Going down a wire size?

[joeyyeo]

So, I had an appointment yesterday and I'm worried I might be regressing in treatment. I had class II elastics prescribed the previous appointment, and yesterday I had my lower wire downgraded and elastics removed. Should I be worried that my treatment duration will be extended because of this?

On a side note, absolutely loving the colours my ortho picked out for me, and here are pictures comparing before and after!

Before bottom braces:

Photo on 15-4-13 at 10.50 PM.jpg

Today (top and bottom):

IMG_3309.JPG

Today (normal bite):

IMG_3308.JPG

I am thrilled with my progress so far but I would want these things off me as soon as possible!

[NeilH]

Hi, I had the same issue a couple of weeks ago. I had a rectangular wire on the top and was waiting for the bottoms to catch up. At my last adjustment it was clear that I still had some front teeth to rotate into alignment so after some IPR dropped down a couple of wires to wait for a couple of teeth to rotate. I understand that class II movements with elastics can't be started until both arches are in stainless steel rectangular wires as this keeps the teeth straight as they move along the wire. The thinner NI-Ti wires would allow them to twist too much hence the need to wait for the thicker wires. In my case this will add 4-6 months to the process but as I'm really enjoying the whole braces experience, don't mind in the slightest.

[NeilH]

Colours look great by the way!

[joeyyeo]

Aw man 4-6 months extra? That's a bummer. My bottoms got downgraded to 17x25 wires, wondering why I can't get elastics as they are rectangular wires, but I guess my ortho just wants to be safe.

[NeilH]

Hopefully it won't delay your treatment if you are still in rectangular wires. I have mine changed for one of the really thin flexible wires so there was no way they could start the elastics hence the delay to starting this next stage. Good luck.

[Lorianne]

Ok,so I don't get it...I've been in elastics since day 1 for class II overbite. Now I'm wondering what the difference in treatment is and why.

[anedia]

Everyones treatment is going to be different - everyones teeth move at different rate and start in a different position. I did not get my class II elastics until 6 months into my treatment.

Even if this does extend your treatment time, I am sure it had to be done for whatever reason. I am pretty sure your ortho wouldn't do it if it's necessary.

[TheKT]

I also have been in elastics since day 1.

[Matilda]

My wires were downgraded when some of my brackets were repositioned.

[MrsCharisma]

In addition to no one treatment plan being the same as another...your teeth may do something other than what the ortho expects.

It's par for the course, so to speak!

I've gone down in wire size. Back out of power chains. In a reverse curve wire, back out of it, back into it...

It's like a fine science and imo if you trust your ortho...I wouldn't worry about it. If you have questions...just ask him/her.

And remember your estimate is just that - an ESTIMATE. You can't assume that because they said 24 months that at month 24 you will certainly be done...kwim?

[Bikerchick85]

Your teeth look great! How much longer do you have? They look pretty close to be finished at least in the pics.

I know from experience that elastics don't work with a thinner wire. My ortho only seems to use them when I have the stainless wires in.
I don't think you're regressing... They just needed to utilize another wire.
I had worked up to finishing wires and then a couple months ago I was switched to a thinner wire on the bottom to allow my teeth to realign without the friction of a larger wire.

[joeyyeo]

Your teeth look great! How much longer do you have? They look pretty close to be finished at least in the pics.

I know from experience that elastics don't work with a thinner wire. My ortho only seems to use them when I have the stainless wires in.
I don't think you're regressing... They just needed to utilize another wire.
I had worked up to finishing wires and then a couple months ago I was switched to a thinner wire on the bottom to allow my teeth to realign without the friction of a larger wire.

Thanks! I put them in March 2013, so going by my 24 months estimate, around 10 more months? I still have extraction gaps on the lower arch waiting to be closed and my bite to be adjusted... Hoping they'll be off soon!

[Bikerchick85]

Your teeth look great! How much longer do you have? They look pretty close to be finished at least in the pics.

I know from experience that elastics don't work with a thinner wire. My ortho only seems to use them when I have the stainless wires in.
I don't think you're regressing... They just needed to utilize another wire.
I had worked up to finishing wires and then a couple months ago I was switched to a thinner wire on the bottom to allow my teeth to realign without the friction of a larger wire.

Thanks! I put them in March 2013, so going by my 24 months estimate, around 10 more months? I still have extraction gaps on the lower arch waiting to be closed and my bite to be adjusted... Hoping they'll be off soon!

I think my extraction gaps were finally closed around the 16-17 month mark... took forever for those gaps to close!! Congrats on your progress!!

[DrJasonKTam]

A step back in wires does not always mean a step back in progress. Often times we will get the bite settled after using elastics and then consider repositioning brackets, whereby we need to go back a wire. This can also be done with some bends in the wire.

It is difficult to know how moving back a wire impacts your treatment duration, if at all, unless we know exactly why it was being done and what the original plan was. Good luck!