elastics stretching?

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#1 Post by **fmjess** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 1:00 pm

Hopefully this topic isn't overdone! I looked through the history and couldn't find anything.....

My ortho gave me elastics that I'm supposed to use to pull my "fangs" back quicker..... when I put them on, about 4-6 hours later I can't tell they are there and are very stretched out.

She told me to use one new pair every day but I have been putting on a new pair about 3 times a day...... is this okay? At this rate I'm going to run out really quick!

#2 Post by **fmjess** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 1:59 pm

thanks! she (and staff) are gone for 3 more weeks, so maybe I'll try twice a day.

hey Meryaten..... I like my men like I like my coffee, hot and strong.... with a spoon in them! aaaaaa ha ha ha ha

you said death first, hah hah!

#3 Post by **gunter8888** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 2:08 pm

Following the ortho's advice is always best, but I am a little surprised that they said only once a day. I was told to change mine 3-4 times a day because elastics do stretch out and lose effectiveness. I will be interested to hear what your ortho says.

#4 Post by **jennandtonic** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 4:53 pm

My ortho told me twice a day and wear them while eating, so I do. I notice that they do lose their elasticity, however, like Karen and Meryaten said, I'm sure that orthos do take that into account. They're human too, they realize we aren't going to keep our mouths closed 24/7!

#5 Post by **Pepper** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 11:10 pm

Yeah, they do lose their elasticity after a few hours...especially if you've been eating or talking a lot.

My orthodontist told me to change them every four to six hours or so, so I went through about three a day (two during the day, one last one for night).

If you run out...just call the office up. It shouldn't be a big deal. He told me that if I ever ran out that I should just call and swing by someday and get a new pack of them, so it's natural to assume yours would have the same sort of system.

#6 Post by **Miss Smiley** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 1:18 pm

I think this is similar to getting new wires. We don't just get them when we want, the ortho has a plan for us and they instruct what is done and when, for the reasons they have planned for. You should call your Ortho and see if it is a good idea to be changing out YOUR rubberbands so often while instructed otherwise. I don't think you want to be following anyone else's treatment plan but your own. IMO I would get the ok from the ortho and until then don't do otherwise because you might being doing something detrimental to your treatment.

#7 Post by **dubnobass** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 3:00 pm

It is vaguely possible that you have a 'bad' batch of elastics which are stretching out and losing their shape.

I say this only because I wore elastics for a year or so, and unless I ate something very greasy which made them perish and break, the elastics usually stayed the same size and shape all day long and didn't lose any of their stretch. Towards the end of 'elastics time', I was given a couple of bags of elastics which stretched and broke within a few hours, so I had to change them 5-6 times a day. I also had to double up because they didn't have anything like the same force as the other elastics I had used.

The orthodontists office confirmed that they'd had lots of complaints from other patients about the newer elastics, but the problem was the makers had changed the composition, so all the newer bags they had were the same.

I would check with the orthodontist as to what is normal and what should be done, as everyone gets different advice from their orthodontist.

#8 Post by **kirjax** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 3:03 pm

I have elastics to fix a crossbite and she stressed me to use them 3x a day!

But everybody's different and mine may be that she wants it tight all the time bc we are moving more then just a tooth *shrugs*

#9 Post by **Danielle** » Fri Jun 22, 2007 9:23 am

Now I feel like I didn't get enough details! I was told to wear my elastic 24/7 except for when eating and brushing. I change mine after each brushing. Seeing as how I have to cut mine off as of late I don't have much of a choice, I guess!

#10 Post by **Meloho** » Fri Jun 22, 2007 9:30 am

I don't know, but my elastics never seem to lose their pressure. Yes, there are times where I forget they're there (not often, but it's happened), but they feel tight even the second day I wear them. I'm to change my 1/4" medium force elastics every two days. I tend to forget them a bit easier after wearing them a few hours (duh). I have to take them out to eat, then when I put them back, they feel tight again. Plus, they never look like they've visibly stretched. Just goes to show how we all have different experiences and perceptions...