Will a power chain for braces create a gap? my daughter has had braces for 2 yrs. today she went to her orthodontist and he put a power chain on her lower left central incisor. its been 6 hrs with it on and it has caused a big gap between her right & le

Yes. : Yes. A power chain is used to move teeth... To close spaces, open spaces, or assist in the eruption of teeth depending upon how it is placed.

Dr : Dr funari is correct. Orthodontic movement of teeth involves rotating, uprighting, closing, and opening spaces. I am sure your orthodontist is moving the left central into it's proper position, and will soon coax the right one to follow.

Sometimes : Sometimes as teeth move, issues seem to appear. These are normally temporary, so while a gap may have formed, it will eventually be closed.

It can....: Depending on how many teeth is is attached to, the teeth on the ends of the chain may pull and leave a gap between the it and the tooth not attached to the chain. Chain is used to close space, open space, rotate teeth, intrude teeth, and extrude teeth. It is merely one of many available force systems for moving teeth.

It can: Power chains are designed to apply gentle force to move teeth, and are a marvelous adjunct to orthodontic therapy. Chains allow directional force to one or more teeth, and can close space, open space, aid in derotation, intrude, extrude, etc. If you're concerned, call your orthodontist for an explanation of what's happening at the moment and what he's trying to achieve.

Stay calm: power chains can move teeth quickly and effectively. Sometimes gaps may be caused on purpose as part of treatment. What you are concerned about is the end result, not the look of her teeth along the way. Discuss your concerns with your orthodontist and make sure he explains clearly to you his entire plan and that he addresses your concerns