Question about getting second molars braced...

[Ambrosia80]

My ortho said that at the next appt (in 5 wks, so 14 months into treatment), he is going to put brackets on all my second molars. I was wondering what all this might accomplish. My top and bottom arches were pretty v-shaped before treatment, and now they are more rounded, but seem more narrow than before. There is also still some crowding with my front bottom teeth that isn't getting any better because it seems there is nowhere for them to move. My 2nd molars are still out farther than the rest, outside of the new u-shape. So I'm sure now they will be brought into alignment with the rest of the teeth, but I read somewhere (maybe on this board?) that some widening of arches can be done during this step (bracing 2nd molars). Is that true? My ortho said at the beginning of my treatment that he was going to widen my bottom arch to make room for all the teeth (I had premolar extractions on the top, but he didn't want to remove any on bottom). So..is this the part where that happens? I haven't seen very much change on the bottom in a long time. There is still crowding, and my front four bottom teeth lean outward --which in turn make my top teeth stick out, unable to move back with the power chain, and my teeth hit and scrape each other very uncomfortably! So...could this banding of my molars play a part in correcting any of that? I plan to ask him at my appt, but that's next month, so I thought I'd ask here first.

(I would've asked at my lat appt, but I was in shock from the torture the assistant had just inflicted upon me (lol), and what my ortho said didn't really register in my brain till I got home.)

[Ambrosia80]

Anyone?

[hannahnana]

Well, I have no idea what they are going to do, but my ortho is doing the same thing to me.
I went in thinking she would tel me that I'm almost done!
She looked in my mouth for much longer than she usually does, then she told the asst to put spacers in so she can and the molars!
I don't even know what is going to happen! My teeth are in finishing wires right now...

:/

Good luck, I'd like to hear some other opinions on this too!

[Anna5]

My second molars were also braces on one side of my mouth. I think it has to do with fixing my crossbite, but I am not sure....

[cata]

A couple weeks ago, I had brackets bonded on my second molars on top. My ortho said it said it would widen my arch, which would fix my crossbite.

[hidakat]

I have a bracket on my second molar on the top right side, and I'll soon be getting one on my bottom left. From what I understand this allows your arch to widen (for me just on the sides where the extra brackets are) and in my case will help resolve some crowding I have in the back of my mouth.

My front teeth are straight, but I'm in sort of a similar situation in that my midline is refusing to shift because currently there is no space for the teeth to move. Widening the arch will create more space so your teeth can move where they need to go.

[lorsa]

I'm still a braces newbie (7 weeks now) but my Ortho has not connected my 2nd molars yet. He told me the normal practice for most patients was to bring the 2nd molars into the treatment (i.e. connect them to the archwire) much later than the rest of the teeth.

[hannahnana]

Why would they band the second molars later in treatment?
I don't see how my ortho is going to get my rectangle wire to bend up to my back teeth...
Well, my appointment is tomorrow so I'll see what she does soon!

[lorsa]

Why would they band the second molars later in treatment?
I don't see how my ortho is going to get my rectangle wire to bend up to my back teeth...
Well, my appointment is tomorrow so I'll see what she does soon!

I don't know. Being a newbie I didn't question it, I just went along with it.
How did your appointment go?