Before I begin I would like to say that I did use the search feature but I could not find anything pertaining to my questions specifically.
Hi, during my recent trip to the orthodontist I was told that I was in my final stages (yay!) and was given elastics which I have to apply on my braces in a triangular shape. However there is something that has me worried. It seems as though the top and bottom rows of my teeth on the left side are coming along nicely. However on the right side it doesn't seem like much is happening. When I look in the mirror I can see my lower right cuspid and bicuspid are lower than on the left side. Also most of the time when I apply my elastics it feels like the left side is tighter. Shouldn't my right side be tighter since the elastic is being stretched more? Should I be worried about this? I keep trying to not think about it but everytime I brush my teeth I kinda have to look and see how everything is going. I have a little over 3 weeks until my next appointment, will my right side catch up by then?
Questions about triangular elastics
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Re: Questions about triangular elastics
I am in the exact same situation...how often are you wearing the elastics?
I try to where mine all the time, but it simply is not possible with everything I've got going on in my life so I usually get in 8-10 hours a day. I only put them on when I know I'll keep them on for at least a few hours. I will admit I wasn't being as diligent about wearing them the first month, but I'm so ready to have my braces removed I keep them on whenever possible. I noticed although I'm clenching my left side (especially at night), the right side is also tightening, I just can't "feel" it as much. My bite is definitely shifting, but still needs work on the left side as there is still a gap between top/bottom.
Don't know if any of this helped, but just wanted to let you know there's someone else out there in your situation. I do the same thing in the mirror with my tools, hoping to see progress, but I try to let it go and trust my ortho is leading me in the right direction.
I try to where mine all the time, but it simply is not possible with everything I've got going on in my life so I usually get in 8-10 hours a day. I only put them on when I know I'll keep them on for at least a few hours. I will admit I wasn't being as diligent about wearing them the first month, but I'm so ready to have my braces removed I keep them on whenever possible. I noticed although I'm clenching my left side (especially at night), the right side is also tightening, I just can't "feel" it as much. My bite is definitely shifting, but still needs work on the left side as there is still a gap between top/bottom.
Don't know if any of this helped, but just wanted to let you know there's someone else out there in your situation. I do the same thing in the mirror with my tools, hoping to see progress, but I try to let it go and trust my ortho is leading me in the right direction.