Metal Mouth Message Board

Why is it so hard to mentally put your elastics in after taking them out to brush in the morning? Just went to work, emptied my pockets and this little Impala on my elastics bag is staring at me!!! Making me feel guilty. I swear, hes giving me the evil eye.

That is all, time to put my face back in elastic jail.

of

That's funny. Although I was recently relieved of my duty to wear elastics, I too would do the same thing. I purposely put the bag in a prominent location on my waterpik stationed directly in front of me so that I COULD NOT MISS IT AFTER BRUSHING FOR GOD'S SAKE and of course about 2 days a week it would dawn on me as I drove into work that I was without elastics, and that the bag I kept in my office would undoubtedly taunt me. "What's the matter Danny Boy, did you forget something this morning? Oh Mr. Big Shot can't remember to put in his elastics. Is it too much for your pea brain?" And so forth.
And yes, I have issues

The closer to the end I get, the more issues I have. With everything in, i am completely locked shut unless I really force it open. So it definitely is a release from prison when I take them out and going back to Jail when they are put back in. And the Impala staring at me from my elastic bag is the warden!


of

I just realized that my little turtle time tracker for how long I have had braces shows I have had them 2 yrs and 7 months, with the end being at 10 years. I wonder if he knows something I don't.

oldfart wrote:I just realized that my little turtle time tracker for how long I have had braces shows I have had them 2 yrs and 7 months, with the end being at 10 years. I wonder if he knows something I don't.

If it's any consolation is does make me feel better about having them on for only 3 years.

I wear elastics like it's my friggin job. It's probably the only thing I'm 100% compliant about when it comes to braces. I'm pretty much guilty of all the orthodontic sins (including doubling up on elastics and changing my own ligs...oops was that aloud?).

jaime wrote:I wear elastics like it's my friggin job. It's probably the only thing I'm 100% compliant about when it comes to braces. I'm pretty much guilty of all the orthodontic sins (including doubling up on elastics and changing my own ligs...oops was that aloud?).

Elastics really are a job.

And changing your own ligs? I've never done that, but 2 days ago, I had to use some floss to re-ligate a bracket with my power chain. That was a lot more difficult than flossing a separator back in.

I bought clear ligs and the clamp tool before I got my braces. I only ever change the front 4 (I only have 6 ceramic brackets anyway) and I don't even do it that often (maybe once between appointments, if that). It is a total PITA. Every time I go to the orthodontist's, I marvel at how quickly they can put them on. But I never say anything because I know I'm not supposed to change my own!

How in the heck did you use floss to put a power chain back on a bracket? Did you thread it through and pull it over the bracket?

I don't know if you have one of those plaque scraper (like this: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Dentek-Scaler ... t/10312778) but they are pretty handy when it comes to braces, ligs, etc.

jaime wrote:How in the heck did you use floss to put a power chain back on a bracket? Did you thread it through and pull it over the bracket?

Yes. That's exactly what I did. I've flossed between my wire and power chain before to get food chunks out (before I had a waterpik), so it was not my first time working with that part. Stretching the link wide was the hardest part, even though the chain was only half off the bracket. I had to pull one side at a time to loop the chain back over the two top points of the bracket. I find it to be one of my finer moments with braces, but I don't dare mention it anywhere but here.

I am probably the only one around insane enough to ask for more elastics than the ortho suggested. I have a hard stop in December due to finances so want as much movement as I can get. So she said i only had to wear four total. When i asked if I could wear to try to get a bit more closure to then she said sure, asked to see what I was asking for and said OK.

When I get them in its, its like OMFG these are tight, and then for an hour I hope no one comes by that wants me to talk as openning my mouth within the first hour isn't possible.

oldfart wrote:Why is it so hard to mentally put your elastics in after taking them out to brush in the morning? Just went to work, emptied my pockets and this little Impala on my elastics bag is staring at me!!! Making me feel guilty. I swear, hes giving me the evil eye.

That is all, time to put my face back in elastic jail.

of

I know the feeling. I wore my class 2 elastics 24/7 even for eating and only had them out whilst I was cleaning my teeth but the most recent configuration, what a nightmare. I wear them each night but getting 12 hours wear in is proving so difficult. I don't know what the issue is? Yes they are more restrictive and are much more visible, yes they affect my speech a bit and stop me from snacking but honestly, what is the big deal? I happily wear them almost full time at weekends but just can't seem to pluck up the courage to wear them at work. What's wrong with me?

Whats the setup?

oldfart wrote:Whats the setup?

Box seating elastics both sides and an anterior cross bite elastic from upper left canine to lower right canine. Minimum 12 hours wear per day but happy with full time if I keep an eye on progress.

I have a silly question...

When you have rubber bands criss-crossing all over your teeth, does your significant other find it off putting when kissing?



I asked because my BF wasn't and still isn't too enthused about my braces. He says I remind him of 007's nemesis, Jaws, when I smile. Anyways, who knows what he'll think once I get rubber bands? The thought of it makes me laugh already.

Some of you are really silly, im actually trying to be pretty much perfect while i have braces and whenever i misplace some of my elastics i freak out, even though i do have more than enough for one day in one bag.

I could never just forget to put them in, or change them semi-regularly (sometimes longer than average though, but not long enough to lose significant pressure)

My only weird thing with elastics is im a bit OCD with trying to put them in perfect (as in if they get a little twisted, even if on the right teeth, i feel like i have to keep trying to put them in perfect)