When you wear braces, there’s always a chance you may need to make adjustments along your way. One important change your orthodontist may recommend is wearing rubber bands (elastics). Here’s why this happens, and what you can expect from treatment.
Why Do I Need Rubber Bands on My Braces?
When it comes to rubber bands, there are two important types used: ligatures, which are wrapped around each individual bracket to help hold your arch wire into place, and interarch rubber bands, which are used to fix your bite and jaw alignment.
Every patient who wears braces already has ligatures. These stay on all the time and are removed and replaced by your orthodontist at each appointment. Conversely, not everyone will need interarch elastics.
All About Interarch Elastics
When your orthodontist prescribes interarch elastics, you’ll most likely need to wear one on each side of your mouth. They stay in place by hooking onto a bracket on your top canines and then stretched onto a bracket on one of your bottom molars.
Thankfully, they are quite easy to change yourself. Your orthodontist can provide them for you, along with a handy plastic tool designed to help make taking them off and on a breeze. You may only need to wear them for a few months, or you may require them for longer. Your orthodontist will make this determination based on your individual progress.
Rubber Band Wear Tips
While you may not want to wear rubber bands or like how they feel at first, thankfully after a few days of wear you probably won’t notice them. Here are a few tips for getting used to wearing them:
- To attach them without a tool, stand in front of a mirror and use both your thumb and index finger.
- Keep a supply of them with you wherever you go, along with a spare attachment tool if available.
- Replace both of your rubber bands daily at the same time. If you break one, replace both together, as this will ensure even tension.
- Only use the rubber bands given to you by your orthodontist, as these are guaranteed to be the correct size and tension for your treatment.
- Remove your rubber bands each time you eat and brush your teeth and replace them with new ones when you’re done.
Remember, wearing rubber bands on your teeth can be an important step in your orthodontic treatment, so be sure to wear them exactly as prescribed. Failure to comply can slow your progress and make your treatment take longer than necessary. Thankfully, rubber bands shouldn’t hurt, and with proper use you’ll have plenty of reasons to smile when your beautiful new grin is ready to go!
About Our Practice
At Main Street Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics of Danville, we provide both orthodontics and pediatric dentistry under one convenient roof. That makes care that much easier for you and your family, because when you’re here, your child’s oral health will always be a team effort.
If you’re interested in learning more about orthodontic treatment for your child, we will work together with you to ensure that they receive comprehensive care that is expertly coordinated to take their whole mouth into account.
To schedule a consultation, please visit our website or call us today at 925-575-8878.