I think my orthodontist told me to wear my elastics wrong?

[Slader01]

I have an over/deep bite, but no overjet. I just went in for an adjustment, and when the doctor came in to examine me, she kept saying "class III... Class III.." Idk if she had me confused with another patient, but I do not have a class III malocclusion. A class III is an underbite. She has me wearing elastics, and after doing some research, it says that I'm wearing elastics for a patient with an underbite, which I don't have. She has me wearing them from the upper first molar, to the lower canine, on both sides. After looking online, it appears she has it backwards, as (according to online) an overbite should be worn from upper canine to lower first molar on both sides. I'm studying to be an orthodontist, which is why I find all of this so interesting/know about it. So what should I do? Listen to my orthodontist or listen to every other orthodontist on the Internet?

[ItsFreyja]

You should listen to your orthodontist! Wearing class III elastics isn't only for class III malocclusions. You probably should have asked about the situation during your adjustment -- orthodontists do make mistakes! -- but there's no reason you can't call the office and ask now.

[metalliKa]

I would advice you to call your ortho's office and inquire why he used the elastics he used. Your responsibility as an ortho patient is to ask questions if you're not sure about the treatment. From reading here on AW, there are classes of elastics ranging from I, II and so forth. The ortho may not have been talking about your specific malocclusion class but the class of the elastics he used.

[Felina Grimm]

I originally had an overbite and crossbite and recently started elastics. I was also given a Class III configuration on one side. But as the teeth were being moved around to straighten them, it resulted in an edge to edge bite on the right side of my mouth, so my lower front teeth needed to be moved back a bit and to achieve that movement, I was prescribed that configuration. The configurations depend on the type of movement that the ortho desires. And those configurations don't necessarily mean that they're specifically for your type of original maloclussion. As time passes, you might no longer have that maloclussion that you started with by the time you wear elastics.

[newbite]

Perhaps they want to give you some overjet since you say you don't have any? If you had class 2 elastics that would just make your lack of overjet worse

[Felina Grimm]

That's what I'm thinking. You might start with one maloclussion and end up with another while your teeth are shifting as it happened with me, which is why I have a Class III to correct the edge to edge on my right side.

[cata]

Agree with what everyone has said. I have an underbite, and my ortho has me wearing class II on one side and class III on the other... to shift my midline.

[Slader01]

Thank you all so much. I have no clue why I've lost faith in my orthodontist, when she's never done anything wrong. I just found that kind of weird. Thanks guys!

[Muridjdhdj]

Hi! I have the same thing. My ortho gave me class 3 for an overbite. I know it’s been 7 years but did they do the right thing.