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I'm about 6 months into my treatment and 6 weeks post premolar extractions. I'm going in today for my first wire trim since the extractions (they were booked up for the past 2 weeks or I would have gone in sooner!) and they're also changing out to a new power chain to keep all the teeth moving. I can definitely see some movement on the left side of my mouth more than the right, strange i know! After this adjustment, they will be bringing me in every 3 weeks to get the power chain changed out to a new one. I hope to get these gaps closed by the end of the year, hopefully sooner, which is about 6 months max! I know that the ortho said it could close up in 4 months minimum. You can see the progress pictures in my braces blog link you can find in my signature.
My question is how long did it take for your gaps to close up? Also, I don't have brackets on my 4 last molars... which is creating a bit of a gap between my last molar without the bracket and the molar with my bracket if that makes sense. Has anyone else had this issue? I'm going to ask my ortho today if and when he's going to place a bracket on the last molar so that everything is tight and there's no gaps between my molars.
Thanks in advance!
Braced on 1/7/16
Estimated brace removal: 12/31/17
Traditional metal braces top and bottom
4 premolars extracted
Hi! I had my 4 first premolars extracted too and it took 20 months to close all the gaps. About the brackets on the 2nd molars, the ortho will probably install one later during the treatment.
Lovespain5 wrote:Hi! I had my 4 first premolars extracted too and it took 20 months to close all the gaps. About the brackets on the 2nd molars, the ortho will probably install one later during the treatment.
20 months?! that's insane! Did you get them extracted first? Orthos usually focus on straightening then closing the gaps if that's the case. Right now i'm actively closing them with powerchains.
Braced on 1/7/16
Estimated brace removal: 12/31/17
Traditional metal braces top and bottom
4 premolars extracted
Yes! I was braced for 32 months.
6 months for straightening the teeth.
20 months for closing the gaps.
Keeping on retracting the upper jaw and moving forward the lower jaw for 4 months, after the gaps were closed.
I know the closing starts very quickly but the teeth don't move so rapidly during the whole treeatment. So it could become dangerous for their stability. And each person reacts differently to a same treatment.
Good luck with your treatment!
Hey there!! It sounds like we have had some pretty similar issues! I had my 2nd premolars extracted on the top only. It took about 8 months if I remember right for them to completely close. My ortho installed TADs (little screws) slightly above and behind my first molars on top to hold them back against my 2nd molars while my gap closed. For some reason though, he "untied" the TADs just a month after I got them in!! Then they went all wonky and had to be completely removed. Such a waste of time and pain!! Needless to say, my molars ended up moving forward a bit to close the gap. The gap is larger on one side vs the other. I will forever have to be picking out chunks of food back there because of the gap that was created (TMI sorry!). Although it's definitely something I can live with, if you have the option to keep it from happening - go for it!
I also didn't have brackets on any of my second molars, top or bottom. When I asked my ortho about it he said that the wire would move easier to close the gap quicker if it didn't have that last bracket to mess with (extra friction maybe?) He didn't make a very convincing case in my opinion. I am actually getting my braces off next monday and never got brackets on my last teeth, even after my gaps closed.
Hope this was some helpful info!! Best of luck to you!!
Braces on March 6th, 2015
Metal Empower self-ligating brackets, upper and lower
Class II, Division II overbite with crowding
Upper 2nd premolars extracted May 1st, 2015
First Powerchain and Class II Manatee Elastics June 15th, 2015
TADs placed July 27th, 2015
Box Manatee Elastics April 1st, 2016
Teeth shaping May 4th, 2016
Lovespain5 wrote:Yes! I was braced for 32 months.
6 months for straightening the teeth.
20 months for closing the gaps.
Keeping on retracting the upper jaw and moving forward the lower jaw for 4 months, after the gaps were closed.
I know the closing starts very quickly but the teeth don't move so rapidly during the whole treeatment. So it could become dangerous for their stability. And each person reacts differently to a same treatment.
Good luck with your treatment!
Wow, that's a good amount of time in braces. I think my overbite and alignment is good.. there was just crowding and protrusion however you never know what closing those gaps will create along the way! I hope to get these off in 24 months max!! Are you happy with your end result?
cdmoses6 wrote:Hey there!! It sounds like we have had some pretty similar issues! I had my 2nd premolars extracted on the top only. It took about 8 months if I remember right for them to completely close. My ortho installed TADs (little screws) slightly above and behind my first molars on top to hold them back against my 2nd molars while my gap closed. For some reason though, he "untied" the TADs just a month after I got them in!! Then they went all wonky and had to be completely removed. Such a waste of time and pain!! Needless to say, my molars ended up moving forward a bit to close the gap. The gap is larger on one side vs the other. I will forever have to be picking out chunks of food back there because of the gap that was created (TMI sorry!). Although it's definitely something I can live with, if you have the option to keep it from happening - go for it!
