testimony777 wrote:Imk, may I ask if you have experienced any regression. I also have a slight open bite and am wearing elastics in a triangle formation. I have been wearing them for about a week and my open bite has already closed completely on one side and is near closed on the other. But all this talk of TADS and elastics not being stable has me worried. I would love to hear your experience.
Tads and elastics not being stable?
Sometimes closing an anterior open bite is enough to fix the problem, the tongue will go where it is supposed to. Other times, the poor tongue posture will make the open bite relapse.
Not everyone needs TADs that has an open bite. It all depends on the severity. But they seemed to help in my case. I guess we will have to wait a few years from now when my braces are off and see if things stay put.
To anyone with poor tongue posture aka tongue thrust I'd also check this out:
http://www.iaom.com/pdf/memberDirectory.pdf and see if there are any professionals in your area. Many dentists, speech language pathologists, hygienists, and other professionals are trained in this field.
HummerMan3 wrote:
During my first round of braces about a dozen years ago, I had elastics to close my open bite. It reopened within a year of having the braces off due to ongoing tongue thrusting. Elastics are still utilized in kids and adolescents, but not as much in adults due to poor stability of results once the braces are removed. It also may lengthen the appearance of the upper front teeth, which isn't usually desirable.
Shortly after I get braces in 4 weeks, I will be getting TADs to intrude the molars. This seems to be the up-and-coming treatment of choice for fixing an open bite, short of jaw surgery. Much more stability when done this way, according to the literature.
I have also heard/been worried about this lengthening of the upper front teeth. 2 of the head orthos at the university where I am treated both said that a little bit of lengthening is actually not a bad thing because as we age our faces sag. But too much can cause problems, even gum problems from too much extrusion.
And yes most definitely, intruded molars are significantly easier in retention as opposed to anterior teeth, well, because of chewing and biting down.