I'm gonna get a band (pics)

Message

#1 Post by **bracesafter40** » Wed May 07, 2008 9:06 pm

a few weeks back, I was eating chips and salsa and I heard a pop. I went to my new Ortho and she put a new one on. A day later I was back in her office as it popped off, then it popped of again and again and now I will get my first molar band after 14 months in braces.

You can see more pictures at http://bracesafter40.blogspot.com/2008/ ... tures.html

I go back in 8 days to get the band put on.

What is having a band like?

#2 Post by **acd** » Wed May 07, 2008 10:08 pm

Enjoy your new band. It wasn't too long ago that all
of your barakets would have been bands!

As long as there isn't any cleat on the back side of it you should be ok. Actually the spacers are much worse than the bands.

#3 Post by **catfish** » Wed May 07, 2008 11:28 pm

I agree, after having spacers the bands are a relief! The only weird part for me was getting used to something new on the "tongue" side of my teeth. The bands kept my tongue entertained for a few days before I got used to them. Now I don't even notice them.

#4 Post by **insinu8** » Wed May 07, 2008 11:44 pm

The only thing I noticed (other than the constant playing with the hook/cleat) is that the band will increase the amount of food that gets trapped back there. Be extra careful to rinse/brush/clean after eating.

The band(s) are definitely easier to have than those dang spacers tho!

One other thing....the metal tends to change temperature a bit more quickly than your tooth so you may find hot or cold food/liquids are a little more hot/cold (could also be because it traps a bit of the stuff right next to your tooth)

Depending on how well they seat the band, you may need to contend with the top edge overhanging a bit and giving your tongue a sharp-ish edge to play with. It could also make chewing a bit more difficult if the top overhangs a bit as it might get in the way of the typical grinding motion. I'd suggest you ask your Ortho to check this.

Oh, last thing....if your tooth is kind of shallow (short) the band may end up being installed so it goes beneath your gumline....this might be uncomfortable for a few days until your gums get used to it. After that, no worries.

More metal! (that's my motto)

#5 Post by **Miss Smiley** » Thu May 08, 2008 2:26 am

I too had 1 band installed after having a molar bracket pop off more than a couple times. Mine was the left molar, same side as our sectioned bridge. Spacers after having had braces is much easier since our teeth have already been on the move! Cleaning around mine has been easy and the band into the gum thing really isn't bad after a couple days. I had a short band but it still felt funny around the crown. I love to play with the flattened cleat!

#6 Post by **tazzle** » Thu May 08, 2008 3:20 pm

Oh, last thing....if your tooth is kind of shallow (short) the band may end up being installed so it goes beneath your gumline....this might be uncomfortable for a few days until your gums get used to it. After that, no worries

.

I just got one put on a little molar crown that brackets kept falling off ... theres a lot of "tension" on it as its so far up inot the upper jaew than the reast ........ have spacers on the other side of jaw to get one put on a similar positioned tooth that has not yet been able to be properly engaged on the wire !!!

I must admit that I have not found the spacers or the bands to be much problem at all ..... apart from 2 sets of painkillers in the forst two days its been no more than uncomfortable and causing a little tentativeness in biting /chewing

That brings bands to three in total as one already on the further back molar that need to move into a space.

after some "weirdness" when forst put on I find them Ok

#7 Post by **dimeech** » Thu May 08, 2008 5:59 pm

Mine were only very slightly uncomfy while getting the bands sized, but once they were on, they don't feel any different than any other teeth (braced or not!!), and I was soo worried they would hurt alot! Mine seem to be on just perfectly, and I don't seem to really get any food stuck in that area so far.