How long did YOUR impacted canine take to come into place?

[EyeHartEwe]

*sigh* Yeah that's what I was afraid of. Even worse, I'm over my 2 years now so i'm going to have to start paying more money now and I really can't afford it.

EyeHartEwe, I find that odd. The contract with my ortho states the conditions of my braces plan and procedure costs, and if treatment runs past the estimated time it is at my ortho's cost, not mine.

I'm really beginning to feel ripped off, in terms of my care and moneywise. I would like to find a new orthodontist but at this point SPAM SPAM SPAMMING that would be WAY too expensive because I know they would charge me for everything all over again.

But, in terms of me paying, his office told me that after January of this year (so this month) I would be responsible for paying $100/mo for every month of treatment that it took for my braces to come off. So I very well could be looking at thousands more! That really makes me upset because 1) I feel it was HIS fault for giving me the generic "24-32 months" estimate and 2) I honest to God think his office and his assistants have been slacking when it comes to trying to get this tooth into place. I don't think they've been pulling it correctly because I can never feel any movement, pain, anything. They don't secure the band in the right corner as the one assistant told me they are supposed to (she is the only one who does, and I've told all the rest they are supposed to but they still don't).
On top of all of that they sent me to an oral surgeon who was so horrible that he took his lunch break in the MIDDLE of my surgery, then when he came back my anesthesia was wearing off and I WOKE UP during it! They didnt even put me back to sleep! My novacaine wore off as well and I felt every little thing! I have very horrific memories of them putting the stitches in the roof of my mouth because I felt the needle and the thread and the pain and I watched the heart monitor across the room and I saw my pulse shoot up to the 180s as the needle went in because the pain was so unbearable.
So yeah, my orthos office isn't my favorite place because they didn't even recommend me to a reputable surgeon. And my apologies to anyone reading this I may have scared-- the surgery is NOT that bad I'm sure! Just don't go to the guy I went to

[gena]

I had my exposure surgery May, 2004. The ortho didn't start putting pressure to bring it down until July, 2004. Mine is like yours, coming down from the roof of my mouth instead of just above the baby canine. I have been told this is the slowest procedure in orthodontics--specifically with the tooth in this particular position.

As the ole saying goes, I feel your pain--my expected debracing date was January-March 2006 and I can say that's definitely not gonna happen. The tooth has made great progress in the year and a half since he started pulling it down and forward but still has a way to go . . .

[Eleni]

At that time the impacted tooth was strung via spring mechanism to a back tooth and the impacted tooth was starting to throw my bite out of whack by pulling the back tooth in. The ortho told me then that she had been trying to use the back tooth to push the impacted tooth off my front teeth and she could see in the x-ray that there had been some movement, but the tooth was not becoming more exposed, just manipulated.

Do not hesistate about asking questions, nor feel bad if you do not know all the doctor lingo. Did you get a dentistry degree resently we weren't aware of? Asking questions means as an adult who is paying $$$$ you would like to be informed in as much detail as appropriate what is going on. It is the way you ask which implies IF you are questioning their professional opinion versus IF you want them to share their hard earned knowledge by giving you a short summary of that day’s check-in. I hate to say this but if all fails just flatter her on how fabulous an ortho she is and could she just elaborate a bit here or there because you would LOVE to know more.

I don’t understand why your ortho put them on the back of your teeth either. Not that it's wrong, just a different approach I haven't seen on this board yet. Maybe ask DrJ if it is common? I would think the stability of a full arch wire would be better. But let me assure you that even with the full arch wire in the front, the teeth on either side of the hole were still pulled back by the forces of pulling the tooth down. The right side of my upper arch is now somewhat “sunken inâ€

[Eleni]

So yeah, my orthos office isn't my favorite place because they didn't even recommend me to a reputable surgeon. And my apologies to anyone reading this I may have scared-- the surgery is NOT that bad I'm sure! Just don't go to the guy I went to

All of it sounds awful! EyeHartEwe, I am sooooooo sorry you had to go through that. With treatment like that I can understand why it is not your favorite place. The money thing still sounds fishy to me. I mean it is not called an estimate for nothing. Did your ortho explain what the extra $$ is covering? Ligs, office visits, etc. I'd want a break down/itemization of all of it. I would also ask for copies of any x-rays, pics etc. for your own files. Then get a second opinion (yes with your current braces on). It would not hurt. I hope things get better real soon!

