Rubber band popping off all the time...

Message

#1 Post by **jxds** » Thu Oct 01, 2009 3:22 am

I've been wearing a cross-elastic on my molars for five months or so. It goes from the inside of my upper molar to the outside of the lower molar, and is intended to correct my cross-bite. It has so far really worked, and my upper molar is now pretty much in line with the rest. However, my ortho wants me to keep wearing the elastic to avoid relapse.

But since the teeth have moved, now it is really difficult to put the elastic in and especially it is impossible to keep it in place. It will pop off all the time. My ortho just told me to put it back in when it pops off but it is veeery annoying, and is not so easy to put it back in when you are at work or outside -especially because on average it takes 10 attempts to put it in place! I'm really annoyed. I wear two other rubber bands and but it is only this one that pops off continuously. Has anyone experienced the same thing? How did you cope with that? Thanks!

#2 Post by **TumbleDryLow** » Thu Oct 01, 2009 8:07 am

I'm assuming you have molar bands? If they are like mine, the cleats that the rubber bands hook onto are bendable. Can your ortho pinch it in a bit so the rubber band can't pop off so easily? I guess the downside to this might be that it's harder to get the elastic on.

I have elastics that pop off all the time too. Hopefully someone else can weigh in because I have found no foolproof way to keep them on. I've given up and just keep a small mirror and bag of elastics with me at all times. It's a pain.

#3 Post by **drrick** » Thu Oct 01, 2009 10:41 am

maybe you can ask for a smaller elastic or perhaps it can be 'triangulated'(with dr permission)
IOW, place on the 2 ends on lower hook and the middle portion on the upper hook (or vice versa)

#4 Post by **rolo** » Fri Oct 02, 2009 12:25 am

That happens to me too. This improved lots when I got smaller bands and thinner (smaller cross section) too. It made such a difference, as I know I was wearing them less, as I simply didn't have hours to spend on the problem. It was so frustrating to spend 15 minutes or so getting them in just to have them pop off ten minutes later. Surprisingly as my ortho is usually great, I had to be quite assertive to get them changed. Maybe they get a lot of excuses as to why people don't wear elastics.

#5 Post by **BRACEYOURSELF!** » Fri Oct 02, 2009 8:34 am

what drrick said, ask for smaller elastics that way they're tighter!

#6 Post by **bluegirl** » Fri Oct 02, 2009 5:23 pm

The same thing has started happening to me! I'm wearing an "Impala" elastic right now to correct my crossbite. I don't go back until Nov - if this continues, I may call the ortho and ask what to do. Impalas seem pretty small to be but I don't know. *shrugs*

This week, I've been breaking 2 elastics each night! It wakes me up!

#7 Post by **jxds** » Sun Oct 04, 2009 8:46 am

Thanks! I will call my ortho... but now it is because I don't have a choice. The button to which the rubber band was attached inside my molar has popped off and I have swallowed it...

So now I can't wear this elastic. Tomorrow I'll call the office to see what should I do and when I get it replaced I'll ask for a solution. Apparently the cannot bend the hook because the bracket (I don't have bands) would pop off. I hope this won't delay my treatment!