Are elastics as annoying as braces?

[homegrown]

I have my braces in (top and bottom), although have beeb advised i need elastic bands fitted to correct my bite too. I have read quite a bit on the forum, but still cannot find any account of what it feels like to have elastics in? Does it mean more sensitivity/discomfort? Can you see the elastics when speaking?

Thanks :)

[parapian]

I think any new orthodontic change is a little uncomfortable for a few days. Once your teeth are in the right position, the discomfort subsides.

Elastics can be annoying, but it all depends on where they're placed and how tight they are. I wouldn't worry about them too much. Also, (orthodontic sin coming up), you probably won't have to wear them 24/7, even if your orthodontist advises you to. If you have an important meeting (work related or otherwise), and you won't want to draw attention to them, you can always take them out.

If you're still worried, check out my blog (in my sig). I'd say mine is pretty much the worst case scenario, but guess what, I never leave the house or the comfort of my friends without taking out my elastics. I sort of count that if I have them in more or less 15 hours a day, I'm fine (and that includes sleeping with them in at night). Maybe the progress is a little slower, but not slow enough to deter me.

[djspeece]

Elastics are the work of the devil. There's just no other way to describe them .
I'm into month 22 of a 24 month (hahahahahha!) plan. My ortho recently said I would take "a little longer" to finish. Hopefully by the end of the year I'll be done. I've been wearing elastics for about the past 18 months. When asked why it would take longer, my ortho's pathetic attempt at humor was "Well Dan, some patients are just more dense than others" and then laughs.
Seriously, they aren't really that horrible. Are you feeling the love here?
They are absolutely essential if they are prescribed for you. To me they are nearly as annoying as braces. Mine run from the upper canines to the bottom, 2 on each side. They are visible at times when you talk. They do create a bit more discomfort because they are causing your teeth to move, and that is a good thing, but in my case the discomfort does not really subside when I wear them as prescribed. It is not really painful, and the more I wear them the more discomfort they create because they are doing their job. It's the great paradox of orthodontics, their dirty little secret THAT THEY NEVER TELL YOU AT THE BEGINNING OF TREATMENT BECAUSE MOST OF US WOULD RUN AWAY SCREAMING.
Pardon me, lost my mind for a moment there. Big breath.
I've taken to giving mine names, as they seem to have a secret life. You'll read about the different "brands" named after animals or in my case, vegetables for God's sake ("Watermelon," I kid you not). I prefer a more realistic approach to nomenclature. So I have the "Mr. Snappy" variety, that fly into one's lip when one misses looping it on the hook correctly. I also have "Ms. Playing Hard to Get" elastics that prefer to hide in the hinterlands of the oral cavity when they fly off. Then there is the "Mr. Birth Control" version that puts the brakes on any ardor until they are removed forceably and with great fumbling in the early moments of a romantic encounter.
I think there is a phrase that applies, I think originating from our British friends, "In for a penny, in for a pound" and that pertains to elastics. You do get used to them, but not willingly. You'll do great. Best of luck to you.

[Siobhan]

I had elastics for a while and am now taking a break while we wait for an errant tooth to come down. I'll have them again once we refocus on my bite issues. I'm in the camp that misses them. It sounds crazy and they initially are a huge pain. They do get better and you'll see massive changes from wearing them. Pretty much everything with braces is passive - the ortho puts on your braces and whatever other torture devices they see fit. Elastics are the one active contribution you make to your treatment. Plus, they work! Good luck to you!

[joeyyeo]

I have elastics from my upper canines to my lower molars to correct a class II bite and I must say they haven't bothered me as much as I thought they would. To each is own, I guess. The only time I'm actually annoyed by them is when I laugh loudly and they snap, but that normally generates laughter from my friends, so all's good (I guess?). And also, they tend to snap while I'm eating, but I cannot be bothered to remove them from my mouth so they just end up in my tummy.

