Extraction gaps and overjet?

[JR]

Hi guys,

Had a question I was hoping someone could answer. I had 2 extractions on top done abt 7 months ago. The gaps have closed somewhat, but I still have a gap of abt 2-3 mm on the right and abt 3-4 mm on left. I have not noticed a change in my overjet, which remains approximately 3 mm or so. I think the main problem is that in addition to the overjet, I also had a deep bite and was braced w/ linguals on top & clears on the bottom. I guess that if my ortho were to attempt to correct the overjet previously, the linguals would meet resistance from the clear brackets because of my deep bite. At least that's the impression that I got. However, my deep bite has pretty much been corrected now. Is it now possible to correct the overjet while closing the gaps or do orthos prefer to close the gaps before addressing the overjet? Any help is appreciated! I guess I'm just frustrated by not seeing any changes in the overjet, and my ortho is always evasive when I ask questions!

[momof2grlz]

I'll be interested in the reply, too. I thought that closing the gaps was actually part of reducing the overjet. As the teeth are pulled back into the gaps, the front teeth move back and widen the arch. Hope that's how it works since I'm closing gaps right now to (hopefully) correct my overjet.

Chris

[hepcat]

Hi.. i'm in the same situation as both of you.. overjet, overbite, two extractions on top. The extractions were done about 6 months ago. They are closing very slowly, but i notice it has changed the overjet.
So i would think that closing the gaps is what helps reduce the overjet.
My overbite has given me problems as i keep damaging the bottom brackets.. i usually need two or three new ones every visit. And also top ones as i have developed a strange 'tick': i push my bottom teeth over the top ones without noticing.
But i'm thinking that elastics are for the final "close the gaps even faster" part and reduce overjet... is that what you think too?

[dr.j]

Typically as we close spaces overjet is reduced at the same time. It sort of depends on whether in an exo case if your doc is closing your spaces in 2 stages (as I do) or 1 stage. In a 2 stage closure, the canines are retracted and then the upper incisors (ortho lingo: upper 2-2) are retracted en masse (as a unit) and thereby decreasing overjet. If you think its slow one thing you have to know is that space closure is much faster when the bite is no longer deep vertically. Sometimes we start closure by getting the canines back then have to wait 2-4 months, level the bite, work up to bigger wires, and then go after the upper 2-2 and the overjet.

Generally, not always, space closure reduces overjet. One might see how closing spaces on folks with insufficient overjet poses a challenge for the orthodontist

dr.J

[momof2grlz]

Thanks, Dr. J. My ortho must be doing 2 stage because he said the first step is to move the canines back. He said it may take 2 or 3 visits (at 8 weeks each) to get the gaps fully closed. Hopefully, by early 2006 I'll be gap free!

Chris

[JumpTheDitch]

Help; I've had braces for about 2 months now and had two upper five's extracted to make room to pull the top teeth back. I don't mean to sound clueless here, but are power chains the standard method of closing the gap? Is headgear used to bring the top teeth back in and close the gap? I'm getting a second set of bands behind the first molars that are already banded but I don't know what to expect for the closure. My treatment plan is for 14 mths in total so I'm hoping it doesn't take too long to close the gaps!