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I've finally scheduled the appointments for my braces, now that I'm healing up from my 4 extractions.
On Jan. 11th, they will put in the spacers, on the 17th will come the molar bands, and the 31st is when the upper and lower braces go on. I don't look forward to any of it.
One thing I don't understand is why the molar bands go on seperate from the rest of the braces, and why I have to wait 2 weeks for the braces after the molar bands. Originally, they wanted to make it a whole month!
Will the molar bands themselves cause pain? I'd hate to be wearing those things without braces and be in pain for nothing!
I myself have never had molar bands What I have heard, however, is that rather than HURTING, they are quite uncomfortable ("weird") when they are put on. Good luck!
Damon 2's top and bottom, BRACED 02/22/04 and REMOVED 08/29/05. Now in bonded retainers (top and bottom) :4 wisdom teeth surgically removed on 12/22/05:
The spacers were the worst thing for me The molar bands really aren't that bad at all. I only have molar bands on my top molars with a wire that runs against the top of my mouth (as shown below).
The only part that sometimes bugs me is where they tied my wire in. At first I had to use wax a lot because it irritated my tongue, but now my mouth is used to it. They were a welcome to me compared to the spacers. I had my molar bands in when I had my extractions, so by the time I was fully braced, I was already used to it. It all gets better after the spacers, or at least it has been so far. Hope this helps! Let me know how things go!
TEETH IN THE BEGINNING (OCT. '05)
TEETH NOW (Oct. 28, 2007)
Braced (uppers & lowers): 2 Years
Retainer Check: 1-18-08
Hands down, the worst part about getting braces was when the bands were fitted to my molars. I had to fight back the tears at one point. Everything else was smooth sailing.
For me, the only bad part about the molar bands was getting them fitted and put on. I think the pain of having them put on was made worse because my teeth were already sore from the spacers. But after they were on, I didn't even feel them and haven't had any problems since.
I never really gave a second thought to molar bands until I found this site. When I got them on they were a bit tight 'wow, you have big teeth' after trying on ones that seemed six sizes too small but pain? Never. Although I don't have any cleats or anything attached to mine, just the band and then the bracket attached to the outside. Spacers didn't really bother me much either though, maybe that helped that my teeth weren't sore from spacers.
You would think they would hurt going on since they're actually wedged between my tooth and the gum but honestly there really was no pain. I wouldn't worry about all the hype about the 'big bad molar bands' if I were you-everyone's experience is different and yours might not hurt at all.
Eve
Braced September 9, 2002
Debanding: JULY 5!!!!!!!!
I really didn't have any pain getting the molar bands on, but the assistant finding just the right size by pushing them part way on, and then popping off was not especially pleasant. I can't imagine having bands put on every tooth like they used to do, though! Do they still do that for any reason I wonder?
It sounds like I have a 50/50 chance of having a good/bad experience. I'm expecting the spacers to be a living "heck" by what I've heard so far. They seem to be the worst thing about the whole process. Maybe that's what makes the rest of the process not seem quite as bad--once you've experienced spacers, everything else seems easy!
genxsis, my schedule for getting started was similar. I was running around with molar bands only for a while. I still don't quite know why it's done that way. I don't remember them hurting, though, even they are kinda shoved in between tooth and gums on the sides.
The only time a molarband hurt for me was when it loosened, so it went down into the gum on the inside (the tongue side). So make sure you let your ortho know at the appointment if anything seems to be loose.
Metal braces from March 24, 2005 until July 30, 2007. Estimate was 18-24 months, but I had them for 28 months.
I think it makes a big difference depending on how far out your molars are erupted from your gums. My second molars are only partially erupted (small jaw), and the ortho put numbing "stuff" on the gums when putting those on - since he was basically forcing the band down into my gums. The other molar bands in and of themselves don't hurt, and really the second molar bands haven't caused much trouble - the main problem is if you have hooks or cleats on them, or if the ortho attached other wires to them (I absolutely HATED my lingual holding wire, I'm surprised it didn't just cut my tongue in half )
My best advice is to use wax on the band attachments if you need it, and be careful if you're a side sleeper. More than a few times I've woken up to find my molar band hook planted firmly in my cheek
I just had my braces put on 3 days ago. My spacers did not bother me but my molar bands are KILLING ME!!! those little cleets are rubbing my tongue raw. I called today to see if they could be smoothed down. They can't get me in for 6 days. (due to me work schedule) I can't eat or talk. My mouth is covered in wax but I'm still in pain.
I never thought it would hurt this much!
I gave birth to a 10 lb boy with NO PAIN MEDS....I'm not a wimp! lol
I'm sorry to hear about your painful experience! It seems very common for people to have problems with those cleats on the braces. I wonder why they put them there in the first place!?!? I'm going to ask if I can have mine ground down at the beginning. I sure hope they'll do it instead of saying something like, "Well, let's just leave them for now and see how it goes". That's what I usually get!
I had pain from the spacers but absolutely no discomfort from the molar bands (only now...these little pokey things. cleats?) When they took out my spacers, they had some trouble getting them out, so my spaces weren't huge or anything. I just didn't have any pain. Good luck!
four bicuspids removed 1/3/06
clear uppers and metal lowers placed 1/5/06
timeframe for braces: 24-30 months
I have all four. Can't feel three of them, but one is pure pain.. Don't know what's wrong. Overall, I never expected to get used to all the metal..but I did.
Though as soon as I get pain in the tooth..I just want to rip it out!
What I have heard, however, is that rather than HURTING, they are quite uncomfortable ("weird") when they are put on. Good luck!
The molar bands really aren't that bad at all. I only have molar bands on my top molars with a wire that runs against the top of my mouth (as shown below). 
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