Why hello there elastics..

[Chiara]

So I go in for my 2nd adjustment this morning thinking I'll just have new ligs placed and a new stronger wire on top and bottom. My bottom teeth were left alone, they didn't even bother removing the bottom wire..which I am greatful for since it feels like they're pulling teeth when they take it out. They gave me a stronger top wire with these weird gold hooks on my #2s in which they took the lig from my #3s and looped them around them. I came so close to screaming while the asst. was doing this, but I didn't wanna look like a big sissy in front of all the little kids that were also getting adjusted. After this, my ortho comes over to talk to me and tells me that not only will I need a lower jaw advancement and a genioplasty but he also wants my upper jaw moved up to prevent showing too much gum(which I don't think I show too much, but I'm not the smile expert and only at the beginning of treatment) So on top of taking all of this in he tells me I'm to start wearing elastics 24/7. Ouch!! These things are making my teeth feel even more tender than usual. But I keep telling myself that I've had 4 permanant teeth extracted and paid a lot of money and theres no turning back now. Just trying to forget about all the pain now and the pain to come and super curious about what my new face will look like. It's finally starting to sink in that all this is happening.

[Snowglobe32]

Elastics have been the worst pain for me so far. Wear them as instructed and if the pain gets really bad, use a heating pad.

Where are your elastics?

[Chiara]

Oh I'm keeping these babies in no matter how much they hurt. Mine are connected from my upper 2nd to last molar down to my lower canines. What about you?

[klobird]

I've had elastics the whole time I've been in braces, and it sounds like that's not going to change. The thing I dislike most about elastics is that they rub against the inside of my lips, especially when I'm chatting too much, which happened yesterday...Last night I had to use Oragel, Rincinol, and Ibuprofen due to the sores the elastics created. But it really doesn't get that bad very often. Like I said, just when I'm talking incessantly!!

Tomorrow I have my 1st adjustment since getting braces--and I'm really worried about the possible new elastics surprises!!
OK, so I don't know the correct way to say where my elastics are but it's like this--they are attached to the upper canines on both sides, then attached to the 2nd tooth back from the canines on the bottom. So, they are close to the front, and can be really annoying.

[Chiara]

Ughhhh. It's the morning after an adjustment and my second day with elastics. It hurts so bad. My jaws are so sore. It even hurts to swallow. Feels like my face has been beat. I couldn't even sleep. How many more days do I have of this pain.

[Plumcore]

From experience...around 2-3 days tops, then it just settles in a pain that shows up only when chewing hard stuff. I'd take a painkiller for now.

[kennyandrew85]

Did your ortho mention jaw surgery before you began treatment? I'd be horrified if Half way through mine decided I needed it!

[klobird]

I had my 1st adjustment and new thicker elastics today..I like the placement better--they are further back...no pain at all yet...it's been 5hrs so maybe it's just a matter of time....

[Chiara]

lol no kenny I already knew that i needed the lower jaw advancement. My surgeon had told me that he would decide later if i needed the genioplasty but I figured that why not have that done while they're in there too. I had no idea about the upper jaw.

[rhuj]

[quote="Snowglobe32"]Elastics have been the worst pain for me so far. Wear them as instructed and if the pain gets really bad, use a heating pad.

Where are your elastics?[/quote]
Oh dear..... now im worried! I know Im having elastics but dont have them on yet. Im not looking forward to this part.....

[iamtamnur]

My Orthodontist has made no mention of elastics to me but some of my brackets look different than most of my brackets...they have like hooks on them. I've suspected they may be for rubber bands at some point. What do you guys think?

[Snowglobe32]

iamtamur- Many times if you have hooks on some of your brackets, you may wear elastics. It isn't a guarantee that you will need to wear them but that is what the hooks are for.

rhuj- I didn't mean to scare you- the elastics are painful, until you get used to them (takes about a week). Then they just become annoying!

[klobird]

My niece has those elastics hooks on her top braces, and she is not needing bottom braces-so there is not even anything to hook elastics too!! Weird!!

My elastics were repositioned a couple of days ago, and now I hardly even notice them at all, even though now they are thicker, and way stronger than the last ones, (and gigantic compared to the last ones).

They can get annoying at times, but I really don't know what the elastics fuss is all about--it's a part of the braces deal--sometimes things are uncomfortable for a couple of days or so, but most of the time things are pretty OK...

[Cudi]

Yep, elastics are definitely the most painful part about it.

I had my wisdom teeth out 2 weeks before I had braces in, so that was extra painful..That coupled with elastics was unbearable.

My elastics look like a triangle..I have a vertical one on each side in the back of my mouth, and then another on that same tooth going near the front of my mouth, to bring my jaw forward.

[Crazy4Snow]

I dread getting elastics.

I chuckled when I read how you didn't want to whine in front of all the kids. I was the same way, I felt like if they can handle by God so can I! lol