Metal Mouth Message Board

hi all, last tuesday i got elastics and i was just wondering how many times a day do you change them..thanks for your input mateo's

I change mine 4 times a day.

I take them off to eat. Once I'm done eating, I brush/clean my teeth. Then I put on a new set.

So I guess that means at least 3 times/day.

At least two times, usually more.

I wore elastics twice with my braces (Off for almost 2 weeks.) and was told to change them once a day. What did the ortho say?

i change mine 4 times a day when i get up in the am, around 12noon, and then again at 6pm and before going to bed. i sometimes take them off to eat too.. i don't know if your supposed to??? matoe's

I sometimes ate with them and they ended up being masticated with the food! Yuck! I always took them off, well, almost always!

The first 6 weeks of me getting them I changed them 3 times a day. Then I got so fed up with wearing them during the day, you know when you talk and they rub, that I now compromise. I don't wear them in the day but I wear 4 instead of 2 during the night (double power) and it feels really weird in the morning. My bite is still changing so it is working. Even if this does slow down the treatment I don't really mind as I get my freedom from them things when i talk, eat, smile...during the day.

I reckon I change mine about 4 times a day - fresh pair in after breakfast, lunch, dinner, then before bed.

My ortho just told me to change them at night before bed...so during the day when I eat I take them out and then put the same ones back in. Maybe changing them more often would make things go faster!

I change them 4 or 5 times a day.

My ortho said to change them any time they don't feel tight. I had a friend tell me the same thing.

After they're in your mouth under stress for a few hours they start to loose their strength so changing them often will keep the strength at it's most effective.

Does that make sense??

Jenn

I don't wear them in the day but I wear 4 instead of 2 during the night (double power) and it feels really weird in the morning. My bite is still changing so it is working. Even if this does slow down the treatment I don't really mind as I get my freedom from them things when i talk, eat, smile...during the day.

Doubling up is not a good idea unless you got your ortho's approval.
"double power" could cause trauma to any tooth. Please check with your ortho.

see at first i thought i was changing them to much , and sometimes depending what im eating i'll leave them in but for the most part i take them out to eat... then change them afterwards, thanks for all your input mateo's

By elastics, do you mean something other than the tiny rubber bands around each bracket? Because if that's what you mean, I've never changed mine .

The ortho girl puts the elastics on with a strange tool, and there is one around each bracket in my mouth. No one has ever mentioned changing them. I've only had braces a short while, so forgive my ignorance please!