If the second bicuspids have not erupted, I bypass those until later. Again the first wires are thermal .018 for intital alignment. I progressively tie with stainless steel ligature to eliminate rotations. If there are midline discrepancies, or Class II problems, then elastics are started as soon as the .018 stainless wires are placed. I typically tie the upper anteriors together from cuspid to cuspid while using Class II elastics to integral hooks on the cuspid brackets.
Elastics are typically of medium to heavy weight.
I only use two sizes on most cases. I rarely if ever use biteplanes except to deal with anterior crossbites. Bite opening is rarely ever a problem except for exceptionally heavy muscled brachycephalic facial patterns. Since I rarely extract cases, I don't have problems with closing mechanics. When I do need to close extraction spaces, I generally do so with Power Chair, changed at three week intervals, or use nickel titanium traction springs of 200 to 300 gm. force.