Elastics

[melani]

Is it normal to take off the elastic rubber band for a month or 2 weeks ?
usually I have heard orthodontist want their patients to wear the rubber bands all the time and ideally with no break time, but weird thing with my case is that my orthodontist gave me a break from elastic rubber bands for a month ...........she said" do not wear it for a month until the next appointment because I do not want to put your health into jeopardy ..
hmmmm , too fishy to me, seems like she wants to extend the treatment time to make more money, has anyone experienced such thing???please share with me your experience and let me know what you think.


DETAILS:
I was wearing them for about 4 months in a row now for correcting my upper jaw , but yesterday my Orthodontist said she wants to take them off for a month because she saw a little puff on the gum of the tooth I was wearing the rubber band on, so she said she doesn't want to harm my health she said she wants my teeth rest. My jaw is still far from being fixed , I still need them she told me that she just gave me a break.
After-all isn't the puff on the gums normal in this case? I have a great hygiene I keep it very healthy so there is no doubt about it, I also checked it with my dentist and she didn't say I have any problems. I could have allergy from elastic that's all, is it a reason to take the elastic rubber bands off??? How would that harm my health what could possibly happen, My concern is that my teeth would go back again, all the pain and efforts will be in vain, in fact this is the first day I took them off and I see my jaw is shifted a little bit .
After a month if I put the elastics again it will hurt more so what is the point???It is my first time so I really need your advice is it really normal to play with rubber bands like this by putting them on and off ?

[ReneG]

Just a quick post to say that IMO it's normal. Even if you aren't wearing elastics, the wires would still be doing their job.

My ortho had me cut down elastic wear from 24/7 to just nightly and the reason he gave me is to give them time to rest and heal.

Do you trust your ortho?

[melani]

I am not sure I do trust my ortho for many reasons, but in this case she just told me completely take them off for a month and I already see that my jaw is shifted back again slightly but it did it is only a couple of days that I took them off , what will happen after the whole month.... well it will all go back where it was so all pain in vain, I have to start over again.
the puff of my gum I assume is just an allergy from elastics cause the redness is gone still a little swollen but I guess it will be gone too
anyways I am about not to follow her direction and put the elastics back on teeth again

[melani]

I assume u mean taking a break from elastics???

[TigerLily]

I've had times with elastics and times without. I had about four months without elastics then went onto them again (I think that last was my 5th different configuration), and now in my last 2 weeks, I'm not on them. My said she didn't want me to wear them. I said actually could I wear them at night as the configuration helped me keep my bite in place (I have a bad tendency to hold my lower jaw forward), but she said the elastics would impact on what she was trying to do with the wire tie configuration at the front.

Trust your ortho, I'm sure they know what they are doing!

I would doubt your ortho is trying to extend your time in braces, I'm not a dental practice expert but from my topline estimates of the business model, the chair time would presumably be better spent on another new patient. Also, unless your ortho charges you per visit rather than giving you an overall cost upfront, then they are 'losing' money if you spend longer in braces than initially estimated. They can't know 100% how long each person's teeth will react etc so they have a rough estimate and on some patients they will make more of a % profit margin and some less of a %.

[24braceface]

I am not sure I do trust my ortho for many reasons, but in this case she just told me completely take them off for a month and I already see that my jaw is shifted back again slightly but it did it is only a couple of days that I took them off , what will happen after the whole month.... well it will all go back where it was so all pain in vain, I have to start over again.
the puff of my gum I assume is just an allergy from elastics cause the redness is gone still a little swollen but I guess it will be gone too
anyways I am about not to follow her direction and put the elastics back on teeth again

What is the point of elastics if your jaw just shifts back to where it was before?

[melani]

well, what I thought she would correct my jaw with elastics then when I put the retainers it will stabilize them then it won't shift back, in this case it will of course go back where it was because I am still under the treating process and nothing is stable right now , isn't it normal???
why, did you have different experience with elastics???
share with me please

[melani]

Thank you for your post , it was actually helpful to know that you also had the same thing and I feel like I am not alone, meaning I should trust my ortho , but my question to you is this: when you took the elastics off didn't it go back wherever it was??? even slightly??? please reply I need to know that
cause mine goes back even in one day? I can see the difference
my ortho first said do not wear it for 2 weeks or so then she aid no for the whole month seems to mea very long break ...

[24braceface]

No I haven't worn elastics so I don't have any experience. I've only worn rubber bands to close an open bite. I might have to wear elastics soon though, and have questions. If the bite shifts back when the elastics are taken off then what is the point? Can elastics acheive permament movement to the right position and a permanent stable bite?

[TigerLily]

I think you need to ask your orthodontist, maybe you could call your practice and ask if there is an email address you can contact your orthodontist on? Sometimes email can be easier than chair time if it's a busy time.

I'm sure if you sent your orthodontist a brief email expressing your worries in a constructive way, she will clarify what's going on.

In terms of my experience, I didn't really keep track of my bite from day to day, it was always changing. Also sometimes some things didn't work on me, so she had to try another tactic to achieve the same thing. Or move onto something else and come back to it.

[Boohill]

I have rubber bands now and I am only 3 months into my treatment. My ortho said I would only be wearing them for a short time. (like until my next adjustment) to help my bite. But I will have them again later in my treatment though.

No I haven't worn elastics so I don't have any experience. I've only worn rubber bands to close an open bite.

??? are elastics and ruber bands different?

[Steph in Sac]

Are you on a pay as you go plan where your fee keeps getting higher? I am just confused by your concern that she is trying to make more money. I know for me, the cost was given up front. I'm paid in full and regardless of what comes up (unless I am habitually breaking things), I don't owe them another cent.

[melani]

I already paid for my 30 month after that if the treatment needs to be continued for any reason I have to continue paying 100 bucks a month
so That is why I am worried about extending my treatment it is already expensive for me I am paying 4500 all metal braces for 30months not counting x-ray charges and retainers

[melani]

Correct me if I am wrong, but as far as I know rubber bands are the things that are tied up on the metals elastics are the ones that are used to correct overbite or a jaw misalignment . This is what I was told and read.
But I guess we could also call those elastics rubber bands.