Post-extraction: How long to close the gap?

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#1 Post by **Lin** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 11:51 am

Sometime in April I'm having my extractions surgery. After they pull two premolars on the bottom and one premolar and one canine on the top (plus a bit of other work... but there will be four gaps), how long should I expect it to take for the gaps to close?

My entire ortho treatment time should take about 27 months. But will I likely be gap-toothed until the very end of those 27 months? Or maybe only for the entire upcoming summer? Or year?

Just curious, because I might have to go to some weddings starting in August. And in maybe a year I might have to be maid of honor in one! It would be nice not to have gaps that are TOO gaping wide then.

Any thoughts?

#2 Post by **momof2grlz** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 12:42 pm

I had two upper premolars extracted 09/01/05. Now the ortho is pulling the canine back into the gap. So, I still have a medium sized gap between the molar and the canine and BIG gap between the lateral incisors and canine. The gap at the molar doesn't really show when I smile, but the gap next to the incisor sure does. I hate it. I was really hoping the gaps would be mostly closed by now. The ortho says slow and steady is better, but I'm sick of looking like toothless Tillie.

Hopefully, I'll get a new archwire and power chain at my next adjustment on 3/14.

So, to answer your question, mine haven't closed very quickly. At the rate I've been going, I expect another 6 months at least.

Chris

#3 Post by **genxsis** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 1:13 pm

That seems to be true in my case too--about 6 months. I had 4 bicuspids taken out and have been in braces 3 weeks now with no sign of closure yet. I would think 6 months would do it though.

#4 Post by **hannah164** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 2:03 pm

My lower extraction gaps are actually closing pretty quickly!

They are definitely not closed yet but well on their way! The real problem is that while those gaps are closing, other gaps between nearby teeth are opening!

They are actually pretty good sized too!

I think after 6 months your gaps should be closed or pretty close to it!

Good luck!

~Hannah

Top braces: 4/28/04
Bottom braces: 11/16/05
Last Adjustment was 2/1/06 where they bonded a bracket to my cuspid, which was impacted!!!! OUCH!

#5 Post by **fins** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 3:22 pm

Are you creating new gaps when you close the original gap? I am closing gaps one by one, so for me, it has been slow going to say the least. I closed one BIG gap in about 3-4 months with powerchains, which I think is pretty good.

I think am in the same position as Hannah, I have new gaps to take the place of the ones that closed.

I hope you have good luck closing them. The powerchains really do work well.

#6 Post by **fins** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 3:24 pm

Sorry, I meant to add my gaps were not created through extractions though (they were necessary to create for my treatment plan).

#7 Post by **Lin** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 3:49 pm

Thanks all!

Are powerchains pretty standard after extractions? I hope so, if it means teeth move faster to close gaps. I have a lot of crowding, so as the gaps start to close, a lot of teeth will have to move and rotate quite a bit.

Six months doesn't sound so bad... though I know my upper canine gap will probably be quite visible.

I already have my braces on, so I am hoping that that might mean my teeth are "loose" enough already that they start moving right away after the extractions. It seems like a lot of other folks have their extractions done before getting braces on...

#8 Post by **dena** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 8:24 pm

Lin--i have four big gaps right now from extractions (and they honestly aren't half as noticeable as I had feared.) i asked the same question weeks ago and someone said their gap had closed in 4 months. now, there are some other things too, as i understand. i've had my braces about 6 weeks with the gaps. but my ortho won't put the power chains on (i think) until my teeth are straight...the top are already done but i can see that hte bottoms will take some time. thus, if you have anything that needs to happen before they can close the gaps, taht can add some time on. also, because my gaps are all from premolars, i will get full powerchains on both arches. however, for some reason some people have to close gaps one tooth at a time (i think for balance?) and i think that is a different process, too.

honestly though i thought i would be HORRIFIED by missing teeth...that my very crooked top teeth are now straight far outweighs the missing teeth part. and the gaps are only visible when i laugh really hard. definitely not as bad as i thought.

#9 Post by **Lin** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 9:32 pm

Thanks, dena! You give me some hope. I think if I am actually able to see my teeth straightening up afterward, it will definitely boost my spirits. Sometimes I wish my ortho would give me a breakdown of how he sees this whole treatment going, step by step... like "move tooth X this far, spin it this much, pull tooth Y down a bit, rotate it that much"..... any kind of details. I guess it's like unwrapping a Christmas present in my mouth slow-motion! Like, over 3 whole years! Yet costing me thousands of dollars with no gift returns. (Okay, so it's a goofy comparison...) Oh well, always a surprise nonetheless