I'm getting the rubber bands......

[Sunset]

Ok, so, I've had by braces for about 2 months and I just found out today (literally half an hour ago) that I'm getting those rubber band things on Friday. I'm sorta scared and I have a few questions.

I have an overbite and that's why I'm getting them. Where will they put them and will they show?
If I don't wear them to school and wear them for the rest of the day would that mean I would need to wear them longer?
Will I have a lisp?

Thanks.

[Stephanie]

The rubber bands connect from the top to the bottom and if you have an overbite, I believe the bottom bands will be further back in your mouth and the upper jaw will be somewhere around the canines...

They are really no big deal, you just have to take them out when eating...

[Zoso]

Please wear them exactly as instructed by your orthodontist - so if he says full time, then you must wear them even at school. If you don't them your progress definitely will be impeded.

But as Stephanie said, if they are to treat an overjet, they are hardly going to be visible at all, so don't worry. Do drink plenty of water though, or else they might give you sores.

[MCOMarkhamOrthodontist]

Elastics should be worn full time to achieve the movement desired. If worn half-time, you're basically moving your teeth, and then allowing them to go back to the same place they started. It may also increase discomfort because you are no longer putting on a constant force, but rather giving yourself a "tightening" every so often. In other words, your teeth will be a lot more sore.

If you're planning on wearing your elastics at night only, I'm sorry to say but you'll probably be in braces significantly longer, and possibly not achieve the desired correction.

I always break it down to our patients like this when we have a compliance problem with elastics...

Have you been wearing your elastics all the time? A: No
Do you like wearing braces? A: No (since they're usually the ones getting towards the end of their proposed original treatment time)
Do you want to get your braces off faster? A: Yes
Do you think wearing your elastics all the time will help your braces come off faster or slower? A: Faster

A little smile comes on the patient's face and not much more needs to be said.

Good luck!

[Sunny]

Great that your bite is ready for elastics Sunset!

Please wear them as instructed by your ortho, or your results may not be as you hope, plus your treatment may take longer. Remember if you can see the elastics, it doesn't mean that others can. Mostly a person really needs to be looking hard at someones mouth to notice things like elastics ... and to be honest, I don't think most people are that interested in what's going on inside our mouths!

Some people have a slight lisp when they begin wearing elastics, but it's rarely noticed by others, and will go the more you wear the elastics.

Good luck!

[Coop22]

I have Invisalign and my ortho gave me elastics at my last appointment (04/04/09). He demonstrated with his teeth what mine were suppose to look like and what to watch out for since he wouldn't be seeing me again for over a month. I was suppose to wear them 22 hours a day (whenever I had my Invisalign in) and change the bands daily. After about 3 weeks, I noticed that my top teeth were starting to graze the bottom ones a little so I dropped back to wearing them only at night until my next appointment which is next week and they now seem like they are close, but not touching like he showed me. Anyway, good luck with your elastics... they sure take some getting use to!

[Sunny]

Coop it might be worth giving your ortho a call and checking that you're doing the right thing.

Sounds like your teeth have responded well to wearing the elastics.

Good luck wiht your progress!