Closing extractions.... what did your ortho do?

[VA5]

I have bimax protrusion, and have been braced for over 2 years. For most of the time I had something strong pulling my teeth back (wire coils, elastics, steel powerchain/ties, etc), to close the gaps. Now that the gaps have mostly closed, my ortho went down in "power" (with an elastic powerchain)and now my gaps are starting to open up more. She said it was for my teeth to "settle". I have posted similarly regarding this.

What i'm wondering is, what methods did your ortho use to close your gaps and once they were closed, did they move straight to retainers or did they allow a "settling" in period for your teeth with a subsequent decrease in "power" to pull your teeth back? I just don't get why my ortho didn't just keep the strong pull on my teeth until retainer time, rather than moving down in strength for my teeth to "settle". i just don't see my gaps ever closing at this 5 steps forward, four step backwards method!

[VA5]

Nobody has extractions to close??

[catgyrl]

You might not be getting many replies because many people here are still in the process of closing up their extraction gaps. As for myself, I had a short elastic (like a couple of links of a powerchain) for a few months to help close it up, then doc abandoned that and my regular ligs, and slapped on a powerchain, which I've been wearing for the past few months. I'm also finding that the elastics I started wearing 2 months ago also help pull the teeth back, and that's helping to close them, too. Unfortunately, that's as far as I've gotten, and they're not fully closed yet, so I can't really comment on what they're doing to help them stay closed.

[peach]

I had 4 extractions (2 top, 2 bottom). The bottoms closed up with powerchains. The top was a lot slower. I had metal ties and powerchains. Sometimes I had two powerchains at once or a combination of metal tie and powerchain. I've also been in elastics but not sure if that helped with closure. Then I had closing loops which seemed to speed up the movement. I was really excited because my upper teeth were finally moving enough for me to see some results. Then my ortho, like yours, wanted to let my teeth settle and took out the closing loops. I've been in powerchains since then. My last extraction gap finally closed. I can't answer your questions about retainers. I still have two natural gaps to close and some leveling before I'm done.

[VA5]

I had 4 extractions (2 top, 2 bottom). The bottoms closed up with powerchains. The top was a lot slower. I had metal ties and powerchains. Sometimes I had two powerchains at once or a combination of metal tie and powerchain. I've also been in elastics but not sure if that helped with closure. Then I had closing loops which seemed to speed up the movement. I was really excited because my upper teeth were finally moving enough for me to see some results. Then my ortho, like yours, wanted to let my teeth settle and took out the closing loops. I've been in powerchains since then. My last extraction gap finally closed. I can't answer your questions about retainers. I still have two natural gaps to close and some leveling before I'm done.

Thanks so much! I was wondering, when your ortho said he wanted your teeth to settle, did your teeth start opening back up again? Mine have! One side was completely closed, and there are 3 mm now on each side, on the top. So frustrating! I don't even know what a closing loop is... what does it look like? I only have elastic powerchains on top and at this rate it'll never close! I think it's barely keeping the 3 mm in check... How long were your teeth in "settling" mode before it closed up? It's been about 4 weeks for me.

And, I'm so relieved to hear you have leveling left too.. I thought I was the only weirdo to have that to accomplish so late SPAM SPAM SPAMMING. Lol... is your leveling on the top or bottom? MIne is on the bottom. She repositioned some brackets to get the curve in my pre-molar area to lessen.

[VA5]

You might not be getting many replies because many people here are still in the process of closing up their extraction gaps. As for myself, I had a short elastic (like a couple of links of a powerchain) for a few months to help close it up, then doc abandoned that and my regular ligs, and slapped on a powerchain, which I've been wearing for the past few months. I'm also finding that the elastics I started wearing 2 months ago also help pull the teeth back, and that's helping to close them, too. Unfortunately, that's as far as I've gotten, and they're not fully closed yet, so I can't really comment on what they're doing to help them stay closed.

Thanks! Yeah, I figured people were still in the process but it still helps to know what people are in to get their extractions closed so thanks for your input

[peach]

it was about maybe 6 months of closing. To be honest, I stopped lookin at the gap for awhile because it didn't move much. Then about two months ago, I noticed it was closed. There were some moments where I noticed that my teeth seemed to space a little more then they come back together. It just depends on what the ortho is doing. My bottom teeth are finished. My top teeth need to be leveled. Below is a pic of when I had closing loops. They can be shaped differently but mine were kind of rectangular. As you can see in the pic, I had closing loops, powerchains and elastics.

[peach]

Oh, I completely understand being frustrated. Just look at my ticker they will close even if it feels like it'll never happen. Hang in there

[VA5]

Oh, I completely understand being frustrated. Just look at my ticker they will close even if it feels like it'll never happen. Hang in there

Oh wow! Over 3 years?! What sentence did they give you initially?

