What purpose do those little have besides popping up in random spots throughout your house years after treatment? If you or your child has recently started wearing rubber bands, this blog post will help you understand the latest development in your orthodontic treatment.
Not every person with braces will need orthodontic elastics. However, elastics are commonly used for patients with bite or jaw alignment issues.
Our orthodontists can speak with you about whether orthodontic elastics will be part of you or your child’s treatment.
Keep reading to learn what orthodontic elastics are and how they work to move teeth into optimal alignment and bite.
The Reason Why Elastics Are Used on Braces
Correcting a misaligned bite is always what takes the longest during orthodontic treatment. This is why many of our patients end up wearing rubber bands. Rubber bands can correct a wide variety of bite issues, such as overbites, underbites, and crossbites. Since the elastics are secured to the upper and lower jaw, they force your jaws to move together into optimal alignment and bite.
What Happens If You Don’t Wear Your Rubber Bands?
If you lose or run out of rubber bands, call one of our offices as soon as possible. We’ll have some new ones waiting for you at the reception desk. It’s of utmost importance that you wear your elastics at least 23 hours a day. Otherwise, it’ll take longer for your jaw to move into its final position.
We Use Orthodontic Elastics Because They Are:
Stretchy and Flexible
Rubber bands stretch as you talk or take lion-sized yawns. These little are also flexible enough that they aren’t going to snap and break. Since are stretchy, they don’t limit your jaw’s range of motion.
Easy to Remove and Replace
Many of our patients struggle with following braces care instructions that will help them maintain healthy oral hygiene habits while wearing braces. Trying to brush around brackets and wires is tough enough without adding rubber bands to the mix. Thankfully, orthodontic rubber bands are easy for patients to remove when brushing teeth. You can able to remove elastics so you can eat normally.
These types of rubber bands are easy enough to replace so that you are always wearing a fresh clean pair. Any buildup of food particles or bacteria on the rubber bands is thrown into the trash by the end of the day, which helps you maintain good oral health.
The flip side of elastics being easily removed is that their effectiveness depends on how often patients wear them. To get the full benefits of orthodontic treatment so you aren’t wasting money and time, you’ll need to wear elastics about 23 hours a day. Please only take out your elastics to eat and brush your teeth.
Subtler Than Other Orthodontic Tactics
Believe it or not, rubber bands are a lot more subtle than other orthodontic tactics. For example, is an appliance that straps around your face. Orthodontic rubber bands, on the other hand, discreetly hook around specific brackets designed for this purpose. Orthodontic elastics also come in a color that matches natural tooth enamel, unless you want to wear fun bright colors which we have as well.
Start Treatment Today
Our want to help you achieve your best smile. To request an appointment, call Armbrecht & Wierenga Orthodontics today at (616) 455-4800.
This blog post has been updated.