[2thjewelry]

It is the way you ask which implies IF you are questioning their professional opinion versus IF you want them to share their hard earned knowledge by giving you a short summary of that day’s check-in.

You're right about this! I only hesitate to ask questions because I worry about how I'm coming across, my own personality is the problem more than my doctor not being able to handle a question. I really do have total confidence in her and her staff. Just not getting a lot of details now.

I don’t understand why your ortho put them on the back of your teeth either. Not that it's wrong, just a different approach I haven't seen on this board yet. Maybe ask DrJ if it is common?

I got the idea this is something my ortho devised for my situation because she wasn't having any luck with any of the springs. They just kept falling apart in my mouth. Usually a pokey end of wire would get caught in my tongue and when I pulled my tongue in it would pull the spring apart (not to mention turning my tongue into raw hamburger - ouch!) I agree that it seems like a better tack is to tie the incoming tooth to the stronger archwire (outside your front teeth and away from tongue and chewing), even if it does pull the teeth next to the hole inward a little.

I had a full set of upper braces put on for one month, so the teeth would get used to them, then at the 2nd adjustment my ortho shaped the wire so that there was a loop in it that acted like a catapult or sling shot of sorts. Meaning it wanted to point down.

I've had the full set of uppers and lowers from the beginning. Is that usual? I've been wondering why the lower braces were put on since I never had any trouble with the lower teeth or my bite, and it didn't seem like they would be needed until the canine started coming in strong.

By the ortho pulling it back, up and wire tying it to a metal button, the natural forces of the wire were pulling it down, and thus out of the palate. Adjustments were every 3 to 4 weeks apart. He had to retie the wire and make sure constant pressure was on that tooth to pull it. He was very anxious to keep the tooth moving. And let me tell you, it needed retying quite frequently. Any movement of the tooth coming down would slaken the pressure, as well as just common things like chewing everyday and me playing with it probably didn't help. Interestingly he never used springs during any of the treatment.

This is where I figured I should be now. With frequent re-tightening to keep the pressure on. My ortho explained that she used the springs because it was important not to have too much pressure while keeping SOME pressure. Possibly she deals more with younger patients and hasn't had as much experience with the impacted canine that's been sitting quite comfortably in place for over 40 years! I have never felt any pressure at all even after tightening. I've had cleanings that hurt more than the tightening has.

I wish I had pictures for you -- I'm not sure how to make them. I have an appointment next week so I'll try to get some more information and let you know if I get any better understanding about what's going on here.

[missing_tooth]

Thanks for that little tid bit about surgery and your pulse shooting up. I go for surgery in a few months.

I'm a bit surprised at the extra 100 dollars per month. Don't you have a contract? My contract states the price and that treatment may be shorter or longer, but that I still owe the full amount.

- Missing Tooth -

[2thjewelry]

Just to follow up on my previous post, I went to my scheduled appointment this week and still don't have much more information. The ortho didn't see any noticeable movement in the canine, but she did notice some movement in the teeth it is anchored to. She seems concerned about that, but I feel like it would be more surprising if she could get that canine in without moving the others out of the way a little.

So a new wire was attached and tightened up a bit. I have to say this is the first time through all this that I've come home with pain from the tightening, but that's not a complaint. I'm hoping that up until now it's been "no pain, no gain" and maybe now it will start to budge. My next appointment was set for 8 weeks How is that going to keep the pressure on? We're going to get an x-ray then to see where it's at.

[WoolieBagLady]

Hi 2thjewelry,

I am curious where you say:

but I feel like it would be more surprising if she could get that canine in without moving the others out of the way a little.

Did your ortho not make room for the canine before the exposure?

I too have an impacted canine in the roof of my mouth. I got my braces put on one year ago next week. During this time they have been moving teeth and roots out of the way. I am pretty close to finally having enough room to schedule my exposure surgery. My ortho made the comment about when you walk through a door you want more than enough room for your shoulders to go through without bumping ... same goes for room for the tooth. My gap feels like the Grand Canyon to me but he says still more room needed.

