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The Lowdown on Rubber Bands/Elastics
Rubber bands/Elastics. Will I need them? Why do I need to wear them? Why do I wear them in such funny directions? These are great questions and the answer depends on the patient.
These are many corrections that the doctors can achieve with the brackets and wires, but some of the movements can only be done with rubber bands. As your teeth straighten out and start to look great, you may be thinking “Why do I still need to have these braces?”. Orthodontics is not just straightening teeth. It is also about the bite (function). A good bite allows for a more stable result. It can also reduce the wear to your teeth later in life.
Everyone does not need to wear elastics. For some of our patients, it may be the day they get their braces and others may be later in treatment. All of the funny directions are meant to move your teeth to help you get the best bite.
There is a reason for wearing them all the time. Think of it as pushing a car up a hill. As long as you push progress is being made and when you stop pushing the car moves back down hill and progress is lost. If you do not wear them all the time and are not consistent it will keep your teeth sore. The body does not know if it should allow the teeth to move or keep them in that place.
Rubber bands are one of the few things that you can control how quickly things move. We can give you a card or take a picture with your phone to remember which teeth to put them on. So, what do you say? Let’s get things moving!!!