Why hello there elastics..

[nifer237]

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.

For me as well. Nothing has been as bad as elastics, including the initial visit and extractions. I had some painkillers saved up that I used during that time.

[Chiara]

Well good news, after wearing them constantly(only taking them out to eat and brush/floss) they dont really hurt anymore. When i wake up in the morning my teeth are pretty sore, which isnt unusual since i did get a stronger wire. Call me crazy but... I'm kinda starting to like the elastics..but I have a good reason. When i take them out my front top teeth hit my bottom teeth, which has never happened since i started treatment with an openbite. I really dont like the feeling of my teeth banging against each other, im kinda scared im gonna break them lol. so everybody WEAR YOUR ELASTICS!! They're good for you!!

[sea54change]

I thought 2 elastics, one on each side (1/4") were bad. Now I have 3. Two on one side. The thitd one is a smaller size elastic - 3/16". When I first started wearing it, I had the same pain as when the braces were installed! I couldn't bite for 5 days. As usaul once the initail pain is endured, it's back to usual.

[believer1964]

Your teeth will be very tender to the point where eating a sandwich is painful for the first week. It does get better. You may have tenderness some days and some days not have ANY. They may rub against your mouth tissues. Just put up with it.

They are annoying but please wear your elastics religiously as it is part of the treatment plan. Not doing so will delay and compromise the end result.

And don't do like I have done once or twice is forget to put your elastics back in after brushing your teeth. I did that, and later on that day, my teeth started hurting , but when I put the elastics back in, the pain went away.

[ArchWired28]

After reading this topic, I thought that my brackets do not have hooks, but apparently they do, I just never paid attention! There are hooks only on the molars, though. Yahoo! I will be getting elastics!
Strange, right? But I do want my scissors bite fixed! And honestly, I want it ASAP. Glad to know that wearing elastics is no fun, that will give me time to brace myself!

[rhuj]

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!

Hey Snowglobe, thats ok! I need to put a brave face on it cause my DD just got braced up today and we'll be going to adjustments together..... I NEED TO TOUGHEN UP ME THINKS!

[LoveOrtho]

Personally, I really don't hate elastics! Sure they are a pain in the butt, but they do really work... I'm so happy my ortho told me last adjustment that I could stop wearing elastics (well maybe not permanently, but I get a break ) It's just the first week or so, and then I don't really notice them, except when I'm with friends and one of my elastics snap .

Best of luck with elastics!
LoveOrtho

[bedazzlemouth]

I have all the hooks for plenty of elastics...none yet though, and I don't want to inquire as to when I'll get them because the truth is that I don't want to know anything about having more stuff in my mouth until it happens. Hope your pain is subsiding.