Metal Mouth Message Board

OK, I've had elastics in a vertical box formation for 5 days now.

As I have lingual uppers, I had four ceramic "buttons" placed on the outside of my upper first molars so that they could anchor the elastics to my bottom first molars (I have ceramic lowers with hooks to receive elastics).

Everything is travelling well, I'm used to the feel of them and my teeth have stopped hurting after the initial 24 hours.

But when it comes to eating, the perishing things keep shooting their bolts. This is all well and good when I'm at home and I can stick my finger in there and reattach them, but when I'm in polite company or out at a restaurant, such behaviour is a little less "refined."

Has anyone else had this experience and/or has any suggestions as to how to manage when out to dinner?

I found that I had to take my elastics off. They either came off on their own, or they broke.

I've been able to eat with the elastics in with some of the configurations I've had, but some have too much tension on the elastic, and they just snap! It's kind of disgusting having to fish a broken elastic out of your mouth when there's food in there!
I just take them out when I eat now, it's less hassle and I don't have to worry about it. I'd rather keep them in, but it's easier with them out.

Yeah, I was told to take them out prior to eating, and then put on a new pair of elastics after eating.

I'm supposed to be changing out my elastics at least 3-4 times each day.

I couldn't imagine eating with elastics in, how irritating!

Thanks, guys. And thanks for the link, Meryaten. I was given the plastic hook and so far so good, but something tells me that it probably has built in obsolescence.

I was out to dinner with my niece and boyfriend last night and decided to take the elastics out rather than risk "problems". I really enjoyed my meal not worrying about stuff coming unstuck. But I felt a bit guilty and crossed my fingers that my ortho would not coincidentally walk into the same restaurant (I have that kind of bad luck). He didn't.

I always eat with my elastics in.

I think it depends on the placement of the elastics. When I had them in front, I could eat. Now, I have them on my molars. The snap off with everything I eat.