Metal Mouth Message Board

Something I have been wondering with regard to elastics... how do they work in this instance? Surely if you had them hooked from top to bottom they would be going from inside the teeth on the top to outside the teeth on the bottom so they would pass between your teeth and pull at a sideways angle?

Alex

Hmmm.. interesting question, I never thought of that. Im in the same situation, so if you find out please let me know.

Will do! If no one comes up with the answer in the mean time I'll ask at my appointment in 2 or 3 weeks

alexander wrote:Something I have been wondering with regard to elastics... how do they work in this instance? Surely if you had them hooked from top to bottom they would be going from inside the teeth on the top to outside the teeth on the bottom so they would pass between your teeth and pull at a sideways angle?

Alex

Depends on the configuration and I had my fair share.

I started with box elastics running from top to bottom premolars. These were to close my bite. My ortho placed two ceramic buttons on the outside of my top teeth so that the elastics were entirely on the outside. And, yes, you could see them.

My next configuration (in addition to the box elastics - lucky me ) ran from the inside of my top canines to the outside of my lower first premolar and canine - a triangle configuration - to continue the bite closing process. My ortho fashioned a hook for my linguals (which broke several times!). These elastics ran from inside (uppers) to outside (lowers). Being further to the front of my mouth, this configuration was even more visible.

A really nice (not) configuration involved the placement of ceramic buttons on the lingual side of my first premolars to allow elastics to run from the inside of those teeth to the outside of my first premolar on my uppers! These were to upright a few teeth. I can remember going on a dive once and had forgotten to remove them. It took me a while to figure out why I couldn't get a proper seat for my dive regulator!

Towards the end of treatment, I got Class 3 elastics which ran from the hooks on my lower ceramics (canines) to the ceramic buttons on my upper premolars.

I was instructed to eat all the while with the elastics in place. They used to break regularly half way through a meal, often while I was dining out. I became very practised at removing the remnants from behind a napkin, then excusing myself to go to the ladies where I would attach fresh elastics. A bit of a bore, but you get through it.

I'd known from day one that I was getting elastics and lots of them, so I knew that I would just have to tolerate the whole visibility thing. I was a bit embarrased at first, then got over it.

Thanks for the detailed reply, sounds like you've had direct experience of just about every configuration!

Alex

alexander wrote:Thanks for the detailed reply, sounds like you've had direct experience of just about every configuration!

Alex

There was someone on this board a while back (Clo) who had 11 elastics at one point. That made my four look like a walk in the park.

I had a reply from someone saying that its impossible to have elastics to correct my bite if i have upper linguals, surely this is incorrect?

Okay this may sound like a silly question, but...
Do you think I have to mention to the orthodontist that I want my overbite/overjet corrected or is this just part of the whole process? Ive had braces for 6 months now and no mention of them as yet. I have another 2 and a half years to go so maybe its still to early for elastics im not sure.

Any advice?

Thanks guys

I forgot to post the answer I got from my orthodontist...

Basically if you have upper linguals and normal lowers they normally stick small clear 'buttons' on the outside of the upper teeth to hook the elastics onto.