Hi, 28 and up for my second time around.

[jumwilms]

Looks like 2009 is going to be an interesting year. Just yesterday I got porcelain brackets on.

I've got some minor crowding and need a few millimeters of bite alignment (relapse) so nothing too crazy.

They have me slated for 18 months, but the Dr. is thinking it'll be much less. He's told me 6 months for straight teeth, then another 6+ for the bite alignment to be corrected.

These brackets with clear ligs aren't too bad at all...although I have pretty big teeth so they look a little funnier that I had hoped.

The biggest thing I am concerned about is staining...so I'm staying far from as many colored liquids and foods s I can this year...we'll see how it goes.

Also, I was told that it's the carbonation in drinks that breaks down the glue...anyone have any experiences to share on that subject?

Here's to a fast, successful alignment.

-J

[Stephanie]

it is much easier than you think... you get sooo used to them... that once you get them off it feels weird!!

Good luck and keep your blog!

[Sunny]

Great you've found this forum and good luck with 2009!

The bonding material shouldn't be affected by the carbonation in drinks ... but the sugar and/or acid can sure damage your teeth.

Clear ligs do stain, and often will stain a little even when you limit or remove most staining foods. Ask your ortho about ligs that don't stain, plus some light shades take longer to stain, like pink and blue. You might feel more confident to try some light shades as your treatment progresses. Silver is another colour that's quite discreet with ceramic brackets.

Here's to you seeing progress soon!

[mikeg]

welcome! getting braced twice is actually pretty common.. i would know!

[jumwilms]

it is much easier than you think... you get sooo used to them... that once you get them off it feels weird!!

Good luck and keep your blog!

I can distinctly remember the day I got them off for the first time. Teeth never felt so smoooooth. =)

[jumwilms]

Great you've found this forum and good luck with 2009!

The bonding material shouldn't be affected by the carbonation in drinks ... but the sugar and/or acid can sure damage your teeth.

Clear ligs do stain, and often will stain a little even when you limit or remove most staining foods. Ask your ortho about ligs that don't stain, plus some light shades take longer to stain, like pink and blue. You might feel more confident to try some light shades as your treatment progresses. Silver is another colour that's quite discreet with ceramic brackets.

Here's to you seeing progress soon!

Thanks! I might try the silver sometime if I notice that the clears are staining.

[jumwilms]

welcome! getting braced twice is actually pretty common.. i would know!

If I have anything to say about it, this time is the last...and that's a promise!

[Sunny]

Jumwilms unfortunately most foods/drinks (unless clear) will stain clear and tooth coloured ligs. The lighter coloured foods and drinks may take longer to have an affect, but it will happen. Brushing often does help, especially using a toothpaste like colgate with baking soda and peroxide ... and don't worry, no matter what the claims, toothpaste cannot whiten teeth ... if it could the multi million dollar business that is tooth whitening, would have gone under a long time ago. These toothpastes may be able to remove the most recent staining and reduce some older staining ... and they're safe to use with braces!

Good luck finding ligs that you're happy wearing that don't stain as easily!

[SIZING]

I'm getting a brace fitted early febuary but before then I am getting a tooth extracted before the brace goes on

How long will it take to close that tooth gap?

[Sunny]

Sizing it depends on many things ... how big the gap is, how the teeth have to move around the gap, how your teeth move etc. As a general guide ... it's often stated that teeth should move about 1 mm a month. Many move more and many move less. Talk to your ortho about what s/he's expecting, although you have to realise, this is an unknown at this time, as your treatment hasn't started, but they have the experience to at least be able to give you a guide.

Good luck with having your tooth removed and your treatment starting in early February!

[SIZING]

Sunny

The gap is one of my back tooth that is going to be extracted for room.

Then the brace is going to bring the front teeth back and my back teeth forward to meet and close the gap

The gap size is one back tooth

I'm guessing it will take months............but how many months?

[Sunny]

Sizing it will depend on many things ... but as I suggested above, the ideal is 1 mm a month ... many move faster and many move slower. Hopefully your's will be closed within a few months.

Fortunately it's a back tooth, so your gap won't be noticable ... which is nice. My very slow closing gap, is over my impacted right canine ... and it's taken nearly three years ... and it's still not closed ... but it is closing ... which is a relief!

