rubber bands keep breaking

[Guest guest]

Hi it's Helen. I'm almost 4 weeks post op (4 weeks on Thursday --

lower jaw setback)! Yeah. I was initially wired shut and then 2

weeks post op was switched to being " tightly banded " . I had about 25-

30 rubber bands in my mouth. Last week two popped on Wednesday one

day before my weekly visit to the OS and he asked me if I could open

my mouth, I said no and he said keep your scheduled appointment for

the next day. I did and he added two more rubber bands.

Well, this week two rubber bands broke yesterday (Monday) and one

more just a few minutes ago. I called the OS today and he asked

again if I could open my mouth and I said no so he said to keep my

scheduled appointment for Thursday. I wonder how many rubber bands

will break before that.

Anyway, I guess my question is has this happened to anyone else? He

doesn't give me extra rubber bands and I wear them all the time (none

come off for eating, I'm still on a liquid diet). He decorates my

teeth with them, criss-crossing etc. The ones near the back of my

teeth are still one and it still feels like my bite is falling into

place.

I guess that I am just concerned that these rubber bands popping off

will lengthen my time being wired. 6 weeks is up on August 26th and

I am counting the days.

Thanks for any help.

Helen

[Guest guest]

Hi it's Helen. I'm almost 4 weeks post op (4 weeks on Thursday --

lower jaw setback)! Yeah. I was initially wired shut and then 2

weeks post op was switched to being " tightly banded " . I had about 25-

30 rubber bands in my mouth. Last week two popped on Wednesday one

day before my weekly visit to the OS and he asked me if I could open

my mouth, I said no and he said keep your scheduled appointment for

the next day. I did and he added two more rubber bands.

Well, this week two rubber bands broke yesterday (Monday) and one

more just a few minutes ago. I called the OS today and he asked

again if I could open my mouth and I said no so he said to keep my

scheduled appointment for Thursday. I wonder how many rubber bands

will break before that.

Anyway, I guess my question is has this happened to anyone else? He

doesn't give me extra rubber bands and I wear them all the time (none

come off for eating, I'm still on a liquid diet). He decorates my

teeth with them, criss-crossing etc. The ones near the back of my

teeth are still one and it still feels like my bite is falling into

place.

I guess that I am just concerned that these rubber bands popping off

will lengthen my time being wired. 6 weeks is up on August 26th and

I am counting the days.

Thanks for any help.

Helen

[Guest guest]

Were you not given rubber bands to replace any broken bands?

I had 2 bands for 4 weeks..i replaced the bands every night...

> Hi it's Helen. I'm almost 4 weeks post op (4 weeks on Thursday --

> lower jaw setback)! Yeah. I was initially wired shut and then 2

> weeks post op was switched to being " tightly banded " . I had about 25-

> 30 rubber bands in my mouth. Last week two popped on Wednesday one

> day before my weekly visit to the OS and he asked me if I could open

> my mouth, I said no and he said keep your scheduled appointment for

> the next day. I did and he added two more rubber bands.

>

> Well, this week two rubber bands broke yesterday (Monday) and one

> more just a few minutes ago. I called the OS today and he asked

> again if I could open my mouth and I said no so he said to keep my

> scheduled appointment for Thursday. I wonder how many rubber bands

> will break before that.

>

> Anyway, I guess my question is has this happened to anyone else? He

> doesn't give me extra rubber bands and I wear them all the time (none

> come off for eating, I'm still on a liquid diet). He decorates my

> teeth with them, criss-crossing etc. The ones near the back of my

> teeth are still one and it still feels like my bite is falling into

> place.

>

> I guess that I am just concerned that these rubber bands popping off

> will lengthen my time being wired. 6 weeks is up on August 26th and

> I am counting the days.

>

> Thanks for any help.

>

> Helen

[Guest guest]

Were you not given rubber bands to replace any broken bands?

I had 2 bands for 4 weeks..i replaced the bands every night...

> Hi it's Helen. I'm almost 4 weeks post op (4 weeks on Thursday --

> lower jaw setback)! Yeah. I was initially wired shut and then 2

> weeks post op was switched to being " tightly banded " . I had about 25-

> 30 rubber bands in my mouth. Last week two popped on Wednesday one

> day before my weekly visit to the OS and he asked me if I could open

> my mouth, I said no and he said keep your scheduled appointment for

> the next day. I did and he added two more rubber bands.

