Metal Mouth Message Board

I just got elastics 3 days ago and they are creating all kinds of raw places on the insides of my cheeks. Does anyone know if there is anything I can do about this? I can deal with the pain they are causing my teeth but the sores on my cheeks are driving me crazy!

When I had them I just pushed through it all. Your cheeks will toughen up. Also are you wearing the elastics all the time? Because if you leave them out for long periods of time it will take much longer for your cheeks to toughen.

Mack's pillow soft ear plug wax!!! IT IS THE BEST THERE IS!!! Use it on the brackets in the areas of the elastics until you've gotten some relief. You can use it over the the elastics hooks where they are attached, and also under the elastics. You will find new and creative ways to attach the wax everywhere you want it to be. There is not a usage limit on wax!!

I had elastics non-stop 2 years straight from beginning to end. All kinds of configurations--and with each change, I went thru the irritation all over again. Kip is right--your cheeks and lips will toughen up--but until then wax,wax,wax,wax,wax....!!!!

My ortho told me today that next time I am going to get elastics. I was quite happy about this news, because then finally my bite will be getting a bit better.
But when I read stories here it can be quite hard.... I wish you strenght and good luck, I will be your buddy next month!

Thanks for the suggestions! I am wearing the elastics all the time. I only take them out to brush and change to new ones. It has been 5 days now and the throbbing pain in my teeth is much better. It stills hurts really bad to bite down on things, and the inside of my cheeks have lots of indentations and raw places were they are rubbing. I can tell a slight difference in my bite already but the elastics make me look like I am frowning when I have my mouth relaxed. I guess this is normal? I really hope this changes as my treatment progresses.

If you are having indentations--like a groove inside your cheeks where the elastic is rubbing, you may need to talk to the ortho. I had box elastics that made grooves shaped like a box inside my cheeks. It hurt! Turns out my cheek was really swollen, inflamed. The ortho quit that configuration immediately. So, if that's happening, it probably isn't normal. That box thing was the only time I had that much of a problem with the elastics. Mostly it was just really irritating.

Good news! It has been over a week now since the elastics went on and I am pretty much used to them. Yay! My cheeks have gotten a lot better, and it barely even hurts when I change to fresh elastics. I didn't think I would ever be able to stand the pain when they first went on. I have even been able to chew soft foods the past 2 days. I guess you can get used to anything with a little time.

Well, I did a naughty. After wearing them while I drove, solo, for 5 hours and no improvement in my mouth--right at the corners of my mouth it was SO sore and swollen. I left them off for 1-1/2 days. I put TONS of Mack's earwax on. And then started using the elastics again, and have had no problem. I know I should have pushed through, but I was on vacation and didn't want to.

I remember getting my first elastics and my cheeks were so sore! But like you my cheeks toughened up and they got used to it within a week. Even though I got used to it I still hated those things!