Treatment longer than predicted?

[MaryLiz75]

Hello all. I am new to the site. I am three weeks in on my second go around with braces. I wore them for 1.5 years in junior high, and never wore my retainer, oops. So, here I am at 38 wearing traditional braces again. I don't have major problems, my issues are mostly cosmetic, a little crowding, and some crooked teeth. My ortho said he predicted my treatment would take 6-9 months tops. How many of you have had to extend treatment, and if so, by how much. I choose traditional braces versus invisalign because the treatment time was half. However, now I hear most people have to go longer and I am freaking out a little. I have ceramic self ligating brackets on top, and silver on bottom.

What is y'all's experience with suggested time?

[bmueller]

My ortho was very conservative and gave me the 1.5-2 year timeframe. I think that way I'm not disappointed if it takes longer.

If it's not a bite issue, just crowding, I think it usually more predictable, since much of the bite treatment is up to the patient to use the elastics.

Best of luck!

[MaryLiz75]

Thanks.

My bottom teeth have moved quite a bit just in the past three weeks I have had them on, but my bite feels strange as they move. I don't go in for my first adjustment for another 5 weeks, so I guess we'll see how things look then.

[Zaera]

I was given an estimate of 24 months and I probably reacted in an unexpected way when the orthodontist told me. As an adult, I was expecting to have braces for a lot longer (more like 3-4 years), so I got excited when he told me. Needless to say, 22 months later I'm anxious to get them off. I go in for an x-ray next month so they can do the final tweaks to the root positions. I'm expecting to have them on for a couple more months but I'm very close. I think their estimate was pretty spot on.

[plugnickel69]

I was given an original estimate of 1 to 3 years and never tried to pin my ortho down as to the real timeline as I was more concerned about doing things right than getting it done as quickly as possible. At around the one-year mark he indicated we were getting near the end. That's when I started with elastics. When I looked at my case up on the computer screen next to my chair during an appointment, it indicated that the target date to finish was 18 months from the start, a little more than a month away. I'm guessing that we'll be done within two months, maybe a little sooner, as we're just doing some tweaking. It probably helps that I wear my elastics religiously.

[Ollielooe]

I was given an estimate of 18-20 months howveer most of the time these are not always true and in actual fact it's loner.

[Snowglobe32]

22-24 months...check out my tickler!

At the 24 month mark, we were no where ready to take them off. The past 6 months, we have been closing a gap, that's it! Well, I called this morning and said I am ready to take them off, I am done! So my next appointment, they may come off. Unfortunately, I have to wait until July 10th because they start vacation today!

[MaryLiz75]

Snowglobe, has the gap closed? If not, you are just done, over it? :)

[Snowglobe32]

Snowglobe, has the gap closed? If not, you are just done, over it?

The gap is closing, just slowly. It is a small gap, a gap I can live with for a while.

The plan was to get it to close a bit more so I can put a (slightly oversized) crown/cap on the tooth to close the rest of the gap. That is the only thing we have been working on since around Feb.

I am also wearing elastics...but yes, I am done, over it all! I want these things off! I want to see my teeth! If it means wearing braces for another 6 months to close it entirely, no thank you~ I am not interested! It's been almost 4 years already!!!!!!!!!

So, hopefully, they will be off soon!

[NeilH]

I think my Ortho indicated about 18 months but to be perfectly honest, it will take as long as it takes and I'm in no hurry to get these off. I'm only two months in but my braces ( I went for traditional metal top and bottom) are no bother at all so I would rather my teeth move slowly into a stable position than rush it and settle for an almost ok result.

[BraceFace2o1o]

I was given an estimated treatment time of 18-24 months, I'm now in month 32. Mainly due to me being picky so have delayed my debracing.

[jem]

My estimated treatment time was 6-9 months for fairly minor irregularity in one arch. I am now at 18 months-double my initial estimate. But I am fine with that as my teeth are now straight and debracing is scheduled in less than 3 weeks. And 18 months is still a relatively short time in braces. Ultimately it takes as long as it takes and if it is longer than estimated, it is still well worth doing.

Jem

[MaryLiz75]

Jem - Double? Yikes. The reason I chose the traditional braces over invisalign was due to the time commitment. If I go over 9 months, I'll kick myself for not getting invisalign. I wonder what my options are of switching mid treatment...hmm?

[BraceFace2o1o]

past 6 months, we have been closing a gap, that's it!

Snowglobe, has the gap closed? If not, you are just done, over it?

The gap is closing, just slowly. It is a small gap, a gap I can live with for a while.

The plan was to get it to close a bit more so I can put a (slightly oversized) crown/cap on the tooth to close the rest of the gap. That is the only thing we have been working on since around Feb.

I am also wearing elastics...but yes, I am done, over it all! I want these things off! I want to see my teeth! If it means wearing braces for another 6 months to close it entirely, no thank you~ I am not interested! It's been almost 4 years already!!!!!!!!!

So, hopefully, they will be off soon!

Snowglobe32 where is the gap you have that still hasn't closed completely? I have a small one in the lower arch between canine and premolar. I was happy to leave it as is and booked my brace removal for just under 3 weeks away, but since then I seem to have changed my mind because it has now gotten a little bigger so now I want it closed. If I do go ahead with having the gap closed it could mean I'm in braces for another 8+ weeks.

[Snowglobe32]

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!