>

> Well, this week two rubber bands broke yesterday (Monday) and one

> more just a few minutes ago. I called the OS today and he asked

> again if I could open my mouth and I said no so he said to keep my

> scheduled appointment for Thursday. I wonder how many rubber bands

> will break before that.

>

> Anyway, I guess my question is has this happened to anyone else? He

> doesn't give me extra rubber bands and I wear them all the time (none

> come off for eating, I'm still on a liquid diet). He decorates my

> teeth with them, criss-crossing etc. The ones near the back of my

> teeth are still one and it still feels like my bite is falling into

> place.

>

> I guess that I am just concerned that these rubber bands popping off

> will lengthen my time being wired. 6 weeks is up on August 26th and

> I am counting the days.

>

> Thanks for any help.

>

> Helen

[Guest guest]

Hi Helen,

I can't offer any advice on the rubber bands as I was only lightly

banded, and could remove them after the first week for eating &

cleaning. By week 6, my surgical hook broke and my surgeon said I

could stop wearing them.

I don't think your wiring will be prolonged. The jaws are supposed to

heal in about 6-8 weeks, after 4 weeks a lot of healing has taken

place. Still, I would follow your surgeon's directions. He is being

conservative for good reason, I'm sure, and if he thinks you can wait

until your next appointment at this stage, I'll bet it's fine. Keep

in contact with your os, though, if more break. It should be his

decision - he makes the big bucks for all of this, and you're

entitled to his care. I don't think there are any stupid questions

when you're in your recovery phase. I called my surgeon on the

Canadian Thanksgiving weekend (week 6 post-op), and he called me back

himself, didn't mind at all.

And congratulations to you for surviving these weeks, I remember your

earlier posts!

> Hi it's Helen. I'm almost 4 weeks post op (4 weeks on Thursday --

> lower jaw setback)! Yeah. I was initially wired shut and then 2

> weeks post op was switched to being " tightly banded " . I had about

25-

> 30 rubber bands in my mouth. Last week two popped on Wednesday one

> day before my weekly visit to the OS and he asked me if I could

open

> my mouth, I said no and he said keep your scheduled appointment for

> the next day. I did and he added two more rubber bands.

>

> Well, this week two rubber bands broke yesterday (Monday) and one

> more just a few minutes ago. I called the OS today and he asked

> again if I could open my mouth and I said no so he said to keep my

> scheduled appointment for Thursday. I wonder how many rubber bands

> will break before that.

>

> Anyway, I guess my question is has this happened to anyone else?

He

> doesn't give me extra rubber bands and I wear them all the time

(none

> come off for eating, I'm still on a liquid diet). He decorates my

> teeth with them, criss-crossing etc. The ones near the back of my

> teeth are still one and it still feels like my bite is falling into

> place.

>

> I guess that I am just concerned that these rubber bands popping

off

> will lengthen my time being wired. 6 weeks is up on August 26th

and

> I am counting the days.

>

> Thanks for any help.

>

> Helen

[Guest guest]

Hi Helen,

I can't offer any advice on the rubber bands as I was only lightly

banded, and could remove them after the first week for eating &

cleaning. By week 6, my surgical hook broke and my surgeon said I

could stop wearing them.

I don't think your wiring will be prolonged. The jaws are supposed to

heal in about 6-8 weeks, after 4 weeks a lot of healing has taken

place. Still, I would follow your surgeon's directions. He is being

conservative for good reason, I'm sure, and if he thinks you can wait

until your next appointment at this stage, I'll bet it's fine. Keep

in contact with your os, though, if more break. It should be his

decision - he makes the big bucks for all of this, and you're

entitled to his care. I don't think there are any stupid questions

when you're in your recovery phase. I called my surgeon on the

Canadian Thanksgiving weekend (week 6 post-op), and he called me back

himself, didn't mind at all.

And congratulations to you for surviving these weeks, I remember your

earlier posts!

> Hi it's Helen. I'm almost 4 weeks post op (4 weeks on Thursday --

> lower jaw setback)! Yeah. I was initially wired shut and then 2

> weeks post op was switched to being " tightly banded " . I had about

25-

> 30 rubber bands in my mouth. Last week two popped on Wednesday one

> day before my weekly visit to the OS and he asked me if I could

open

> my mouth, I said no and he said keep your scheduled appointment for

> the next day. I did and he added two more rubber bands.

