how long can you take elastics off for ?

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#1 Post by **freerideuk** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 3:58 am

how long is it ok to keep my elastics off for

i have been wearing them 24/7 in the house but i went out for my first time properly since my surgery and i took them out for then is that ok ?

also on friday night am going out to some bars /clubs for my birthdays is it ok if you take them out for short periods like this as they reallly hurt my teeth / make me super self concious and i talk slightly funny and i really just wanna enjoy ma night out

i know most off you will say no lol and i know i shouldn't cause there there for a purpose but i guess am looking for a wee bit reassurance that it wont dooo any harm for a couple of hours ??

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#2 Post by **mamabracito** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 5:09 am

You are only 18 days post op, no way you face is healed and the elastics hold the position of where everything goes. Most doctors say 24/7 only remove to eat and brush. Anyway you can do what you want, just remember is your bit goes out of wack good chance because you didn't wear yoour elastics.

#3 Post by **dubnobass** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 5:55 am

I wore mine at all time except for eating. Only with the set I've had for the last couple of weeks was there any suggestion that I should wear them "as much as possible" rather than all the time. In the last week or so there have been times where I've left them off for a couple of hours. I gather the first month or so is a criticial time, though, because you need to retrain your jaw muscles which means they need constant traction.

I don't think I'd risk it so early post-op. You've said yourself that the only thing keeping your teeth from being edge-to-edge is the elastics.

#4 Post by **HighandLo** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 5:57 am

freeride,

I have to admit, I did take out my elastics for a few hours at a time (occasionally). Mainly because the elastics sometimes really made my tongue so sore when I talked, it was almost impossible to make myself understood! I would wear my elastics for 22 hours and take them off for two (once in a while) and my bite didn't move. HOWEVER, I'm not a professional. Maybe you could give your OS a call to see if this is OK in your case?

Besides, who is to say how long it takes to eat

?

Lo

#5 Post by **jjames** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 6:21 am

Freerideuk,
I think it's different for everyone. If you can ask your OS if it's o.k., that's definitely best. But I had lower jaw surgery on Oct. 1, and while I'm careful to put them back in at night, but I've gotten to where in the day since my jaw seems to be holding, I take those suckers off during work hours. It makes no sense to me because they want you to get your ROM back - but how the Jesus. H. Christ flying a kite are you supposed to do that without excercising your jaw muscles because the elastics are on ALL the time??? I haven't seen my OS since my surgery since it was done at a dental college. Honestly, I can't even tell you the name of my OS since they switched up with some student on me when I got on the operating table and everytime I go for a check-up they just push me off on the next clueless student. So I just read the board and do what feels right. But you had upper and lower right? So be extra careful. It sure would suck to have gone through all that and then have to spend three times as long in elastics because they were taken out just a tad too early. GOOD LUCK!!!

#6 Post by **Renden** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 6:24 am

Nothing drastic is going to happen if you take them out for 1 night..

Take them out, have fun, sorted!

#7 Post by **BVProductions** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 11:40 am

I think you would be quite alright for a day or two.
A few days after I got home from my surgery, one (of four) of my elastics (the canine one) snapped on the left side. Doctor said it'd be alright.
He also said it would be alright to cut them if I ever needed to puke(luckily I haven't, but I was very close to when getting out of surgery).. so I guess it all depends on the type of elastics, how many you have in ,etc..

#8 Post by **asd** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 1:37 pm

I wore my elastics 24/7 for 5 weeks, your still very early on.. But if your only going to be out a few hours it may be ok..

#9 Post by **sahra** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 7:38 pm

I had upper ,lower and gin slide done two weeks ago. today my doctor took off the ruberbands. and told me to exercise my mouth (open as much as i could) and then to see my orth. she said if your ortho. wants you can use the ruberband otherwise you're o.k. to go.( I have done my surgery at UC San Francisco. She is very good doctor and has high qualifications for this kind of surgery. so depends on the doctor.

#10 Post by **freerideuk** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 8:19 pm

hey guys thanks for the replys

i will deff start wearing them more but i see no harm in one night specially since its for my 18th lol

but i guess am stuck with them for awhile sooo alll have to get used to them

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