I also didn't have brackets on any of my second molars, top or bottom. When I asked my ortho about it he said that the wire would move easier to close the gap quicker if it didn't have that last bracket to mess with (extra friction maybe?) He didn't make a very convincing case in my opinion. I am actually getting my braces off next monday and never got brackets on my last teeth, even after my gaps closed.
Hope this was some helpful info!! Best of luck to you!!
Hi!! I got my 1st premolars extracted so mine are definitely visible when i smile wide but no one even notices unless I point it out. Eight months to close your gaps doesn't sound too bad My ortho didn't say anything about TADs ...just that he may or may not put brackets on the last molar. I don't want to question him too much because I know he's the professional...but I totally understand your struggle with picking food out of your gaps between your molars!! I'm already having that problem and I'm only 6 weeks into my extractions..which means my extraction gaps are closing quickly right? I always floss and find chunnks of salad or meat! so gross...maybe that was TMI?? haha
How exciting that you're getting your braces off next week! How long have you had them on? Are you happy with the end result?
Braced on 1/7/16
Estimated brace removal: 12/31/17
Traditional metal braces top and bottom
4 premolars extracted
I know that I wear them for a long time. I had powerchains during my whole treatment and rubber bands for one year and a half too. My crowding wasn't important. It was the correction of the protrusion which took over two years. As much as I had lip incompetence.
I'm very happy with the results! It is such a change. My mouth has become much smaller and my profile, which used to be convex, has become perfectly straight. I'm going to share you my photos.
Lovespain5 wrote:
Hi!! I got my 1st premolars extracted so mine are definitely visible when i smile wide but no one even notices unless I point it out. Eight months to close your gaps doesn't sound too bad My ortho didn't say anything about TADs ...just that he may or may not put brackets on the last molar. I don't want to question him too much because I know he's the professional...but I totally understand your struggle with picking food out of your gaps between your molars!! I'm already having that problem and I'm only 6 weeks into my extractions..which means my extraction gaps are closing quickly right? I always floss and find chunnks of salad or meat! so gross...maybe that was TMI?? haha
How exciting that you're getting your braces off next week! How long have you had them on? Are you happy with the end result?
I am definitely excited! I got them on March 6th of 2015, so I will be getting them off just shy of 17 months. I am very satisfied with the end result! To be honest I could probably go a little longer and make a few more minor tweaks, but at this point I'm just longing to get them off no matter what! And the tweaks are only things that I will ever notice. You can click my link in my signature, then check out the last page to see where I am at. It is a major major improvement from where I started that's for sure! And I get what you mean by not wanting to question your ortho. I was always worried I would offend him and then he would mess up my teeth on purpose or fire me lol but that's just anxiety talking! Your ortho should be really open with you about any concerns you have, and I think they may even appreciate your curiosity. It's your mouth so don't be afraid to speak up!
Braces on March 6th, 2015
Metal Empower self-ligating brackets, upper and lower
Class II, Division II overbite with crowding
Upper 2nd premolars extracted May 1st, 2015
First Powerchain and Class II Manatee Elastics June 15th, 2015
TADs placed July 27th, 2015
Box Manatee Elastics April 1st, 2016
Teeth shaping May 4th, 2016
Lovespain5 wrote:
Hi!! I got my 1st premolars extracted so mine are definitely visible when i smile wide but no one even notices unless I point it out. Eight months to close your gaps doesn't sound too bad My ortho didn't say anything about TADs ...just that he may or may not put brackets on the last molar. I don't want to question him too much because I know he's the professional...but I totally understand your struggle with picking food out of your gaps between your molars!! I'm already having that problem and I'm only 6 weeks into my extractions..which means my extraction gaps are closing quickly right? I always floss and find chunnks of salad or meat! so gross...maybe that was TMI?? haha
How exciting that you're getting your braces off next week! How long have you had them on? Are you happy with the end result?
I am definitely excited! I got them on March 6th of 2015, so I will be getting them off just shy of 17 months. I am very satisfied with the end result! To be honest I could probably go a little longer and make a few more minor tweaks, but at this point I'm just longing to get them off no matter what! And the tweaks are only things that I will ever notice. You can click my link in my signature, then check out the last page to see where I am at. It is a major major improvement from where I started that's for sure! And I get what you mean by not wanting to question your ortho. I was always worried I would offend him and then he would mess up my teeth on purpose or fire me lol but that's just anxiety talking! Your ortho should be really open with you about any concerns you have, and I think they may even appreciate your curiosity. It's your mouth so don't be afraid to speak up!