You can see pics on my blog. Latest posting: www.wooliebaglady.com/wordpress

Is it possible that enough room wasn't made to bring it in? Just curious?!

Ang

[2thjewelry]

WoolieBagLady -- yes, there is a space left open where my the old baby tooth came out. The sequence was like this: first my baby tooth broke off, next the braces were put on to hold the space and open a little, then about 6 months later the remaining bit of baby tooth was removed and the canine exposed in my palate.

I think it's that the root of the incoming tooth, sitting crooked in its place, is pushing against the roots of other teeth as it is manipulated and that's causing the other teeth to move. One of my problems with my own treatment is I have never understood exactly how my tooth is seated and what the strategy is for bringing it in. But, like you said, I would expect that either room would have to be made for the tooth, or the tooth would make its own room as it's pulled in. Otherwise, why wouldn't it have come in on it's own in the first place, right? It must have been stuck on something and whatever that was has to get out of the way.

[hannah164]

Wow!

Interesting Lucyloop about how your ortho won't use extra strength elastic thread to make your teeth come down faster! My ortho uses the most painful things in the world and it doesn't ever seem to occur to him how much pain he is actually putting me in! I have to admit its working though! Hopefully it doesn't do any damage though!

He does get the teeth to appear and then he seems to be pulling them over to the end instead of down! I guess he's hoping they'll just come down naturally while he pulls them horizontally!

Out of everyone I've seen, I have the most awkward impacted canine "treatment" I guess? Most people, once they get it bracketed have the wire just pulled up to it. Nope, me I get a crooked bracket on a very high up crooked tooth with a spring across the space and a huge powerchain attached to the tooth going to the back! Sorry, kind of mad cuz its very awkward and obvious looking, getting lots of weird stares!

I totally agree that impacted canine treatment is the longest and most frustrating thing ever! Took about a whole year for my second impacted canine to get a bracket! Nobody understands either!

Hopefully everyone's comes down soon!

-Hannah




Top braces: 4/28/04
Bottom braces: 11/16/05
Last Adjustment was 2/1/06 where they bonded a bracket to my cuspid, which was impacted!!!!

[2thjewelry]

However, my ortho told me that it has to be done sloooooooooooooooooowly, as if they try to move them to quickly, the roots & bone would get necrosis and the teeth would just die. I asked whether they could just cut them out and yank them down too.... Needless to say that just isn't an option either unfortunately!!

My ortho has also repeated that "sloooooooooooooooooowly" is the way it has to be done. That's okay, just so long as it haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaappens!

Good luck to all of us waiting patiently, or impatiently.

[Eleni]

Interesting Lucyloop about how your ortho won't use extra strength elastic thread to make your teeth come down faster! My ortho uses the most painful things in the world and it doesn't ever seem to occur to him how much pain he is actually putting me in! I have to admit its working though! Hopefully it doesn't do any damage though!

Amen to that! There were times I was wincing in the chair and my ortho was all surprised that is hurt. Thankfully the pain lasted 3 days at most after adjustments.

My ortho has also repeated that "sloooooooooooooooooowly" is the way it has to be done. That's okay, just so long as it haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaappens!

I can't count the times I've had the "Patience" speech. At this point I roll my eyes like a teenager each time I hear it. It doesn’t help that my ortho is one year younger than me too!

Yup watching an impacted canine go to its rightful place is about as exciting as watching grass grow. And I do believe grass grows quicker too!

[BraceFace12]

i had mine exposed in June and I think it was fully down by October or November.

[ichephren]

How old is everyone? I am trying to see if the length of time it takes really is corollated to what age you are.

[Way Too Old For This]

My orthodontist told me this process takes longer for adults vs. children or teenagers. He didn't say anything about the older you are the longer it takes or anything like that. He did say the older you are the bigger chance that the tooth will be ankylosed to the bone...but other factors affect that also. I am almost 53 and my "roof toooth" is moving quite nicely since exposed in October. And it is moving across the roof of my mouth from almost the center of my palate through all that bone. He only gave me a 50/50 chance that this will be 100% successful, but the more "Ruth" moves the more optimistic I get. I can see her from the side of my mouth now with my teeth clenched! I was even able to floss her today!