When do I stop with the elastics?

[Angel21]

My orthodontist told me to only wear my elastics at night once the teeth are aligned properly, otherwise they will go too far back. But I'm not exactly sure at what point this is. She made it sound like the teeth have to be on top of each other, but I always thought the perfect bite meant the upper teeth overlapping the lower. My canines are right above my lower teeth, but my front teeth still have a tiny gap between them and the lower. When is it still considered an overjet? How far do they have to be? I think they look at the right place now, and I don't really want them going back any further as my front teeth will stick out more (they're larger than the rest). But there are still gaps there from the extractions, I assume the back teeth will be moved forward? My teeth feel like they're grinding on each other more, like the bite isn't quite right (with the back molars). Or maybe I just need to get used to my bite being different?

Here's a pic..

http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/2432/fgfdgf.jpg

Thank you

[Ellabelle]

I don't know the answer to your question, but your bite looks awesome! You're going to have such a gorgeous smile when those babies come off!!

[Kipepeo]

In what configuration are you wearing the elastics?

[Angel21]

Thanks Ellabelle I can't wait to have them off!

I'm wearing the elastics from my upper canines (well it's on a hook on the arch wire now) to lower back molars. This is to fix my overjet, well what used to be an overjet any way!

Here is how bad it was half a year ago...

http://imageshack.us/a/img849/4772/overjet2.jpg
http://imageshack.us/a/img593/8804/overjet.jpg

[BracedInNOLA]

I would fully expect that the ortho would TELL you when to change the duration of elastic wearing at one of your regular appointments. At a minimum, ask her how you would tell it's 'time' to make the change. You don't want to make the change too soon and have a longer overall duration in braces because you 'stopped' too soon!

If my ortho told me that, I'd expect that he was just giving me hope that at some point I would have them night-only, not that I'd need to decide when that point had been reached on my own before my next appointment.

[TMJJill]

I've been wearing my elastics in that configuration, nighttime only, since the first month of my treatment. I fully expect to wear them the entire length of my treatment. They are holding my bite in correct position while I sleep.

[Angel21]

Yeah my ortho basically told me to stop and switch to night time only when I felt that the teeth fit together, but it's hard to know myself exactly when this is. That's why I asked on here if the bite looked ok. I was thinking of going to see her before my next appointment just to make sure as I have been dedicatedly wearing my elastics 24/7 for 3 months now and wouldn't want to delay my treatment any more. I think wearing them nightly only from now should be ok. It feels weird not wearing them during the day, feels like my mouth is finally free haha.

[Angel21]

I just emailed my ortho and she said to switch to night time only now, yay!