And, another wow for those closing loops. Was it hard for them to bend the wire that way? I haven't gotten those yet. My ortho initially said, I'd be out in the winter (last october or so, she said that), and then winter came and went, and a month ago she said, summer!!! How did it jump from winter to summer?! Geeze.

[catgyrl]

Thanks! Yeah, I figured people were still in the process but it still helps to know what people are in to get their extractions closed so thanks for your input

You're welcome. It's good to hear (though, probably not for you folks who have been braced so long) that some leveling doesn't occur until the very end. My smile is so crooked, and I know it's due to the sloping of my upper teeth. The side where my teeth slope higher looks... well... higher. I have to smile super big on the other side to even things out.

[peach]

My original time was 2 yrs. Now when I ask my ortho, she won't give me an estimate. Seriously, I asked her last week (and I haven't bothered to ask in over a year)and she just said what she was working on. I really just wanted a bit of a time frame so I asked if she thought i'd be in them for 6 years and she said she didn't think that would be the case. I really hope not. As for the bends in the wire, I don't think it was too big of a task for them. My ortho just put them in the wire then when I had adjustments she would reactivate them by pinching the bottom of the loop closer together. Like catgyrl, my smile is lopsided. The top slops to one side and my front teeth are slanted. It seems like things start to get fixed then they get messed up again when the ortho does something else. Makes me want to scream sometimes!

[tashay1985]

I had 6 extractions, all 4 wisdoms & the 2 upper premolars that were removed from both sides were put into a tight elastic tie and closed up completely within 3 1/2 months or so. after they came together, my ortho connected all my upper teeth with a powerchain, I am still in a powerchain to this day, I am about 15 months into treatment and they havent shown any signs of opening up at all. I will be getting a finishing wire which i heard isnt as strong & its thinner. If any gaps pop up I sure wont be happy, i have my fingers crossed. I'll let you know if it does though because my braces are set to come off in 2 months LOL

good luck!!!

[Takako]

I had four extractions and four gaps. Each gap closes in its own way depending on where your teeth were! Some of my gaps closed immediately because the tooth that was removed was being pushed out of the way anyway, so there wasn't much of a gap to begin with. Others took two years to close!

My ortho "walked" my teeth using powerchain. Powerchain went on for a few months, then off. Gaps would widen. Powerchain back on, gaps close up more, powerchain off. Gaps widen - but not as much as originally! Powerchain back on... As you can see, it was a very frustrating and tedious process. But it's gentle to your teeth and keeps the roots nice and straight. The "settling time" lets the root catch up with the bottom of the tooth you've been yankin' on!

[VA5]

I had four extractions and four gaps. Each gap closes in its own way depending on where your teeth were! Some of my gaps closed immediately because the tooth that was removed was being pushed out of the way anyway, so there wasn't much of a gap to begin with. Others took two years to close!

My ortho "walked" my teeth using powerchain. Powerchain went on for a few months, then off. Gaps would widen. Powerchain back on, gaps close up more, powerchain off. Gaps widen - but not as much as originally! Powerchain back on... As you can see, it was a very frustrating and tedious process. But it's gentle to your teeth and keeps the roots nice and straight. The "settling time" lets the root catch up with the bottom of the tooth you've been yankin' on!

This is very interesting. So your ortho intentionally put pressure on to close the gap, and then let it settle for the roots to catch up. That's interesting b/c you would think that the roots would not just move on their own w/o something .. did he reposition your brackets too during this process? As far as I can see, one good result of doing it this way is so your teeth don't collapse on eachother, if that makes sense... soem people's teeth obviously had braces b/c you can see them tilting inward ... i used to think it looked cute to have teeth like that, but not anymore... so, i guess i should appreciate what my ortho is doing too. This is just going to take forever though!!!

How long were you braced? are you out of them now?

[catgyrl]

Takako - thank you so much for posting about your experience! I think that's what my ortho is going to do for me, too. He seems to not be in a huge hurry to close up the gaps... or in a hurry to do anything else, for that matter. I like that - he's not into torture.

I had a short elastic attached from my canine all the way back for a few months to start closing a huge extraction gap. After that gap had closed about halfway (and created another one between my lateral incisor and the canine), he took off the small elastic and my ligs, and put me in a powerchain, and I'm noticing that the gaps are closing a heck of a lot quicker with the powerchain. I can barely fit my tongue in the gaps now. Those teeth are getting a little sensitive, though, so now I won't be surprised if he takes off the chain and puts me back in ligs to get the teeth "rest".

I love this board!! I get so many questions answered here that most times, I don't have to bug my ortho with them.

-Cathy