Anyone who has had braces is familiar with the small rubber bands that are used during the course of treatment. Sometimes these aren’t patients’ favorite because they occasionally have a strong pull on the jaw, but the rubber bands play an essential role in the treatment process.
The purpose of braces near Raleigh, of course, is to straighten your smile so that you’re happier and more confident with it. To this end, braces have several parts that work together. The braces themselves help straighten your teeth, while the rubber bands used with braces work to straighten and align your bite. We’ve put together a guide to help you better understand the purpose behind rubber bands.
Understanding Rubber Bands for Braces
Rubber bands are sometimes called elastics by orthodontists, and they’re typically used to actually reposition the upper and lower teeth. They adjust the bite by connecting the upper and lower teeth and placing a strain on the teeth in the desired direction. Rubber bands might help adjust overbites, underbites, or other orthodontic issues that the brackets and archwires can’t fix.
Rubber bands get affixed to brackets or bands via little hooks, and a rubber band is almost always attached to the upper teeth at one point and the lower teeth at another point.
If rubber bands are needed for a portion of a braces treatment, it’s extremely important to wear the rubber bands consistently. They can be taken out when brushing and flossing, but they should be reinserted immediately afterward. Because rubber bands become stretched over time, they’re often changed at home. Typically, the bands should be changed out at least every 12 hours – likely 3 to 4 times a day depending on what your orthodontist specifically recommends.
Following these instructions is essential when realigning the bite with rubber bands.
Questions About Rubber Bands and Braces?
To learn more about rubber bands or braces treatment in Raleigh, give our team a call at (919) 676-0541. Our staff members are braces experts, and we’re happy to help you learn more about whether this treatment is right for your smile.
At Laster Orthodontics, we help families develop healthy, life-changing smiles using customized treatments, cutting-edge technologies, and caring relationships. Our individualized treatment plans help our patients achieve their perfect smile in the quickest, most painless way possible by utilizing a wide range of options from traditional braces to propel accelerated treatment to Dr. Laster’s in-house aligner program, Laster Perfect Smile. With three locations throughout the Triangle Area, we create life-changing smiles every day.
