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I have been wearing elastics to correct my midline which is also about 2 mm off. So far I have been using it for 2 months with little or no movement! I suppose that movement will be slow as you are moving more than just one tooth.
Gotta be patient....
Danish
metal braces on: 4 Oct 2007
Tx for: crowding
debonded on: 24 Jun 2009
Hi - silly question, I hear everyone talking about midlines. What is the midline? Is it the line between your two top and your two bottom front teeth meeting vertically?
At my last "formal adjustment" they gave me triangle elastics, which corrected my midline almost immediately. The elastics have kept it in place and now I notice my teeth almost stay there without my elastics in. I noticed the change immediately and have been extremely pleased!
My last adjustment was about 3 weeks ago, but I was seen this morning for an emergency/ SOS appointment because I haven't been chewing very well since the new elastics were put on. They tweeked me a little today in the office and gave me some positive encouragement, which has helped.
To correct my midline and close the reminder of my (non-existent to myself) extraction gaps, I have a class II on the right and class III on the left. I've seen little movement thus far. But I also mentioned in my braces story that my molars are killing me today. Let's hope pain equals some sort of good orthodontic movement tonight.
Upper and lower 1st premolars extracted
Uppers braced 4/6/07 & Lowers braced 4/20/07
ceramic brackets and rectangular arch wires
Est. term: 30-36 months
De-banded: 3/04/09 w/ LBR and U&L Essix
Yup, the youtube video outlines exactly what was achieved for my teeth with elastics. My midline was originally off by about half a tooth (don't know in mm). Here are some before and after pics in regards to my midline. The first photo was taken during my first week in braces and the later photo was taken about a month ago. If I remember correctly, my ortho didn't start on correcting my midline until a couple of months in, so I think it took about 3 months to shift my midline.
My midline had shifted only about 1 mm, so a couple of months ago, I had the EXACT elastic like the video. I wore 3 more in addition to that but for other reasons. It worked like magic. It only took two weeks to line up again. I know that it was only 1 mm, but it may not be that long for you either. I have a couple of months to go, but so far the midline has stayed aligned. I will have elastics to the end though, and the only bad thing about the "diagonal" elastic was saying ANYTHING that starts with "TH". That was a little frustrating, but time flies!
Good luck!
hey, got my first elastics today and it's the same as in the vid, except my ortho told me to tuck it over the top brackets. Did everyone else with the bands going between get told that or were you just told to leave it going straight across?
It was only the bottom arch that moved, the top arch stayed exactly where it was. Heaven know how they manage to do that but elastics are wonderful things! I'm sure that whatever needs to be corrected on your teeth, your ortho will know exactly how to configure them to get your result.
I'm now wearing a triangular configuration to close an open bite along the left, bringing the bottom arch up to meet the top. Progress has slowed down a bit but in the first few weeks the vertical gap closed a good few mm's and hopefully soon they might finally meet!
Whatever elastics you get given, to make you feel comfortable with what's happening, make sure you ask before you leave "Right, what is this going to do for me and how is it going to achieve that?" Get all the information and enjoy some happy elastics wear!
Miss Smiley wrote:To correct my midline and close the reminder of my (non-existent to myself) extraction gaps, I have a class II on the right and class III on the left. I've seen little movement thus far.
I had that as well to adjust my midline. I wore the elastics 24/7--no problem during the day, but every single time I went to sleep I'd wake up about 4 a.m. with horrible TMJ pain--YOWZAS!! So I would take out my elastics, give my jaw a little stretch and then go back to sleep. But, after just a few weeks I had a nicely aligned midline
That was the worst my TMJ pain has been since starting this process and I haven't had any more since we stopped that elastic configuration
My midline is significantly off SINCE getting braces and worst of all the orthodontist doesn't see it and I have showed him! I am so concerned. He is not in his office till Wednesday but then I am calling him.
How can I have an ortho who doesn't see something as essential as this even after I point it out?! (Just Venting Here)
If I look at my Frenulum on top- which is at the midline- my middle of top front teeth are about 2mm to the right. GRRRRRRR!!
Emergency Post!! Wow cant believe I found this thread its perfect, just what i wanted to know.
Guys please reply ASAP I have ortho appt in the morning! I've been researching all night and now I'm going to ask for this configuration of elastic tomorrow (the one in the video) as currently the class III do not work and my mid line is still off after ages!
What I need to know is this... did you have powerchains on too or ligature wires in a criss cross? I just want the top teeth to move so thinking I should ask for ligature wire on lowers to hold them and power chain up top so they all move together.
I want to be really specific with my Ortho.
Maybe I should have nothing just like in the video??
Please let me know what you guys had. Right now its not working and I have ligature wires criss cross on top and bottom, I reckon this is holding everything still.
PM me or post, im dying to hear from you all thanks in advance.
I suppose that movement will be slow as you are moving more than just one tooth.
So I would take out my elastics, give my jaw a little stretch and then go back to sleep. But, after just a few weeks I had a nicely aligned midline 
