Elastics whilst eating, and bite turbos?

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#1 Post by **loz876** » Sat May 29, 2010 8:16 am

I have two issues/questions here. First of all, I got elastics at the orthodontist just over 2 weeks ago. I asked him "do I take them out when I eat" and he said "ooh no, just when you clean your teeth". However, if I attempt to eat with them in, they just come unhooked, or snap altogether. Can I get away with 22 hours a day?
Secondly, I got bite turbos (I think this is what they're called, so I've seen on here anyway). Basically, blobs of cement on my very back lower molars, so I can't bite down properly. However after about 4 days one of them came out. I tried to ring the ortho about 5 times on different occasions and I have had no answer. Now the other has come out. Shall I keep trying to ring or just wait til my next appointment on July 8th? There's not much I can do if they're not answering.

#2 Post by **SugarMagnolia** » Sat May 29, 2010 9:54 am

I would keep trying to ring the ortho to get the bite turbos fixed, and in the meantime be very careful in biting anything that you don't bite onto a bracket, assuming this is why you had the turbos.

#3 Post by **SugarMagnolia** » Sat May 29, 2010 9:56 am

ah, forgot to say, I take my elastic out while I'm eating as it catches the side of my cheek as I chew and makes it uncomfortable. I put in a new one as soon as I clean my teeth after eating. This was what I was told to do.

#4 Post by **rolo** » Sat May 29, 2010 12:14 pm

I guess the longer you have elastics the easier things will get, so not sure I would get too worried about eating without for the first couple of days, but I would aim to eat with them in eventually. I was told chewing can improve movement (I chew more on one side than the other, and have always got faster movement on that side).

That said, I had elastics fairly early on in treatment for a month and was told to wear 24/7 and seemed to get away without doing anywhere near this, I imagine much depends on what they are trying to fix, and how easily your teeth move etc. This time I have them for 6 wks prior to estimated time of braces being removed...so I am wearing as much as poss as I can't wait for treatment to be over!

#5 Post by **fosterp** » Sat May 29, 2010 12:44 pm

I have basically the same thing - crossbite elastics and molar buildups. You want to wear the elastics as much as possible, but having them in only 22 hours a day isn't really going to hurt your treatment. However if that number drops to maybe 12 or 14 hours then I would think its going to impede your treatment.

I sometimes leave them in and sometimes take them out depending on what I am eating. Just gotta remember to put in new ones. If you aren't changing them when you are eating you should change them when you go to sleep and wake up and probably at least one time through the day. The more the better probably.

About the buildups, I think they are intended to be temporary material that won't stay on there forever. Mine haven't come off yet but basically I believe their purpose is to keep your teeth from hitting brackets in the case of overbite, and also I believe they speed up movement of teeth because the opposing teeth will not be putting pressure on each other to counteract the movement of the brackets.

I would keep trying to get into the ortho to have them replace.

#6 Post by **TumbleDryLow** » Sun May 30, 2010 7:56 am

I always took my elastics out when I ate. I tried not to at first, but ended up eating them. After eating about a bag of them, I gave up and started taking them out. As long as you are diligent about putting them back in right away, you should suffer no ill effects.
Does your ortho have an emergency number? Not that your bite turbo coming off is an emergency, but if you've tried 5 times to reach someone with no luck, then I think calling the emergency number to find out when they will be back in the office is acceptable.

#7 Post by **Margie** » Mon May 31, 2010 2:30 pm

I got elastics at my last adjustment this past Friday. I have to take them out when I eat because I can't open my mouth very wide which makes it very difficult to eat. I just make sure to put them back in after I eat, I probably wear them for about 20-22 hours a day.

I didn't get bite turbos, so I can't help you out there, sorry!