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I was started on elastics, at my last adjustment, for an overbite. I was wondering...do they really work? Will they improve my overbite, and if so, by how much? 20%? 50%???
My configuration is #6 lower, to # 3 upper. I have no crossbite. The elastics don't bother me at all...except when I forget I have them in, and try to eat with them.
Please let me know your experience, and if it really helped, or is currently helping an overbite or any other situations. Thanks in advance!
Smile!
eagle
oooohh they definantly work!! you should feel it.. but if you dont you will notice in about a month or two how much of a difference it has made.. im just having a problem right now because my teeth seem to have gone back to their old places now that im not wearing them.
I'm in elastics to close an open bite. In 11 weeks, I've seen a 3mm gap between my incisors and second molars (both sides) reduce to almost zero. I love elastics. They have really kicked my treatment along.
Elastics actually didn't work for me at first. My crossbite was quite resistant- the ortho gave me some hardcore "extra heavy" elastics to get it moving because it wasn't budging, even with constant annoying elastic wear (from inside top molar to outside bottom, way in the back).
Then I developed a latex allergy to the elastics... fun times. But, eventually it all was straightened out. Literally.
Damon 3's 5/22/05
Unbraced 10/2/06
Permanant bonded retainer on bottom, bite positioner, and Hawley retainer at night...
they really really worked at correcting my bite/ midline. but it was 8 months of religious 24/7 wear. good luck.
pics below comparing prebrace alignment, alignment after 6 months and now after 8 months
chris
i have been in elastics for 3 weeks now to help correct my open bite and I have really noticed the difference. I wear them 24/7 (though I do take them out to brush and when eating sometimes). when i close my mouth my teeth meet where they never have before. and it really makes me feel a bit more positive about this brace journey that I have taken. Sometimes the pain is really bad and waking up in the morning with the elastics stuck to the insides of my mouth isn't much fun - but seeing and feeling the changes makes it worthwhile.
Braced on 25 July 2006 Ceramic upper and lowers
Braces off on 3 April 2008
I only got mine yesterday eaglesoaring. I actually have an overbite but I think my ortho's using them to move top molars to close extraction gaps @ the moment.
Feels like my jaw is wired together so they better the doing something. I know he's planning on using elastics later on to correct midlines as well.
Drama Queen wrote:i have been in elastics for 3 weeks now to help correct my open bite and I have really noticed the difference.
I'm also in elastics to close an open bite. Mine is on either side and I'm very happy with the results so far. I try to wear them as instructed: 24/7 other than when cleaning my teeth. I was told that this achieves the best results in the shortest possible time.
I'm in elastics to close my openbite first and should get a different setup to fix my overbite later. I've only had elastics for 3 weeks and my openbite is closed already! I wear them pretty much 24/7 but everynow and then I take them out to enjoy a meal with no rubberbands in the way:-)
Hi eaglesoaring! I have elastics for an overbite as well. ( I got them back in the end of August) and my overbite is significantly better. Right now my top teeth are hitting my bottom brackets so they cant go back any more at this point and have caused a gap to form. I go for an adjustment this afternoon and I will find out what the next step is.
My oldest son also had elastics for a small overbite and his teeth look fantastic now ( he has had them off for 3 years and they have retained their position)