Talk to your ortho ... they are the best people for information like this.

Good luck with your treatment!

[SIZING]

Sunny

cheers for the info

but how has your tooth gap taken so long to close?

[Sunny]

Wish we knew the full answer to that one. It appears to be mostly due to the work the teeth behind the impacted canine are having to do. My impacted canine is still attached to the bone in my jaw, which means the first pre molar is not just moving through jaw bone, but also through some of the impacted canine.

We did consider changing treatment plans a few time, which would have included opening the gap up for a 'fake' tooth ... but my ortho and OS both feel this would be a backwards step. Fortunately the closing of the gap has been pain free and it's happening, so it's all okay. I'm sick of having braces ... but the wearing of them hasn't been a hassle for me and I've not had any pain and only a tiny bit of discomfort.

I've decided that 2009 will be the year, as I would prefer not to hit the four year mark ... but if that should happen, I'll accept it, as that gap has gotta go!!!!!!!!

Gaps closing so slow like my one are rare ... plus the baby canine had been gone for some time. Your's will be a fresh extraction, and these gaps do seem to close more quickly that old extraction gaps!

Good luck!

[SIZING]

Yeah cheers

it does seem quite a unforgiving thing to do though

to extract a perfectly healthy tooth

i hope it will be worth it

[Sunny]

It is challening to have a perfectly healthy tooth removed, but one of the more recent improvements with orthodontics is the non removal of teeth, unless absolutely necessary. This change has happened due to the new flexible archwires (the fine ones) that have memory and will continue to move the teeth in the direction of the shape of the wire ... which is the shape of a correct arch, and therefore will widen the arch of the teeth. So you can be confident that this tooth must need to go for your treatment to be successful!

[SIZING]

Some of my top teeth need pulling out

Some of my top teeth need pushing in

My Ortho said this can be done with the same brace

How does that work?

[Sunny]

Sizing it's usually done by using the archwire. Your ortho may put bends in the archwire, and/or use elastics.

Moving teeth up and down, in and out are all common procedure with orthodontics.

[SIZING]

Sizing it's usually done by using the archwire. Your ortho may put bends in the archwire, and/or use elastics.

Moving teeth up and down, in and out are all common procedure with orthodontics.

I wanted to ask you about the arch wire

My Ortho said they change wires as you go along

Now I was told you start of with the thin wire.........I'm glad about this because it is easing my way into more than just having a thick wire stuck across my teeth

How much difference is there between the thin wire and the thickest wire ?

[jumwilms]

Hey Sizing...I don't have an answer to your question but you will get more responses if you start your own thread, rather than posting in this one.

Good Luck.

[Sunny]

Sizing the thin flexible archwires do most of the work ... they align your teeth and that's when you see the most progress.

After that ... well it depends on what your ortho needs to achieve. There are archwires that are square in shape, braided, and made of different materials. Your ortho will make decisions as your treatment progresses as to what you need.

In appearance, there's not much other's would notice (if they're staring at your teeth), between the different sizes of archwires. There is a difference in what you might notice and feel ... coz often with the bigger archwires, the ortho will sometimes put bends in them, to move teeth a specific way, and that can cause a day or two of discomfort for some people.

Here's to progress!

[SIZING]

Hey Sizing...I don't have an answer to your question but you will get more responses if you start your own thread, rather than posting in this one.

Good Luck.

OK, sorry Mate

I didnt mean to clog up your thread with off topic discussion.

[SIZING]

Sizing the thin flexible archwires do most of the work ... they align your teeth and that's when you see the most progress.

After that ... well it depends on what your ortho needs to achieve. There are archwires that are square in shape, braided, and made of different materials. Your ortho will make decisions as your treatment progresses as to what you need.

In appearance, there's not much other's would notice (if they're staring at your teeth), between the different sizes of archwires. There is a difference in what you might notice and feel ... coz often with the bigger archwires, the ortho will sometimes put bends in them, to move teeth a specific way, and that can cause a day or two of discomfort for some people.

Here's to progress!

thanks for the information

[jumwilms]

OK, sorry Mate

I didnt mean to clog up your thread with off topic discussion.

No problem at all. I'm done with this one anyhow. Just thought a new thread might get you some additional feedback. Not that Sunny's advice isn't terrific...because it is.