Worried - molars don't meet due to front teeth in the way!

[zoelee]

Hi there,

I just had my braces removed Monday. I'm wearing a set of retainer right now. But I've been noticing a problem. Basically my top and bottom molers on the left can't touch. When I try to chew with my molers, the second and 3rd teech on the left meet first. I switch to the right side it's the same problem - right top and bottom molers can't meet each other without the up and bottom 2nd and 3rd teeth on the left meet first. I'm worried if I chew uncarefully I might chip my top and bottom 2nd and 3rd teeth on the left. Is this normal? If not, can my orthodontist correct it with the retainer? I don't want to have to wear braces again!

Thanks! Zoe

[Chris]

I'm curious, were your molars touching before the braces were removed?

Can he shave down any high spots of teeth that touch first thereby compensating and making them all touch at once?

[zoelee]

Chris, I didn't have any problem having my molars meet when braces were on. I didn't have that problem prior to getting braces either.

I'm confused myself. I'm seeing my orthodontist tomorrow. I'll keep you posted.

Zoe

[zoelee]

So far I found nobody with the same experience. I also searched on google and found nothing. I guess this weird bite problem doesn't happen often huh? If you do have the same experience please speak up!


1 hour left to my appointment, I found my palms sweating! I'm nervous...

zoe

[zoelee]

I met my orthodontist this afternoon. Her explanation is, my teeth probably shift after the braces off, even though I was wearing the clear plastic retainer 24/7. She said those plastic one not as powerful as the braces.

She also said that teeth also move vertically, so my molars might just move out to finally meet. She ground down a little bit of my 2nd tooth on the left, it helps a little, but they still touch before the molars meet.

Does this sound like a reasonable explanation to you all?

I have no idea what to make out of it.

I got a new set of retainer with wire in the front, am wearing it now. Will see her again in 2 weeks. Hopefully this problem will go away by then.

Thanks for listening...

zoe

[jcdamon3]

Hi,

I thought that I responded to this but don't see my post. Anyway, your explaination sounds perfectly logical to me. In fact this is how my teeth were before I got braces and one of the main reason I got braces. My back teeth did not touch until my front teeth touched first and I clenched down pretty hard. This was fixed by moving the crowding around in front. I don't see how grinding down the back teeth would fix this. Maybe I am missing something? When you say second tooth on the left I assume you mean your second front tooth? The one next to the central incisor, the lateral incisor?

I would go back to her again if the adjustment she made didn't work.

[jzaboo]

It doesn't seem likely that it would have shifted so soon, I would ask for a second opinion. You paid so much money, you waited so long, and your bite is messed up? Hard to believe, if the ortho did his job.

[downhillsnowskier]

Zoelee, I have the wire retainers and since wearing them my bite has shifted slightly, for the better. I migrated from the clear plastic retainers because they were, in my experience, useless. I didn't experience the kind of post braces bite shift you had, but you're doing the right thing to deal with it by talking to the ortho. Good luck

[Chris]

Zoelee, I have the wire retainers and since wearing them my bite has shifted slightly, for the better.

Permanent wire retainers or Hawleys?

[downhillsnowskier]

Hawleys

[Chris]

Hawleys

In what way did your bite shift after braces? Vertical or horizontal? Just curious.