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I had extractions recently which were not nearly as bad as I was expecting! I do feel a bit sad though that I've taken out 2 lovely perfectly healthy teeth out. I'm kind of feeling like what have I done to myself lol. My mouth doesn't exactly look great with all these braces and gaps! I just hope it'll look good in the end..
Anyway onto my question!! I got my appointment with my ortho coming up next week, and she will be putting in elastics. I'm worried about this as I don't like the idea of having elastics in my mouth. I'm embarrassed how I will look and how it will effect me, speech, etc. Could anyone that has had them tell me what it was like, and how long you had to have them in for?
If you've also had extractions, how long did it take for those gaps to close?
Be patient, it will get better. I only had one extraction of my upper right bicuspid and the gap was out for about 2 full months. It closed up, and then when they took the powerchain off, opened again. So that had to go back on.
I was prepared by my ortho that I would have a space there and I just psyched myself up for it, knowing it woulnd't be pretty. I can tell you that no one ever noticed.
I had elastics and extractions. The elastics were on and off throughout treatment and it differs for everyone. I have to talk alot with people for my job and i remember feeling awkward about the elastics at first. I work primarily with kids so some of them asked about them because they were getting braces or thought i was in pain lol. Other than that it was no big deal. You can get them in colors or just the clear ones, which is what i had. Just be careful when you yawn. I had a few fly out that way! The extraction gaps varied in their closure time too. I have dense bone so my uppers too much longer than my lowers. I' say my uppers took like 2 yrs and my lowers took like a year to close. I cant really remember and please dont get worried about it. My closure time was super slow due to my bone. Oh, and i didnt have any speech issues with elastics. Best of luck!
I am 13 months in, all 4 of my gaps are still open. The bottoms are closing faster than the tops. But the ortho recently put a new band over the gaps which should speed up the closure.
Brace Date: 14th April 2011 Estimated Debrace Date: 14th April 2013 Real Debrace Date 18th June 2013
4 extractions, upper ceramic brackets and lower metal to fix overjet and overcrowding.
My ortho is trying to move my back molars forward to help close the space, then I'll need elastics later for my overjet. Right now my back teeth and jaws feel really sore. I hope it doesn't take too long!
I had 4 extractions, and have been in braces for almost 11 months. I'd say the gaps were closed as of last month, and now I am in elastics for my overbite, 3 weeks so far. They feel really tight and a little awkward at first, but you get used to them. They rub against the insides of my cheeks tho, which is a little uncomfortable, but other than that, they really aren't too bad.
