Anyone closing large gaps?

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#1 Post by **Chantal** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 8:06 pm

I have many large gaps to close because of missing teeth. My first adjustment got me powerchains. Torture.

Do you think I will need powerchains for ALL of the gaps I have? Is it a nightmare every time it is put on???

Also, for large gaps, are your brackets on the middle of the teeth or toward the top of them? I am worried the movement will make my teeth "tip" forward instead of moving "across", because my brackets are so high on the teeth!

Please tell me about your experience!

#2 Post by **KARESS** » Fri Sep 12, 2008 8:14 am

I have a space in the back where a tooth was pulled
they tried moving a tooth in its place but it didnt work
so we are just going to leave it there.
I had a cavity and needed to get it pulled because I had already had a root canal on it and i didnt want to do that again.

#3 Post by **Chantal** » Fri Sep 12, 2008 1:09 pm

Karess: Do you know why you could not move a tooth there then? Because of the condition of the gums?

How did you actually try, before you found out it was not possible? And for how long?

Curious!

#4 Post by **KARESS** » Sat Sep 13, 2008 3:51 pm

Chantal wrote:Karess: Do you know why you could not move a tooth there then? Because of the condition of the gums?

How did you actually try, before you found out it was not possible? And for how long?

Curious!

The gap is too big. a whole tooth can fit in there.
We tried to pull another tooth in its place using rubberbands
but the tooth was so strong that it was only moving my midline off.
We tried for about 2, 3 or 4 months I think, Im not for sure.

#5 Post by **Megan11** » Sat Sep 13, 2008 4:27 pm

Yes I def have HUGE gaps to close. I had over-retained baby canines and the adult ones are in the palate of my mouth

They pulled the babies and then instead of putting brackets on the adult canines they put...eh I told myself to remember the name when he said it but I FORGOT. Something other than a bracket, something not quite as strong. But yes they put it very high on those teeth, rather than more in the middle like the other teeth. They then put elastics on the " thing I don't know the name of" and then tied it to the wire ( on both sides). I cant imagine an elastic making that much movement, especially when the teeth are so far back but hey... I'm not the ortho here.

Heres a picture:
You can't see the tooth very well but its back there, you can however see the elastic tied to the wire.

#6 Post by **Lisa65** » Sun Sep 14, 2008 8:49 am

I've got some big gaps right now. I had my molars moved back, so now I've got almost a tooth-sized space behind my canines for my ortho to start pulling my top front teeth into.

There are different ways of closing gaps. Powerchains is one option and another is a closing loop on the archwire, or even a spring. As a general rule, deliberate gap closing will not be commenced until the teeth are aligned and levelled and you are in fairly thick and (usually) rectangular wires. The stiffness and square cross-section of the wire will make sure the teeth in question move bodily (roots as well) rather than just tipping.

I've been in powerchains almost constantly for 2 years, and I still wince and sweat a bit when new ones are put on, but I've found adjustments are generally less uncomfortable now than they were initially.

#7 Post by **Toni** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 5:00 pm

One of the main reasons that I'm getting braces is to close two gaps, having the rest of my teeth straightened is frosting.
I have 2 primary molars on each side on the bottom that have to come out. I've never done it because I didn't want to get bridges. In the last couple of years they have started to bother me now and then so I had to make a decision. I looked into implants and I looked into orthodontics and had 3 different orthodontists tell me that they could close up the gaps by moving the 2 back molars up on each side but I will have to wear a permanent retainer afterward to keep them from moving. I was supposed to have braces as a child but couldn't afford it, now I'm glad I didn't.

#8 Post by **iBorg** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 12:37 pm

I'm experiencing the closing of gaps....started really fast and then has slowed to a crawl. At first I had major movement. Now after nearly three months or so of closing, it seems like they've come to a stopping point. I'd so hoped my spaces would be closed by the end of October. Now I'm hoping for May.

Mike

#9 Post by **Chantal** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 3:25 pm

Thanks for the explanations Lisa65. The way it looks so far, I am afraid of the "tipping" effect you are talking about. My front tooth "used" to be straight... Scary.

Toni: did you get any more details on implants? Are you considering them? I also miss some teeth and I suppose implants are the best option. What do you think?

Is a "permanent retainer" something you remove every night? (Sorry if it is a stupid question!) I am interested in knowing my options for when the braces will go...

#10 Post by **Lily** » Fri Sep 19, 2008 4:24 am

I have four big gaps closing up where I had second pre-molars extracted.
When I had my braces fitted about 6 weeks ago I had springs fitted on the outside of my two front teeth.
I had my first adjustment today and the Orthodontist said he's really going to turn up the pressure now, and my gosh he wasn't joking!
I have two bigger springs up top and now two springs on my lower arch below the arch wire.
There's a lot of pressure going on inside my mouth!!
What confuses me though is that the top ones are pushing my teeth back, while the bottom spring is supposed to be pulling the teeth together. I know that the Orthodontist knows what he's doing, I just can't picture a spring being able to pull teeth together in my mind!
I can't wait to finally lose the springs, I know they're effective but they're not very pretty to look at!

#11 Post by **Toni** » Fri Sep 19, 2008 9:10 am

Chantal wrote: Toni: did you get any more details on implants? Are you considering them? I also miss some teeth and I suppose implants are the best option. What do you think?

Is a "permanent retainer" something you remove every night? (Sorry if it is a stupid question!) I am interested in knowing my options for when the braces will go...

No implants for me we're just going to move the 2 back molars forward. Technically the permanent teeth that I'm missing are the 2nd bicuspids, but the teeth still in there are "premolars" so I tend to say that I'm missing a molar. I'll try not to do that any more.

My ortho called it a "permanent retainer" so that's where I got the term, sorry if it's wrong, and no it stays in as Meryaten pointed out. According to my ortho it might have to be rebonded at some point but I don't see this as a problem if it will keep my teeth from moving back!