How long ....

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#1 Post by **Kerry** » Thu May 22, 2008 3:19 am

was you in braces before surgery and how long after ???

#2 Post by **hedybleu** » Thu May 22, 2008 5:28 am

Hi Kerry,
Well I can speak to the before... I was braced on August 1st, 2007 and my surgery is currently scheduled for July 8th, 2008. Basically if all goes according to plan, I'll have been braced for 11 months before surgery (Lefort I, BSSO & possible Genio). However it's important to note that according to both my doctors (ortho & surgeon), I could have had the surgery as early as April, so the delay has been due to insurance issues and not the progression of my orthodontic treatment. The current "after" estimate is that I'll only have braces for approximately 6 months after surgery, then my pearly whites will be free!

#3 Post by **Kerry** » Thu May 22, 2008 5:40 am

ohhh thats really good, im hoping i wont be delayed i was braced in feb hoping to have surgery jan-feb (after crimbo) and then 6 month in braces after but i really dont know how im progressing, my teeth are moving alot but i still need to have powerchains to close the gaps where my extractions where. im going to ask my surgeon how he thinks im doing when i next see him

#4 Post by **loulou123** » Thu May 22, 2008 6:28 am

Hi Kerry, i was braced in June 2006 and had surgery in February 2008 so.....about 21 months. I was intially quoted 18 months with braces before op, so didnt think that was too bad.

Am hoping to have my braces off in a couple of months (fingers crossed) so properly 4/5 months after surgery.

#5 Post by **Folk Ballad** » Thu May 22, 2008 7:51 am

I just started this whole process recently, but my orthodontist is planning for me to be in braces for roughly a year before surgery and then for three or four months afterwards.

#6 Post by **dubnobass** » Thu May 22, 2008 9:32 am

I was predicted 12 months in braces before surgery and 12 months after.

In the end, I was in braces for 26 months before surgery, and by the time I am debanded next month (I have a date!!), it will have been 10 months since my surgery.

#7 Post by **hedybleu** » Thu May 22, 2008 6:41 pm

Hi Kerry,
You mentioned extractions, so I wanted to add something to my earlier post. When we were originally looking at me having two extractions before surgery, my ortho said it would take at least 7 months to close the gaps before i could have surgery. I was ready in April, because I ended up with a different surgeon who opted not to have me do any extractions.

Hope that helps! Best of luck,

#8 Post by **Rach** » Fri May 23, 2008 12:46 am

I had braces approx 28 months before surgery
Had surgery 28th January 2008
Got a date for braces removal (2 weeks time!!) which will be approx 5 months post-op

33 months altogether

#9 Post by **Kerry** » Fri May 23, 2008 1:38 am

hi all, thanks for your replies.

so if it takes 7 months to close gaps im looking at January time, this would be nice if i could have surgery around then because i really want my christmas dinner to be whole and not blended lol. Il ask my surgeon what he thinks but hopefully im on track for jan / feb next yr

#10 Post by **ema27** » Fri May 23, 2008 8:36 am

KERRY-Are you going throughthe NHS?I ask as i am in the uk and was told 18 months in braces before surgery then 6 months after surgery.However the NHS can be slow at times my Surgery was meant to be in the summer but my surgeon is on holiday all july and august then isnt free until late september.I see him next month to hopefully get a date.Just be aware that although your teeth may be ready your surgeon may not...

#11 Post by **dubnobass** » Fri May 23, 2008 8:40 am

I wouldn't bank on anything - The reason I was braced for 26 months before surgery is because it took 26 months to close my gaps!

#12 Post by **tortor** » Fri May 23, 2008 9:31 am

just thought i'd add my 2 cents...

im not yet on the other side, but i was braced in January.

My orthodontist thinks I will be ready for surgery by the end of july...so I should be in braces for around 6 to 7 months.

#13 Post by **Andantae** » Sat May 24, 2008 2:44 am

Hey Kerry~

My ortho planned on 9-12 before and 9-12 months after. So far it has been 12 months almost to the day for surgery, and I know it will be that long afterwards. It's interesting that at least in my case my ortho's M/O doesn't plan for teeth needing to be aligned as perfectly as possible before surgery.

#14 Post by **kaycee** » Sat May 24, 2008 3:52 am

Hi Kerry,

The initial plan was for 12 months of braces before surgery and 9-12 after. However, I will have been in braces 18 months before surgery due to some stubborn teeth and also because my orthodontist wants my teeth to be as close to perfect as possible before surgery so that only minor tweaking needs to be done after.

kaycee

#15 Post by **suetemi** » Sat May 24, 2008 9:51 am

Wow, there's such a variation.

To those who were originally estimated to be braced 12 months but ended up braced much longer (18-26 months etc)...why the delay? Was it gap closures or other complications, or simply slowly moving teeth? I'm asking because I was also estimated to be in braces 12 months before surgery, but I'm really hoping I'll be ready in 9-10 months instead. To have to wait 18 months, 20 months, etc. would be a nightmare for me, because it would upset my plans of moving out of town. Also, I'd have lost my student insurance plan by then if it were delayed that long.

And to those who were in braces for only a few months before surgery...did you have braces already before?