm glad you asked because I was thinking of asking the same question.

i didn't get spacers or bands...

LizzyG wrote:I'm getting Damon braces upper and lower on 10th Feb. But I keep seeing most people talking about spacers, and having them prior to the braces getting fitted. My orthodontist hasn't said anything about spacers, so presumably I won't be having them? Why is that?

It is because every case is different. Your orthodontia needs differ from most of the people on this board. It is as simple as that.

Hi LizzyG! Congrats to a fellow soon-to-be-braced

My ortho told me they don't use spacers in his office anymore either. He said that they used to be more commonly used when braces (metal) went all the way around your teeth, rather than just glued to the front as they are today. But I notice many others on this board did have to have them, I assume so the ortho has more room to work if you need a band around a tooth at some point in order to move it.


Good luck on the 10th!

I didn't get any spacers either. I think it all depends on your case, and whether or not your ortho wants to use them. From reading these forums, I've found that each and every ortho uses different techniques and appliances.

No spacers for me either. The Damon system doesn't use bands around molars, they use glued brackets. The brackets are a different shape, but they're glued on like the front ones. That is unless there's a crown or large filling that would make the bonding less strong.

My kid's ortho still uses spacers and bands though. He uses the traditional type of brackets and so still use bands on molars. It was nice with my kids since they were less likely to stay away from the hard, crunchy foods and the bands are less likely to come loose or to break off.

I have Damon 3's on my top and bottom teeth. My Doc. put in the spacers exactly 1 week prior to putting on the Damon brackets. Four of my molars (2 on top, 2 on bottom) have metal bands around them with a hook attached to eventually correct my bite.

I didn't receive (to my enjoyment!) spacers nor bands.

I had spacers...

While most of my braces were glued on, the ones on the back molars of my upper teeth are the bands.

Spacers are intended to make space. My teeth were so crowded in the back that there was no way for the ortho to put those bands on without making more room. So, about a week before the braces date I went in and had these little rubber doughnuts stuck between my back teeth.