elastic bands until snap?

[stell4r]

My ortho makes me use elastic bands until they break.
Does not want to give me more.
I looked with a lot of information (internet) and much of them said to change the bands 2 to 3 times a day.
what is your opinion?

[stell4r]

Anyone?

[arciedee]

Seems unusual to me... I don't recall my ortho or his assistants telling me how often to change the elastics, but the gist was that they should be changed a few times a day since they lose elasticity, and thus effectiveness, over time. And they never had a problem with me coming in to get an extra packet if I needed them before my next appointment. Strange...

[stell4r]

Thanks for your reply.
I don't want to badmouth someone but it seems when they have the power of profitability of delaying the the procedure,
and you already paid and you're stuck with them, i just get frustrated. Oh well.
I will present this information to him but i know he's going to take it lightly and dismiss it.
I will probably buy elastics outside of office if i have to.

[clearlybracedmomma23]

I'm under instruction to change mine three times a day (like after breakfast lunch and dinner) and take them out for snacks and put them back in after. your supposed to change them like that because after wearing them for so long the elastic loses its strength from your saliva and donesnt work as well so you replace them with the new ones so they continue to put as much pressure on your teeth as possible.my office says to call if I'm going to run out and they will mail me more so my progress isn't slowed at all. your ortho is absolutely extending your treatment time telling you to wear them until they snap your teeth won't progress if you use them that long..

[chloespeaks]

Wow...I have not been instructed to change any bands, and I'm over a year and a half into my treatment. The ortho changes them every month when I go in, and I requested additional ones in case they snap since I live so far away (1.5 hours by train). I have changed them quite often but not every one. Are you talking about the O elastics to bind the arch wire onto the brackets? or something else...?

[newbite]

I just started elastics for my underbite and I have to change them after every meal. They gave me four or five packs of them and there are hundreds per pack. Is it possible you have special bands that are more expensive and last longer or is the ortho really just being totally shady??

@chloe speaks, we're talking about elastic bands that go from top to bottom teeth to adjust bite, not the little bands that go around the brackets to hold on wires.