Eck! Your debracing day is coming up fast! I can't wait to see the final result after all the brackets and glue are off congrats!
Braced on 1/7/16
Estimated brace removal: 12/31/17
Traditional metal braces top and bottom
4 premolars extracted
Hi, like you I am 6 months in (just on the bottoms my top have just gone on) but I had my extractions prior to the braces going on. Like you I have notice one side is being much more well behaved than the other, my right side has almost no gap at all whereas the left has about 3cm left to go! I think it will be another couple of adjustments before they are just like the other teeth so I'm guessing 8/9 months but I think everyone moves at a slightly different rate.
Gafs wrote:Hi, like you I am 6 months in (just on the bottoms my top have just gone on) but I had my extractions prior to the braces going on. Like you I have notice one side is being much more well behaved than the other, my right side has almost no gap at all whereas the left has about 3cm left to go! I think it will be another couple of adjustments before they are just like the other teeth so I'm guessing 8/9 months but I think everyone moves at a slightly different rate.
That doesn't sound too bad! I hope to have mine closed up by the end of the year which is a little over 6 months. Do you have brackets on your last molar?
Braced on 1/7/16
Estimated brace removal: 12/31/17
Traditional metal braces top and bottom
4 premolars extracted
[quote="angelac19"][quote="Gafs"]Hi, like you I am 6 months in (just on the bottoms my top have just gone on) but I had my extractions prior to the braces going on. Like you I have notice one side is being much more well behaved than the other, my right side has almost no gap at all whereas the left has about 3cm left to go! I think it will be another couple of adjustments before they are just like the other teeth so I'm guessing 8/9 months but I think everyone moves at a slightly different rate.[/quote]
That doesn't sound too bad! :) I hope to have mine closed up by the end of the year which is a little over 6 months. Do you have brackets on your last molar?[/quote]
No not yet I was wondering about those, do you? Is that something they add later on? Having lovely straight teeth and then slightly out of place molars would drive me crazy!
Gafs wrote:Hi, like you I am 6 months in (just on the bottoms my top have just gone on) but I had my extractions prior to the braces going on. Like you I have notice one side is being much more well behaved than the other, my right side has almost no gap at all whereas the left has about 3cm left to go! I think it will be another couple of adjustments before they are just like the other teeth so I'm guessing 8/9 months but I think everyone moves at a slightly different rate.
That doesn't sound too bad! I hope to have mine closed up by the end of the year which is a little over 6 months. Do you have brackets on your last molar?
No not yet I was wondering about those, do you? Is that something they add later on? Having lovely straight teeth and then slightly out of place molars would drive me crazy!
I'm about 7 months into my treatment and I don't have brackets on my last molar...I actually have a gap between the last molar and the molar next to it which has the bracket because it's pulling forward to close the gap! I'm going to as about it when i go back to the orthodontist in a couple weeks. I would assume they're going to bracket them to close the gap that was created or else that would be strange.. do you have a gap?
Braced on 1/7/16
Estimated brace removal: 12/31/17
Traditional metal braces top and bottom
4 premolars extracted
I’ve been braced for almost 4 months now and just had my extractions (upper 1st premolars) yesterday. I’ve been so concerned about gaps since I’d already noticed some spacing happening before the extractions but it’s encouraging to see the results you all have had! :)
I didn’t have brackets on my last molar for the first 2 months. My back brackets were added on my 3rd appointment , and then my wire was taken out of all my back teeth for the extractions on my 4th appointment. I didn’t notice much movement in my wonky canines until the back molars were brought into the mix, but that could just be due to the timing.
I’m thankful my orthodontist took into account the upcoming holidays - extraction sites should be healed well before Thanksgiving, and lower braces are going on right after Thanksgiving!
Well, I have a bracket on my lower 2nd molars but I don't have a bracket on my top 2nd molars (I have no more wisdom teeth). I'm still noticing a gap has developed between my first and my 2nd molar on both the top and bottom. I guess it all depends on what your ortho is hoping to correct or what he is working on, otherwise bracket or not, the gaps are still appearing.
I'm going to ask my ortho today if and when he's going to place a bracket on the last molar so that everything is tight and there's no gaps between my molars.
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My ortho didn't say anything about TADs ...just that he may or may not put brackets on the last molar. I don't want to question him too much because I know he's the professional...but I totally understand your struggle with picking food out of your gaps between your molars!! I'm already having that problem and I'm only 6 weeks into my extractions..which means my extraction gaps are closing quickly right? I always floss and find chunnks of salad or meat! so gross...maybe that was TMI?? haha