Rubber bands - what is the final result?

[adias.angel]

Hi,
I have an overbite and I have been wearing rubber bands that go from the top to bottom (no power chains yet). Now the backs of my top teeth are pressing up against the front of brackets on the bottom.

Is the desired result from these rubber bands to get the back of the top teeth touching the front of the bottom teeth or just pressed against the front of the bottom brackets? When they power chain them to close the gap from bicuspid extraction will I continue to wear the rubber bands for the overbite?

Trying not to get my hopes up that we are at the power chaining phase for my next visit. Thanks, Carla

[Sunny]

Hi Carla and welcome to this forum.

Your ortho will be trying to get your teeth to come together in a class I bite, where your molars meet correctly. Most people find their upper fronts close just slightly to the front of their lowers ... above where most brackets are, unless your lower brackets are in the top section of your lower teeth.

I've had powerchains on since early in my treatment, and didn't start wearing elastics for a few months after that. Then I had the powerchains off for a few months, and kept wearing elastics ... now I'm wearing both again. Our treatments often depend on how our ortho considers they need to be.

You may wear a combination of powerchains and elastic, you'll need to talk to your ortho to find out what's planned for your treatment.

Ask your ortho to show you where your teeth need to be, for your bite to be correct.

Good luck with your treatment!

[adias.angel]

Thank you so much! I was planning to ask at my next appointment but this was just so I didn't get my hopes up.

[MCOMarkhamOrthodontist]

If you are wearing the elastics from your lower first molars to your upper canines, your orthodontist is actually trying to do two things.

1. Bring the top teeth back and move the lower teeth forward.
2. Open your bite, by extruding the lower molars (since the elastic has a vertical and horizontal component).

Good luck!

[adias.angel]

If you are wearing the elastics from your lower first molars to your upper canines, your orthodontist is actually trying to do two things.

1. Bring the top teeth back and move the lower teeth forward.
2. Open your bite, by extruding the lower molars (since the elastic has a vertical and horizontal component).

Good luck!

The bands go from the upper canines to the second molar back. Is there a difference if its the second or first molar?

Also what does opening your bite and extruding lower molars mean?

Thank you for helping answer my questions.

[Zoso]

The correct relationship between the upper and lower front teeth is that

• the uppers should be just a little ahead (I believe about 1 - 2 mm is considered "normal") of the lowers - referred to as the "overjet"
• the uppers should, when the teeth are complete closed together, overlap just a little - referred to as the "overbite"

When the vertical overlap is too great, this is referred to as a "deep bite" or "deep overbite". There can be several different causes for this, but one is if what is referred to as the Curve of Spee is too great. The Curve of Spee is the curve that your teeth make from the front to the back - both the upper and lower teeth will dip down lower at the premolars, and come back up at the molars, in a sort of extremely shallow u. By bringing the lower teeth towards the back of the mouth up higher out of the gums (don't worry - the gums "remodel" so that they follow along, so your roots are not at risk by this) the curve is flattened a bit, and what this will do is make those front teeth overlap less deeply.

Hope that made some sense.

[Sunny]

Carla the difference between using the hook on your first or second molar, is the amount of pressure exerted on the elastic for the distance of that extra tooth. This pressure converts to move your teeth in the direction they need to move. The changes your ortho will be working for, will be the same.

Good luck with your progress!