Elastics Hook on Inner 4's

[CoryDaniels]

My ortho Put 2 small hooks on the inside of my lower 4's to attach a rubberband to my top 4's....to fix my crossbite. Well I was advised to only wear the elastics at night...but the hooks bare really hurt throughout the day...The sides of my tongue are raw and hurts even to talk....I would really like to be able to keep wearing the rubber bands..but right now I am having to wear dental wax on the hooks when the elastics are not in and that gets very annoying to have in all day... is there a different type of attachment they can use?

[sirwired]

I've been using a rinse called Rincinol (made by GUM) on my cheek issues, and it seems to soothe the pain for a few hours. You might want to give it a try. You can get it at Walgreens; I can't find anybody else that carries it.

Warning: It's expensive; $10 for a 4oz bottle, which is enough for 12 doses.

Also helpful has been Rite-Aid brand Gly-Oxide. (Rite-Aid calls it Antiseptic Oral Pain Relief) It's a 10% Carbamide Peroxide solution. It helps to clean the irritated tissue off. The dinky little 1/2oz bottle I think was $7, but you only need a few drops per dose.

[BBQ Grill]

I like to use the mouth rinse called SUCK IT UP!.... LOL.... It's a clear liquid that looks like water... It'll do nothing ... But after one week your cheeks will magically toughens up...

[Snowglobe32]

The pain Cory is describing isn't cheek irritation, it is the side of the tongue and it hurts really bad until it goes away. Everytime you talk, eat or move your mouth the tongue hits the elastic hooks and it feels like you are being stabbed.

I had 4 of those; they take about a week or two to get use to. While the elastics are out, the hooks do cause painful irritation on the sides of your tongue. I rinsed with salt water and it helped.

I also used Benzodent (apply with a q-tip) on my tongue, it is similiar to orajel, more paste like and sticks like crazy. It does take some time before the irritation goes away. I haven't worn my cross elastics for months and I don't even notice the hooks now. I actually swallowed one some time in the last few weeks so I only have 3 now.

I do not think there is anything else they can use instead of the hooks.

Good luck!

[Clarasmom]

CoryDaniels: I have had one of those hooks... they call them "buttons" as if they are smooth and round and adorable... for two weeks now. I find it so intolerable that I am going to insist it come out at Tuesdays appointment. It just pushed me over the edge with all this. I am an adult, give me the "against medical advice" waiver, and get this %#@$ thing out of my mouth :-) I feel your pain, literally.

[sirwired]

Yes, I realize Cory has tongue, and not cheek, irritation. But Gly-Oxide and Ricninol are general oral irritation treatments (their main listed use is canker sores.) I have found them to be of great help in the healing process.

[Clarasmom]

I think Snowglobe was responding to BBQgrill's empathic post, sirwired. Cheers!

[CoryDaniels]

well I found a solution. I was going to seriously call them and tell them to take them out, but I discovered what dental wax is actually good for. So now when I don't have my elastics in while eating or brushing..I put dental wax over both hooks and all is well throughout the day. Seems to be working really well....I really want to keep the elastics because I can already tell a difference in my bite and teeth movement, so i want to keep it up.

[Clarasmom]

Button-free is the way to be! I had my button removed today (as I said I was going to). But I only had one, and I am in the "Sure Smile" system. The Brat (my ortho) was pleased with the progress my bite is making even w/o elastics which I quite wearing a week ago b/c of a suspected latex allergy (see other forum post). So he left me out of elastics for another 6 weeks -- mostly, I think, b/c he couldn't find any latex-free elastics. But I am still on schedule, and I hope to stay that way.

[CoryDaniels]

My bite is already in good shape now just from wearing the elastics for a week. all of my teeth are "locking" together when I bite down...I think by my next appointment (Feb. 21st) I bet my bite blocks will come off. The "buttons" def. are annoying but I can tell they are working and I know this will all be worth it once they come off.