Am I wearing too many elastic bands?

[RobertJohnson]

Hi there,

I was given 5/16 3.5oz elastics to wear in the right side of mouth. They start from the top canine then go to the bottom canine and finish on both second molars to make a sort of box/rectangle shape. However I was told to wear 3 or 4 elastics for 4 weeks until he would see me again.

I seen him again last Friday and I now have to wear 3/16, 4 1/2 oz elastics going from my upper right canine to my lower canine to my lower second molar to make a triangle shape. My upper right canine is not completely down yet so he told me he is using the elastics to help pull this down. I asked him if it was okay to keep using 4 elastics and he said yes but definitely don't use anymore than 4.

My question is, is 4 too many? I have a lot of friends who have had braces and are telling me they were only ever told to wear one elastic and don't double up, but here's me being told to use 4. I can handle the pain and the pain both times has subsided in a couple of days so that isn't the issue. I'm just worried I am doing some long term damage to my teeth.

Just for the record by orthodontist seems great. All my gaps are closed now and it's just the upper right side of my teeth that need finishing but I'm just scared I'm damaging the future of my teeth.

[EWUgal15]

For 6 weeks after jaw surgery, I was wearing 6 at a time (doubled class II triangles and then two anterior small triangles). Once my surgical hooks were removed, I was wearing doubled class II elastics for another 4-6 weeks. This was all at the instruction of my orthodontist. Under normal circumstances, I would say that doubling up on elastics is a bad idea, but I'm also an advocate for doing what your doctor says. I think 4 elastics on each side might be a bit much, but you'll find others here that have had even crazier instructions for their elastics. If the pain and pressure is too much, definitely back down. Be patient with your treatment. It's a lot like building Rome...

[sirwired]

Not to be trite, but every case is different, and if your ortho says you need 4 bands of a certain type, he's a lot more likely to be correct than us random schmucks on the internet are if we guess.

[jfriend33]

I have no idea, but it sounds like maybe he is low on a certain type. Usually the 8oz and above ones are used for headgear and appliances....it sounds pretty extreme to me, but again I am no ortho or dentist. I would be concerned with too rapid of tooth movement causing root resorption...

But my mind thinks, hey there are folks with impacted k9s and may have doubled up powerchain pulling that down so who knows. As long as its not tipping inward or having any bad effects on other teeth I wouldnt worry about it. Now if you had said you were using 3/16" or smaller I would be thinking yikes thats painful.

I have been instructed to temporarily double on my 6.25oz 3/16" ones, and thats 12.5oz .....4 of yours is 16..... I dont know are you in extreme pain or something? Just call them up and say I am concerned I have never seen or heard of quadrupling up on elastics, are there any risks to this and why are you doing this? If you arent hurting, let it go

[duelmaster42]

Nah, I've worn 4 at a time too. Your orthodontist knows best. Trust him and follow his instructions.