Nervous about elastics

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#1 Post by **tjanz1418** » Sun Jul 18, 2010 5:04 pm

I have an ortho appointment tomorrow morning and I might be getting elastics. I am only 4 months into treatment, but I will have them for the rest of my treatment time of 18-24 months. I might have to get TADs this fall if my ortho doesn't like what the elastics are doing. This was my 'compromise' to surgery. So, I'm just wondering if my mouth is going to be sore for a while. I have TMJ, so my jaw already gets sore, so I'm worried about that. I also have have hypoglycemia, so I'm worried about snacks and things. I sometimes have to discreetly scarf down a nutri-grain bar when I'm real busy at work and that doesn't seem possible if I have to take rubber bands off, eat, and then put them back on. Someone tell me it'll be ok!!

#2 Post by **SDFD TSchott** » Sun Jul 18, 2010 5:16 pm

You should be ok, when I had braces for the first time I also had elastics and wasn't told that I have to take them out while eating. So I just left them in while I was eating snacks which I didn't find any issues.

#3 Post by **HHKiwi** » Sun Jul 18, 2010 5:45 pm

Hi, I got elastics at my first adjustment and I wear them all day except for when I clean my teeth and change them for a new pair at night. My ortho showed me this quick way of putting them on using just one hand. Well I practiced and they went flicking around the room, I lost about 10 elastics before I found my own way using both hands and now I can place them without a mirror. Also I just found it much easier to eat with them, though with certain foods you do lose them...not pretty digging through mashed food if you forget to bring spare elastics with you and youre on a 12 hour shift!

You will be fine - just laugh when those funny moments happen, eg elastic snapping while yawning, laughing, and losing your elastics on your plate of food and discretely looking for them while your colleagues wonder what the heck youre doing with your fork...

#4 Post by **sillyface** » Sun Jul 18, 2010 5:59 pm

I didn't opt for surgery either and have had elastics for at least a year now. They're pretty hassle-free in my opinion and you really get use to them quite quickly. You will find like everything else that once in a blue moon your teeth will feel sore when you put them on but this will be minimal if you are consistent about wearing them as much as possible.

I have TMJ issues and the elastics have really helped, not hurt. I don't have the clicking and locking that I used to contend with. Just think, your TMJ problems are due to a mal-aligned jaw and your elastics are used to properly align your jaw (and teeth at times).

A few tips for the elastics:
Don't ever try to double-up on your elastics to speed things up or make up for lost time. This can really damage your progress. Only wear the number and positioning that your ortho orders.

You can always ask for more packages of rubber bands so if you run out or lose some, make sure you stop by for more. I like to keep mine in pill cases which makes them easier to divide up. I keep one in my purse, car, desk at work and of course at home.

If you notice a gap forming or something that you don't think your teeth should be doing, don't stop wearing your rubber bands. Either call your ortho and explain your concerns or wait until your next adjustment. Any problems caused by the bands can easily be fixed but it takes awhile to move your jaw, so you might as well work on that as much as possible.