[kathydell]

I've had elastics in 3 different configurations for 16 of my 18 months so far. How much visibility and how much "getting used to" really depended on the configuration for me. The class triangle ones were very visible when I spoke and it took me a lot of patience and medicine to sooth the sore top lips where they rubbed for about two weeks. The other two configurations I had were further back and more up & down. Those irritated my cheeks for a couple of days (I used kanka gel pen and it was awesome!) and then I got used them really quickly. Honestly, I kinda feel naked without them now that I only have to wear them at night for the last month.

[beckyboo0205]

I think, like the braces, everyone has such different experiences. It all depends on the orientation and stuff. I wore then for a little while and yeah my teeth were sore at first (mostly the 4 teeth the elastics were hooked to) but I didn't have much of a problem with them. And wear them as prescribed because then you won't have to wear them as long!!

Once I stopped wearing them, it felt really weird. Like I got so used to them.

Good luck but don't worry too much! It's not bad.

[NeilH]

If it all goes to plan, I will be getting them on Monday (class II configuration) and will post about my experiences.

[Ciara]

I have class 2 elastics for about 2.5 months now and they don't bother me at all. I did have a slightly sore canine for about 24 hours when I first got them but no mouth ulcers or other problems. Yes, they are visible and they stain if you eat with them in. I do wear mine 24 hours a day (no, I'm not lying or exaggerating).
I'm a university professor so I lecture with them in, give research presentations, was the MC for an grad. student presentation skills workshop last week and my elastics stayed in. The only time I take them out is if I am eating something big (like a hamburger) or brushing my teeth. At my last visit to my ortho she was very impressed with progress and said what she thought would take 6-8 months may be finished by 4.

[dantocanada]

This is an interesting topic, because I too apparently am going to be sentenced to Elastics in December when I get my upper braces on, along with a palate expander.

Parapian, you mentioned that you don't wear them all the time...really? I was under the impression that you had to wear them all the time in order for them to work. This has given me some hope...I really can't see myself wearing them during meetings. No matter how sympathetic my colleagues are towards me for fixing my teeth, I just feel like elastics will make me look ridiculous when I'm trying to conduct meetings.

[TheKT]

I echo what Dan has said. They are horrible and I mean h-o-rr-i-b-l-e. I have had mine since day 1 and I am in month 8. I am to wear mine 24/7 with the exception of eating, brushing and important professional business meetings. I lucked out about a week or so ago and got to remove them for 4 days due to some sort of allergic reaction or irritation. Let me tell you, a much different and better experience with them off. I have had 4 different sizes and they all give me the same grief. They have never hurt my "teeth" they just give me extreme soft tissue discomfort. I am on Seal non latex now and while I do prefer the non latex, they are still gross and annoying.

[Ambrosia80]

I don't mind mine at all. I actually feel weird without them in.

[cs2thecox]

I'm lucky that I only have to wear mine at night, but they're still a massive faff.
(My ortho only ever asks his adult patients to wear them at night, as compliance is so much better. Yes, it takes longer, but at least I wear them every night knowing I can take them out in the morning. If I had to wear them all the time, I'd probably get so angry at them I'd skip days on end, which would be worse... My ortho is far too smart. )

There is extra pressure from wearing them, but I don't really notice it any more.
And frankly it's a small price to pay to see things moving!

I'm using them to close an open bite, and the gap really is noticeably smaller in the mornings. OK, so it partly goes back during the day, but I have two teeth touching today that haven't touched in more than 10 years, so that's pretty cool really. (<- geek. That should *not* be cool if I didn't have braces!)

[homegrown]

Just as i had imagined them to be i suppose then! I was really worried about delivering important presentations for my work etc so i suppose if i can take them out in this instance thats much better. I currently have a gap in my lower teeth, directly in the middle, where i had a tooth removed, which is very noticable. Added elastics would just be overkill!
Thanks again for the feedback. Peer support really is a valuable and often under-used resource.