How long before bottom braces can follow the top?

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#1 Post by **Kodius Champion** » Tue May 30, 2006 2:17 pm

I had my upper teeth braced just over a month ago. They couldn't put the bottom braces on at the same time because, with the way my jaw closed, I was in danger of biting the brackets off.

I'm going in for my first adjustment tomorrow, and I'm curious about how likely it is that I'll get the bottom teeth braced tomorrow too. Is this the sort of problem that can be resolved that quickly (ie, within 5 weeks), or should I expect several more months of being wired on top alone?

#2 Post by **Kodius Champion** » Tue May 30, 2006 5:18 pm

Thanks for your input, Meryaten-- I'm really just trying to get an idea of everyone else's experiences when they've been half-wired. I suspect mine won't be going on for a while, though I'm curious to see how others have made out.

#3 Post by **Flora2006** » Tue May 30, 2006 9:24 pm

As everyone else has noted, we all have a different treatment plan...so the best person to give you the best answer really is your ortho.

Nevertheless, I was going to get both my uppers and lowers at the same time, but at the last minute, my ortho decided to only brace my uppers.

His reasoning wasn't because I could have broken lower brackets or anything like that...he chose to not put my lower ones at the same time because they didn't need much work...and he wanted my upper teeth to catch on to my lower ones...

So I got my uppers in Jan. and my lowers in May.

#4 Post by **cookie** » Wed May 31, 2006 3:05 am

As the previous posters have said, everyone is different - but I had my top arch braced in Dec 04, and my bottom arch wasn't braced until the end of April 05 - so 4.5 months between them

#5 Post by **Dadio** » Wed May 31, 2006 4:57 am

My daughter and I had top braces first. Say 4 months until I got bottom braces, she was 3 months. Like they say, your mileage may vary!

#6 Post by **ssfw** » Wed May 31, 2006 8:16 am

There's a possibility I may not need braces for my lower teeth. My orthodontist said he may be able to get my bite corrected without the lower braces. He said he will know about 4 months after my upper braces are placed. At this point, if I need them, I don't have a problem getting braces on my lower teeth too. I just got my upper braces recently so I won't know until about 4 months.

I had heard for some people, they don't need the lowers on as long as on the upper teeth so the lowers are placed a few months later. I also think this is a great way to adjust to having braces.

ssfw

#7 Post by **jaswi** » Wed May 31, 2006 12:17 pm

For me my top braces will be going on first, then at my first or second adjustment my bottoms will go on. My ortho explained that because I have a class 3 mallocclusion if they started to straighten both at the same time, my bottom might unravel faster than my top can and push my bottom teeth forward enough to potentially cause a crossbite. To prevent this he wants to give my tops a head start. All that being said, I really hope that he decides to do both arches at once instead. I know my bottom needs more work than my top so I'd like to get it started.

#8 Post by **Kodius Champion** » Wed May 31, 2006 12:25 pm

Well, I just had my first adjustment this morning -- new nickel-titanium wire, but that's it. In & out in under 10 minutes. Rather anticlimactic, really.

Turns out that the bottoms won't be going on for at least another 2-3 months, which I'd pretty much expected.

So there's my answer!

#9 Post by **hannah164** » Wed May 31, 2006 6:41 pm

Just like everyone else said, everyone is different! Me, being the "complicated case" that I am

my ortho didn't put my lower braces on for 18 months!

I think this was because of my 2 impacted canines and my deep bite!

Good luck!

~Hannah

[url=http://www.TickerFactory.com/]

Top braces: 4/28/04
Bottom braces: 11/16/05

#10 Post by **LauraL** » Wed May 31, 2006 9:24 pm

I have had my upper braces on since late February, 4 days after my 26th birthday. I am supposed to get my bottom ones put on during my next visit, which is late June. So yeah, about 4 months in between.

#11 Post by **Kodius Champion** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 1:28 pm

Are the bottoms difficult to get used to? Or did you guys find it somewhat easier, having been braced on top for several months first?

#12 Post by **akabraces** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 3:49 pm

Yes, we are all different...i have to wait 6 months from when I got my tops on, and I'm really quite nervous, I don't mind the uppers, but the idea of having lowers plus a bite plate is a little too much to think about!

*aka

#13 Post by **Betty Bat** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 4:21 pm

Well, I guess I'll be different on this. I got my uppers and lowers on the same day - back in October, 2005. It seems like the ortho has been alternating changing the wires. Sometimes, I get only the upper wire changed, sometimes I get only the lower wire changed and less frequently, I get both changed.

P. S. I love Nova Scotia. Great scenery, great historical sites.

#14 Post by **Kodius Champion** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 5:27 pm

P. S. I love Nova Scotia. Great scenery, great historical sites.

Thanks -- I'm originally from Newfoundland, but I have to admit Nova Scotia's not bad either

#15 Post by **SkyWolf** » Fri Jun 02, 2006 8:10 am

In my case I had both sets placed the same day. Althought the top needed less work than the bottom. So far the top teeth have hurt 100 times worse than my bottom teeth. I just had an adjustment yesterday and my top teeth have been hurting since. But everyone is different and only your ortho would know.