Rubber Bands and Your Braces: How They Lead to a Straighter Smile

You discover you need rubber bands on your braces to help guide your smile closer to its desired location. While this information may cause some uncertainty, the truth is that these tiny elastics are ideal for patients whose teeth or jaw just aren’t moving as quickly as they should. If you are preparing to add rubber bands to your orthodontic treatment, let us help you better understand their purpose and what you can do to make the process of wearing them easier than ever before.

What Are Orthodontic Rubber Bands?

If your upper and lower teeth and jaw are struggling to work cohesively together, rubber bands may be necessary. While your braces are effective at straightening and realigning your teeth and jaws separately, it is necessary that when you bite down that everything be in sync. Otherwise, this can cause additional problems to develop. By using rubber bands, your orthodontist in Newark, OH, can give your smile a slight boost to keep teeth moving in the right direction.

How Do They Work?

The rubber bands used in an orthodontist’s office are not the same that you will find in your company’s inventory closet or your desk drawer. Instead, they are tiny elastics made of medical-grade latex and are durable to wear. It doesn’t matter if you have traditional metal braces or clear aligners, the rubber bands will attach to specific buttons or brackets and stretch accordingly to achieve maximum results.

These are not typically required at the beginning of treatment and are only recommended if your orthodontist notices that your teeth and jaw are not working together correctly. Because they are extremely versatile, it is possible to wear them in a variety of ways (i.e., up and down, diagonal, triangle, and other unique patterns). They also come in different colors, allowing individuals to create a bolder look if desired.

Depending on the amount of correction needed, your orthodontist will inform you as to how long you can expect to wear your rubber bands.

Tips for Properly Wearing Your Rubber Bands

To avoid losing all your rubber bands or incorrectly wearing them, here are a few tips an orthodontist provides that will make the process easier:

• Keep your rubber bands in a secured place at all times. Because they are very small, they can easily fall out of the small baggy they come in and get lost. You’ll need to access them daily, so always keep them nearby.
• Rely on a mirror to help you place your rubber bands initially. This will give you a better idea of where to place each one.
• Never eat while wearing rubber bands. Instead, make sure to remove them before consuming your favorite meal as well as when you are preparing to clean your teeth and braces.
• Swap out your rubber bands each day. You use your mouth a lot throughout the day, so they can lose their elasticity and become ineffective. By replacing them each day, you continue to put your smile on the right path.

Listen to your orthodontist when they explain why rubber bands are necessary for successful treatment. By wearing them accordingly, you’ll see a noticeably straighter smile in no time at all.

About the Author
Dr. Timothy Wigal is an orthodontic specialist who attended the West Virginia University School of Dentistry and graduated with the highest honors and received his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree in 2005. After spending 3 years in a residency program focusing on orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics, he received his certificate of specialty in orthodontics and is now one of two dentists who lead Wigal Orthodontics in Health and Mt. Vernon, OH. Providing patients with exceptional results, he is available to answer your questions and provide further explanations regarding various accessories and oral appliances used to straighten smiles. If you or your child are wearing braces and discover you need rubber bands, visit our websiteand let an orthodontist near me help you better understand this common practice.