Treatment longer than predicted?

[Snowglobe32]

BraceFace~

How has your gap gotten bigger? Are you not wearing powerchains to close it?

[Bikerchick85]

BraceFace~

If you look at a numbered tooth chart...#14 was extracted long before braces...we moved everything forward...so the gap is from #13 & #15 (upper left) being brought together.

If it wasn't for this gap, these braces would have been off in January/Feb...but my ortho said if we work on closing it a bit more, we can cap #15 (with an enlarged cap) and it will close completely.

It is small enough now for us to do that. I don't care to close it completely since I plan on doing a cap. My gap is stubborn and if it has taken almost 4 years to get to where I am now...I don't know how long it will take to close completely. And I don't want to find out! I am almost at the 4 year mark (a little over 2 months until I am there)! The last 6 months have been spent to focus on closing this gap...just crazy! I'm done! Well, lets see what Ortho says this coming Wednesday!

Good luck to you!

Snowglobe, just curious but have you thought about doing bonding instead of a cap? I talked to my ortho about doing bonding in case some of my gaps don't close completely. She said it could be done. I had four premolars extracted and my gaps are closing quickly, but I know with my luck the last teeny tiny bit probably won't. I was just thinking ahead, cause I surely do not want these things on any longer than necessary!

[Snowglobe32]

Bikerchick85~

I am not sure bonding would work but I will definitely ask about it. Thanks for the tip!

[fosterp]

My original estimate was 24-30 months. I'm now at month 40 I think. My bottom brackets were taken off a few months ago and I still have the top brackets on. When the bottom brackets were taken off at the end of March I was told "no more than a couple months." As I'm typing this, my bite still feels off and the top are still not looking right. So who knows how much longer.

Granted, my braces "could" have come off when they were due and look decent. However, I paid way over the average market price for my treatment (~9000) - I think my Dr. is trying to make sure I get my moneys worth by making them as good as they can be. At this point though from the demeanor of the office it would seem that its becoming quite obvious they are no longer making a profit on my business.

[Snowglobe32]

. At this point though from the demeanor of the office it would seem that its becoming quite obvious they are no longer making a profit on my business.

Are they treating you badly? My treatment was paid off by month 22 so I haven't paid a dime since but they have always remained pleasant.

Good luck!

[Catlady]

My estimated time was about 24 months. I've hit the 24th mark in June. My next appointment is going to be in early Aug. for a evaluation, meaning I might get them off next appointment or I still need work done. I'm hoping my evaluation goes well.. I would love to get them off!! If my evaluation goes good I will get them off at around October/November since I go every 6-8 weeks. So in other words, I did go past my estimated time.. probably because I didn't wear my rubber bands.. silly me! I'm wearing them 24-7 now because I've had enough! I want these off!! I hope you don't have to go over! It sucks because a orthodontist's time frame is just a prediction it isn't set and stone. I would suggest following your orthodontist's instructions and hopefully you'll get them off early!

Sorry for the long reply, lol.

-Cat Lady

[BraceFace2o1o]

Snowglobe although you have been in braces quite some time I am glad to hear you had some movement of the molars to partially close the gap. I didn't think it was possible to shift the molars with elastics or powerchains. Or maybe you have TADs?

BraceFace~

How has your gap gotten bigger? Are you not wearing powerchains to close it?

I have had the same gap closed previously but once closed my ortho takes off the chain (never had a full powerchain on my teeth to close this gap, just a partial one in that specific area with the gap) and over time it would just open up again, especially if I started wearing elastics on that side to correct something else. I do currently have another mini chain to close the gap and it's closed up nicely so far. I wont let my ortho take it off once it's fully closed though! I am leaving it on until my braces come off to prevent it opening up again.

[Dervish]

Mine was estimated at around 24 months, I'm expecting another 3-6 months but things are closing up much better after last adjustment. Even though there was the same gap one side went much quicker for me. It is quite strange but apparently it's just the bone nothing you can really do about it.

[samoorelaw]

Mine was estimated at about 18 months but when I recently snuck a look at the computer at my last adjustment, it said 24 months. But then, my case is more complicated due to my needing jaw surgery so that's to be expected. I expect to have surgery within the next 3-4 months...

[ambraced]

I only got a brace on my lowers initially. The sentence was one year. It was removed two days ago after 3 years one week.....
I got my uppers later. The sentence was one and a half years. It's been two years three months and at least I have three more months.

[marybee]

Mine was 12 to 18 months. They are coming off in 2 weeks so that will be 18 months, 4 days!

[Tlal23]

Wow lots of people have gone over their estimated time frame. I've been told two years so hopefully that's the case.

[MaryLiz75]

Looks like almost everyone went over their estimate. Maybe they should be more conservative when quoting. I got mine on 6-3-2012 so this week marks 4 months, and I still think there is work to do. I highly doubt, I'll be out in 6, and I wish I had opted for invisalign.

[plugnickel69]

Mine only went a few weeks over their target date, and that was only because of some minor concerns I had. I was fully expecting it to take at least two years and possibly longer, but was finished at just a few weeks beyond 18 months. I was told initially between 1 and 3 years. We're all different.