Bands?

Message

#1 Post by **justbraced07** » Tue Aug 28, 2007 7:35 pm

I got my braces on August 6th. When I got them on the assistant said that I will be glad I didn't get any bands put on today. I just got my ceramic uppers on. What does she mean by bands? What are bands?

Oh, and why do you have to wear those elastic things?

#2 Post by **ghostmyimag3** » Tue Aug 28, 2007 7:40 pm

She may be talking about molar bands? I have them on 4 of my molars. The reason i have them is because he was unsure about that much pressure on my molars since they have fillings in them. I am assuming that there are several reasons as to why people have them.

#3 Post by **SandraJones** » Wed Aug 29, 2007 8:42 am

I have read that same thing about molar bands, that they are often used on people who have fillings. All four of my first molars are filled quite liberally

, and I have bands on all of them. I was probably not a candidate for brackets.

I'm wondering if it's also an issue of force ... the bands can probably handle a great deal more force than the brackets, and depending on how out of whack your teeth are, the arch wire will exert more or less force. I require arch expansion, so I wonder if my arch wire will exert more force on my molars than the arch wire of someone who just needs some minor straightening.

Btw, I want to add that my bands are not causing me any probs. I got all bands and brackets on Aug 15 so they've been on for only 2 weeks. My cheeks were irritated by some doodads attached to the upper bands, but that was mitigated by little blobs of wax the first week and now in the second week I don't even need the wax. I felt pressure when the bands were applied but did not have any actual discomfort from them.

#4 Post by **Miss Smiley** » Wed Aug 29, 2007 9:32 am

I have crowns and buccal tubes, no bands.

#5 Post by **acd** » Wed Aug 29, 2007 10:03 am

As long as the bands don't have cleats on them that irritate the tongue they are no big deal other than a little discomfort going on. None of my four molar bands has given me any trouble in ten months.

#6 Post by **Lisa65** » Wed Aug 29, 2007 11:30 am

Bands are a necessity if you need something like a TPA or Nance, as the appliances are bonded directly to the bands. I've got 4 bands and will probably be getting 2 more very soon, but I've had no problems with them.

#7 Post by **jennielee81** » Wed Aug 29, 2007 12:59 pm

One thing that bugs me on occasion...apparently, this is one of those occasions!

Buccal tubes are on BOTH molar bands and molar BRACKETS

Shouldn't we refer to them as molar bands and molar brackets OR Buccal bands or Buccal brackets rather than molar bands and buccal brackets? Since they both have buccal tubes on them? The only difference is in the way that tube is attached to the tooth.

I had molar brackets/buccal brackets....

Maybe I'm just being picky.

Or I need to take a Midol....

#8 Post by **Lisa65** » Wed Aug 29, 2007 1:47 pm

My ortho's supplier calls them "bondable buccal tubes" in their catalogue.

#9 Post by **jennielee81** » Wed Aug 29, 2007 4:59 pm

Not as simple as just language in my mind.

It is like the bands don't have buccal tubes at all if it is said that they are "molar band" and the brackets are "buccal molar brackets" when excluded in a post from bands.

Maybe I'm being too simple. If I were new to all of this, I would think that bands don't have buccal (anything) on them as that's not said. Just BANDS. Then so specific Molar Buccal Brackets (or tubes). There are buccal tubes on bands AND brackets.

...Relate them equally, or don't relate them at all?????

maybe I've just been here too long and it's time to go.....

I'm going to take a couple of Midol now.

#10 Post by **jennielee81** » Wed Aug 29, 2007 6:03 pm

#11 Post by **SandraJones** » Wed Aug 29, 2007 8:54 pm

Alright, thanks a lot you precise people !

Now I'm scrutinizing my molar bands !! I was thinking "buccal tubes" referred to the thingies where the arch wire ends are housed. Mine are not tubular, they are flat. My lower bands also have square hooks on them (for my class II elastics, I suspect), and my upper bands have doodads for the headgear I won't be using, and these doodads are tubular.

Would anyone have bands that didn't have some sort of attachments welded to them ?

OMG, I just noticed that my right-side upper and lower second premolars are now touching cusp to cusp (on buccal side only) and I am unable to get any other teeth to touch. I'm going to assume that in order to make progress orthodontically, I will pass through some phases that are worse than where I started !

#12 Post by **SandraJones** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 7:30 am

I would like to install some extra band attachments ... a satellite TV receptor (plus a jack for the connection to my TV), GPS, and a coffee maker would be nice.

This cusp-to-cusp one tooth occlusion is driving me bonkers ! My jaw keeps snapping shut and these two teeth clunk together hard. I think I'm going to pick up one of those bite guard things at the drugstore, or maybe I can get some wax to stick on the lower to soften the blow ! I'm happy to have movement but this latest insult is a bit hard to take. I guess I should feel fortunate, I remember reading posts by the people who've got those buttons to help fix excessively deep bites and they can't touch any of the lateral teeth together at all !

#13 Post by **jennielee81** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 10:08 am

I KNOW all that!

My very minor point has been misunderstood.

I was mearly saying (obviously unclearly) that when it is said "molar band" it is just eliminating anything ATTACHED to that band on the cheek side, that's all!

I wasn't trying to stir anything up nor was I looking for an education. I know what the terms mean....I've learned that and so much more from being on this site for the past 2.5 years.

Maybe it's time to stop thinking outloud.....

#14 Post by **acd** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 11:33 am

I'm just glad they don't put bands on every tooth anymore!

#15 Post by **SandraJones** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 12:19 pm

My sister told me that when we had our braces on in the 70's, we had bands around every tooth. I don't remember it, and in all of my pics my mouth is closed.

But I do remember some kind of mini-jackhammer thingie which I think pounded the bands and made them conform to the teeth, and I think I remember pounding on my front teeth. So maybe my sister is right ! Wow, the spacers phase must have really sucked !! I know what it felt like to have 8 in a few weeks ago ... I can't imagine how much that hurt to have them between every pair of teeth !