Did you get all of your upper and lower put on all at once?

[braceface2b]

Just curious more than anything, it wouldn't really change anything.

When I had braces in high school, I got my uppers and lowers put on all at the same time.

Now that I'm going for round 2, I got my uppers put on earlier this week and won't get my lowers until next month.

I have mixed feelings about this. In some regards, I think getting one arch first probably makes things easier. In other ways, I think it makes things harder.

On the plus side, I remember biting the crap out of my cheeks with the things sticking out from the molar bands last time around. I think just having the upper brackets for now will help toughen up my cheeks a bit before I get the lowers so it shouldn't hurt as much when I do bite them after getting my lowers. Also on the plus side, it got me out of the chair faster yesterday. I'm not sure I could have endured another two hours with the tongue guard and suction in my mouth yesterday.

On the down side, the most pain I had in braces as a teen was the first week and when I had some brackets exchanged for bands on my upper and lower pre-molars about half way through treatment. My top teeth are definitely tender right now, and I'm not really looking forward to another week of this with my lowers next month. I almost think it would have been better to get all my teeth over the initial shock all at once.

I guess I'm wondering what the school of thought is in bracing one arch or the other first vs. doing everything at once.

[Emmauk]

Hi

I had the same thoughts as you really but at the time of having my uppers only put on i was really really glad thats what he did. I had to wait until my first adjustment to have my lowers put on (yesturday) and im still glad they were done separately. My lowers are a lot easier to deal with as they are covered by my bottom lip so i havent got my lip to worry about. The discomfort is ok although i have 2 really really sensitive teeth which i cant brush at the moment - he said thats likely were the cleaner has got in to the sensitive part of the tooth. Its a different sort of pain with my lowers as i have 2 teeth that need rotating - ouch!

Good luck to you

[drgnchsr36]

I think a lot has to do with what they're fixing or what's wrong I should say...

For deep bite candidates (like me)... it seems that most people have their tops on first and then a few months later they get their lowers on. There's no way the ortho would be able to fit the lowers on my teeth - no room!

But, am not sure if it's not a deep bite situation - if it's the usual case to get both uppers / lowers the same time.

I'm kinda glad though, I can hopefully get used to the tops first!

[Emmauk]

When i asked why i was told its just easier on the patient. I would not have been able to damage my teeth/brace when biting as i have a severe open bite and hardly any of my teeth touch.

[sadpanda]

I got uppers and lowers at the same time. It made me feel better than having to wait for other braces to be put on later. I expect to get them off at the same time too. I guess it depends on what is being corrected or what the ortho likes to do.

[bracesagain2]

Hi braceface2b - I also had braces as a teenager & got both upper & lower put on at the same time.

However, my husband, who also had braces as a teen, did them separately - upper and then lower later on.

I just got braces - Damon - and they put both upper & lower on all at once. My ortho said we'll wait till next time to put in the 4 back molar brackets. But like you, I kinda wanted to do everything at once & get it over with. But at the time, I was grateful to my ortho that he decided to stop. I think he saw that I had enough. I couldn't handle that tongue guard - couldn't breathe & almost had a panic attack. I was surprised it only took an hour. Thought it would take longer. Probably would've been if we did the whole mouth.

But now I'll have to go thru that again with the back 4 molar brackets.

[braceface2b]

But at the time, I was grateful to my ortho that he decided to stop. I think he saw that I had enough. I couldn't handle that tongue guard - couldn't breathe & almost had a panic attack. I was surprised it only took an hour. Thought it would take longer. Probably would've been if we did the whole mouth.

Unfortunately, I had the cheek spreader / tongue guard contraption in my mouth for closer to two hours, and that was just for the uppers! My ortho had an assistant who apparently hadn't helped with bonding before helping him with me, and I'm guessing that slowed it down considerably.

At first, I was thinking "crap, I got the newbie" but after the ortho got all the brackets placed and she used the light on them, it didn't take her any time at all to get the archwire in and trimmed. I'm guessing she wasn't new to the practice, but was new to the bonding procedure.

But hey, I guess everyone has to have a first time, and I'm guessing my ortho thought I'd be a good sport about it. I'm pretty good natured and friendly.

[bracesagain2]

Hi braceface2b - Wow I can't believe you had that contraption in for 2 hours!!

I think I would've fainted! I don't remember having that as a teenager.

At one point, I think I got so panicked b/c I couldn't breathe I asked the tech. to take it off, but she looked like, Oh no we can't b/c we'd have to start all over again!! So I had to take deep breaths and calm myself down.

You are a good sport! I get worried thinking about the next appt. and having that plastic thing in my mouth again.

[braceface2b]

It was pretty rough. The worst part for me was part of the tongue guard was poking me in the gums on the inside of my lower arch. She tried putting a cotton roll there a few times, but it kept slipping out.

I just tried to breathe deeply and through my nose as much as possible.

It also didn't hurt that the newbie dental assistant working on me had beautiful eyes.

[orangeracer]

Upper and lower all in one shot, about 2 1/2 hours. Getting poked by the guard was kind of annoying, but it helped when they would move on to a different area. I admit I was doing a lot of clock watching!

[aleigh3890]

I got both put on at the same time, this being my first time with braces. I'm guessing, like was said before, that it has to do with the bite for some people, but if it's only a weeks difference maybe your ortho only had a time slot for one at a time?

[RHOyally Braced]

I got mine put on at the same time, but originally my ortho was only going to put on my upper brackets because the space between my upper and lower teeth would not fit the lower brackets without chipping my teeth.

[Kittykins]

I had my uppers and lowers put on at the same time in just 45 minutes Glad it was done in one go, don't think I would of put up with having them seperate :/

[alissataylor0214]

I am scheduled to get both the uppers and lowers put on at the same time on Monday, along with a Jones Jig, whatever that is. They told me to plan to be there two hours, but they also have some videos for me to watch and stuff.

[NervousNewbie]

I was able to have uppers and lowers placed at the same time, and I was happy to have it all done at once.