Elastics in bite correction

[almost40]

I will be starting elastics later this month to correct my overjet. When the ortho places the elastics, does he place your jaw in the desired final position and use the elastics to lock that position in place until it’s fixed, or does he gradually move the jaw forward with elastics over time? Thanks!

[assertives]

From what I understand, the elastics moves the upper jaw back and the lower jaw forward to close up the overjet.

[kplatt2010]

Over-time. Depending on the over-jet size, compliance with elastics, and whether you have a stubborn jaw, it could be a a couple months to a year. Your ortho can give you an estimated time line. Here's a good website that someone else posted about elastics and the different configs.
http://www.myhealth.gov.my/en/elastic-wear/

[AndAndAnd]

No, the jaw isn’t placed into a final position. As assertives mentioned the elastics are just anchored onto the lower back teeth and the tension will pull your overjet back. I’m guessing the lower jaw may move forward a little as well?

Although no one seems to want them, elastics really do their work. My overjet has reduced from 8mm to 4 mm in only four months. The day I started elastics I marked a steel ruler with the original measurement of my overjet. I was really surprised to see how fast movements are made while wearing them.

[pcspinheiro]

Elastics have mostly dentoalveolar effects, ie., they move teeth. Any jaw repositioning effects should be temporary while elastics are being worn since they will be pulling on the jaw, on one direction or the other.

[almost40]

Thanks everyone! I had thought that they mostly work to reposition the lower jaw but I see they actually pull the upper teeth back. It sounds like a daunting task!

[kplatt2010]

Hi there- it does both. It moves the upper arch backward and the mandibular arch is brought forward.

[EmilyTravels]

It is still magic to me, but elastics do work! I was in a Class 2 configuration alternating with triangles to help with my slightly open anterior bite for an overall time of 9-10 months out of my 14 months in braces. As I sit here now with retainers and no elastics, the improvements in my overjet/open bite are still there. I was sure the improvements would regress once I was debraced, but they really haven't...so far.

Like I said, there's a bit of magic there, since everyone told me that elastics (and braces) move teeth, not jaws -- but my jaws sure do fit together much, much better than before braces. Not sure if the jaw muscles were retrained, or what -- but whatever happened, it worked.

[Lovespain5]

No, the jaw isn’t placed into a final position. As assertives mentioned the elastics are just anchored onto the lower back teeth and the tension will pull your overjet back. I’m guessing the lower jaw may move forward a little as well?

Although no one seems to want them, elastics really do their work. My overjet has reduced from 8mm to 4 mm in only four months. The day I started elastics I marked a steel ruler with the original measurement of my overjet. I was really surprised to see how fast movements are made while wearing them.

Hello everyone! You can ask me all what you want about elastics as I wore them for 18 months, in different configurations. The mostly used elastics are the Class II, used to put your upper jaw back as well as putting forward your lower jaw. In my experience, after all my extraction gaps had been closed, I kept on wearing my Class II Rams to put a little more my lower jaw forward. The forces are progressive, it needs to wear elastics some months, on some cases more than a year to allow your jaws to reach their final position. The jaws stability is the retainers job.

[quickredfox]

Does anyone here feel like their face shape has changed due to wearing elastics?

I'm not at the elastics stage yet, but I wonder if this is a factor at all.

[almost40]

So in regards to the upper jaw, the changes are dento-alveolar, but for the lower jaw, the jaw joint remodels to a different position? The lower teeth aren’t actually changing position in the gums, just the jaw joint, right?

[pcspinheiro]

Pretty sure I read in scientific articles that elastics don't reposition the jaw. Not directly, at least. But by re-positioning teeth they may change the way the mandible is placed for proper tooth "fit" hence effectively moving it. Was I clear on that? For example, my mandible is a bit retracted and working on the back limits of the TMJ (I can move it forward a lot, but not backward) because that's where my upper and lower teeth fit to a stop. I would like for it to work a bit more foward, as this may relieve my TMJ problems. My former ortho also failed to listen to this complaint and "forced" me to go the extraction route, but this would only make it worse. Have I ever mentioned she was a major idiot? Yeah, I did...

[Lovespain5]

Does anyone here feel like their face shape has changed due to wearing elastics?

I'm not at the elastics stage yet, but I wonder if this is a factor at all.

Yes! At least, of you couple premolar extractions and elastics, as it is my case, your facial proportions tend to change slightly. Your nasolabial and mentolabial angles increase as the teeth are retracted. Resulting a straight profile (if it was initially convex) and a very slightly longer low part of the face.

[Lovespain5]

So in regards to the upper jaw, the changes are dento-alveolar, but for the lower jaw, the jaw joint remodels to a different position? The lower teeth aren’t actually changing position in the gums, just the jaw joint, right?

Yes, if you talk about the fact to put the lower jaw forward. As I suffered from bimax protrusion, my lower jaw was firstly pushed back with class-III elastics as my lower gaps were closing. This reposition lower front teeth in the gums too. But when you have class II elastics to put your lower jaw forward as I had during the end of my treatment too, it is the work of the jaw joint.

[pcspinheiro]

I really think you guys are confusing the FEELING of having the jaw pulled forward or backward with what are actually the lasting effects of elastics, which is to reposition teeth to close the extraction gaps: you pull top teeth backward with class II elastics anchored in the bottom molars (giving the feeling of the mandible being pulled forward) and pull the lower teeth backward with class III elastics anchored in the top molars (giving the feeling of pulling the mandible backward). But what changes permanently are the positions of teeth.