LilRedPitViper - is in elastics! Updated 11-27-07

[cwatt1]

Karen is absolutely right on. Wow, talk about lousy customer service! I agree -- your ortho should know about the way you were treated. Who needs that with the amount of money you're paying?

I hope you're otherwise happy with your ortho. Unfortunately some people -- apparently including some of your ortho's employees -- are OK from a technical standpoint but lousy businesspeople! Then again, maybe the new hygienist is neither

Let's hope she was just having a bad day...

[Miss Smiley]

WOWzers! This is why I'm afraid to go see a new hygeinist. I'm used to my regular dentists doing my cleanings. I don't want to hear that I have bad teeth because of such and such. I'm a mouth breather and it just seems that plaque and tartar builds up much faster within 3 months of a professional cleaning. There is only so much I can do without a pokey, pick tool that they use. I'm not about to go at it while I'm afraid of endangering my gums. My ortho's office is nice in that they clean out some of the tartar build up since he knows I'm a mouth breather. I'm constantly brushing and flossing, using fluoride rinses and proxabrushes but sometimes, I just need that extra scaling. Maybe you can chat it up with your dentist or ortho and see if you should be coming in more often for a cleaning.

I feel really bad for your day at the dental office, no one should say things about your childhood situation, since you obviously didn't have any control over it. I would have gotten up, told the office manager, ortho, and dentist, and requested not to have that hygeinist again.

[LilRedPitViper]

Adjustment number four was today. All went relatively smoothly this time. I was suprised at the end of the appointment when the ortho hands me a mirror and says, "Watch closely, this is important. And you'll become quite good at this!" Turns out, it's time for elastics. He changed my wires today, and put on ones with these tiny little loop things near the front. I didn't know this until he was showing me how to put on my elastics. I wasn't allowed to leave until I was able to demonstrate my ability to take them on and off myself. Boy, those things get awful slobbery and slippery when you're trying to fit chubby little fingers halfway into your mouth!

I guess I'm not quite clear on how these work. How long I'll be wearing them... (I know, i know.. it's different for everyone.) Could someone explain how these things fit into treatment? Thanks!

I sort of feel like I have reached some tiny milestone in my journey to a better smile. I also feel like I'm going to be a little sore tomorrow morning...

[rhonda30]

Welcome to the world of elastics, just a little more orthodontic fun that you probably never dreamed of before your journey started. I know I didn't!

When I first got mine I was only able to open my mouth about 3 inches which was difficult when you are a teacher. I have since adjusted and I'm sure my students enjoyed me more when I spoke less. In my case they have been used to both close my bite and also shift my midline. A couple of months ago I was adorned with 4 of them. I am wearing two at the moment. I have had them pop out of my mouth and also break which obviously causes some minor discomfort to your gums and/or cheek. My ortho gave me a little hook device to help me put them in but after a short while it was easier and faster to just use my fingers.

I think I have outlined the worst case scenerio for the little buggers but keep smiling you will get used to them and your future smile will be the benefactor of a liitle inconvenience.

[Miss Smiley]

I don't have chubby fingers, I have short and skinny ones, they didn't do much good when trying to put rubberbands on either. I ended up going back and asking for an elastics tool. It really made my life that much easier! I can do it with out lookingin the mirror or when I'm driving. Scary but awesome! You should call and tell them t's a bit difficult to get the rubberbands in there, and see if they've got a little hok/tool thing for you.

[iBorg]

Had a chance to check out your story. Elastics are "fun" but important. What I find so weird is how one side pops in with no problem while the other side is a true challenge. Elastics put a guiding force that gently moves your teeth. After you get used to them you'll not be able to tell they're doing anything but you'll feel naked without them. Then all of a sudden you'll notice something is different. Maybe its a gap closed or maybe opened. For me, it was a major improvement in my TMJ.

I'm glad this adjustment went better.