Elastics 24 hours a day?

Message

#1 Post by **changes09** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 9:02 am

My doc said that I should whear my elastics as close to 24 hours as possible. I prolly wear my elastics 20 hours a day. Is that good enough? Will those 4 hours delay me in treatment? I even try to eat with elastics at times because I want to try to keep them in as long as possible.

#2 Post by **shoshiaf** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 9:49 am

Hmm...four hours seems like kind of a long time to NOT be wearing the elastics. You should do what your ortho tells you. If he says to wear them all the time, I would try to do that in order to keep the pressure on your teeth constant. However, the best thing to do is to tell your ortho that you're wearing them only 20 hours and see what he says.

#3 Post by **socksy** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 10:17 am

20 hours is the majority of the day so you're probably fine. I was also told to wear my elastic for 24 hours a day and I'd say I ended up wearing it about 22 hours. I had an adjustment yesterday and my ortho said she could tell I had been very compliant with wearing it. My reward is that I now only have to wear it 12 hours per day.

#4 Post by **LCARA** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 10:30 am

I think when the say 24 hours a day, they just are trying to get you to wear them more than just at night.

Frankly, I don't think you should use them when you chew...cause if they are tight they will be pulling on your teeth, I don't think that is healthy.

At first, when they told me 24 hours, I only wore them at night, and at my checkup they scolded me. Then I wore them most of the time and they were very happy. It was probably only 20 hours a day, I didnt wear them when I ate, and for a little while after that, but 18-20 was fine.

#5 Post by **TumbleDryLow** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 10:51 am

Personally I cannot wear elastics 24 hours a day. I don't even attempt to have them in when I eat. I sing periodically, so there are a few days a month where I have them out for 6-8 hours at a time. I think orthos assume that you will not wear them 24 hours. When they tell you to do so the translation is: wear them as much as possible. So far I have had no scoldings or set backs in my treatment. I think wearing them 20 hours a day on average will be fine.

#6 Post by **allisun** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 6:51 pm

I'm sure every case is different, and my ortho was probably exaggerating to make a point, but I was also told to wear mine all the time (except for eating and brushing)... and that if I were to "accidentally" forget and leave them out for 3 hours, it would undo 3 days of wearing them perfectly. Like I said, probably an exaggeration, but I have been trying to wear mine as much as possible to get this treatment over with ASAP.

#7 Post by **BenB** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 4:46 am

I've read on here that every hour they are out you loose four hours, how true that is I'm not sure

#8 Post by **changes09** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 6:10 am

EEK! I hope that is not true! Well I have been doing better yesterday I think I only had my rubber bands out a total of two hours. You know eating, and the 20 min it takes me to brush and floss and mouthwash before bed.

#9 Post by **KLOU117** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 7:27 pm

My orthodontist told me to just take them out when I eat. It's really not worth trying to eat with them in, since they tend to break.

#10 Post by **LCARA** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 8:18 pm

I really doubt for every hour they are out you lose 4 hours, or days...

Those have to be exaggerations from orthos, or maybe just for severe cases...that said it is important to wear them, they know when you havent is all I know.

#11 Post by **KLOU117** » Sat Jan 31, 2009 10:01 am

I should also add that there's some occasions that I leave them out for a few hours (going out to eat and forgetting the bag, or just not having a place to go put them in since I don't want to be sticking rubber bands in my mouth in public.) and my orthodontist still compliments me for being good about wearing my elastics. Just put them back in as soon as possible and you should be fine.

#12 Post by **EmbraceMe** » Sat Jan 31, 2009 5:00 pm

I just got rubber bands on Wednesday. OMG! I thought the bite plate was bad, LOL! I too, have to wear them full time (except eating and brushing) at least until my next appt. in mid-March. I would say I average between 20-21 hours a day, and I honestly believe that is PLENTY long enough, at least I hope so

#13 Post by **sdawdy** » Sat Jan 31, 2009 8:13 pm

I am currently in Class II elastics on my left side. My ortho advised that I should wear them 24 hrs a day also. I was advised I could eat in them but to change them when I do my cleanings. So, I have them out for a very minimal amount of time. I want to make sure that everything is perfect for when I go for my next adjustment. However, since they are only on the left side i notice that i am pretty much only eating on the right side of my mouth....too much gets stuck in the brackets and rubber band when i eat on the left side.....feels really gross