>

> Well, this week two rubber bands broke yesterday (Monday) and one

> more just a few minutes ago. I called the OS today and he asked

> again if I could open my mouth and I said no so he said to keep my

> scheduled appointment for Thursday. I wonder how many rubber bands

> will break before that.

>

> Anyway, I guess my question is has this happened to anyone else?

He

> doesn't give me extra rubber bands and I wear them all the time

(none

> come off for eating, I'm still on a liquid diet). He decorates my

> teeth with them, criss-crossing etc. The ones near the back of my

> teeth are still one and it still feels like my bite is falling into

> place.

>

> I guess that I am just concerned that these rubber bands popping

off

> will lengthen my time being wired. 6 weeks is up on August 26th

and

> I am counting the days.

>

> Thanks for any help.

>

> Helen

[Guest guest]

Unlucky you. Thats a lot of rubber bands!

I never had that many on at once. Not even half as many.

After the first week or two I got replacement rubber bands.

Mine DID break regularly. They lasted longer if I didnt put any of

the seams directly on any of the hooks. And the latex-free ones

broke more often than the regular latex kind. Do you know which kind

you have? Maybe thats not a good question--if you're sensitive to

latex, you wont really have a choice about it.

> Hi it's Helen. I'm almost 4 weeks post op (4 weeks on Thursday --

> lower jaw setback)! Yeah. I was initially wired shut and then 2

> weeks post op was switched to being " tightly banded " . I had about

25-

> 30 rubber bands in my mouth. Last week two popped on Wednesday one

> day before my weekly visit to the OS and he asked me if I could

open

> my mouth, I said no and he said keep your scheduled appointment for

> the next day. I did and he added two more rubber bands.

>

> Well, this week two rubber bands broke yesterday (Monday) and one

> more just a few minutes ago. I called the OS today and he asked

> again if I could open my mouth and I said no so he said to keep my

> scheduled appointment for Thursday. I wonder how many rubber bands

> will break before that.

>

> Anyway, I guess my question is has this happened to anyone else?

He

> doesn't give me extra rubber bands and I wear them all the time

(none

> come off for eating, I'm still on a liquid diet). He decorates my

> teeth with them, criss-crossing etc. The ones near the back of my

> teeth are still one and it still feels like my bite is falling into

> place.

>

> I guess that I am just concerned that these rubber bands popping

off

> will lengthen my time being wired. 6 weeks is up on August 26th

and

> I am counting the days.

>

> Thanks for any help.

>

> Helen

[Guest guest]

Unlucky you. Thats a lot of rubber bands!

I never had that many on at once. Not even half as many.

After the first week or two I got replacement rubber bands.

Mine DID break regularly. They lasted longer if I didnt put any of

the seams directly on any of the hooks. And the latex-free ones

broke more often than the regular latex kind. Do you know which kind

you have? Maybe thats not a good question--if you're sensitive to

latex, you wont really have a choice about it.

> Hi it's Helen. I'm almost 4 weeks post op (4 weeks on Thursday --

> lower jaw setback)! Yeah. I was initially wired shut and then 2

> weeks post op was switched to being " tightly banded " . I had about

25-

> 30 rubber bands in my mouth. Last week two popped on Wednesday one

> day before my weekly visit to the OS and he asked me if I could

open

> my mouth, I said no and he said keep your scheduled appointment for

> the next day. I did and he added two more rubber bands.

>

> Well, this week two rubber bands broke yesterday (Monday) and one

> more just a few minutes ago. I called the OS today and he asked

> again if I could open my mouth and I said no so he said to keep my

> scheduled appointment for Thursday. I wonder how many rubber bands

> will break before that.

>

> Anyway, I guess my question is has this happened to anyone else?

He

> doesn't give me extra rubber bands and I wear them all the time

(none

> come off for eating, I'm still on a liquid diet). He decorates my

> teeth with them, criss-crossing etc. The ones near the back of my

> teeth are still one and it still feels like my bite is falling into

> place.

>

> I guess that I am just concerned that these rubber bands popping

off

> will lengthen my time being wired. 6 weeks is up on August 26th

and

> I am counting the days.

>

> Thanks for any help.

>

> Helen