Braces can be effective with their traditional components for many patients, but some require the use of additional tools to create perfect results. Our Adult & Pediatric Orthodontics team will be covering one of these components today and letting you know the purpose of rubber bands in your braces treatment.
Are Rubber Bands Right for You?
The first step here is to make the decision as to whether or not rubber bands are an appropriate addition to your treatment. Dr. Yu will ponder a few factors while making this choice, such as:
- If you have mild to moderate malocclusion (misalignment of the bite).
- If your anatomy naturally requires some additional adjustment in certain areas.
- If we decide that clear aligners like Invisalign are the best option for you. Rubber bands won’t work with those components like they will with traditional braces.
Rubber Band Types
Depending on your issue, Dr. Yu chooses the appropriate type of rubber bands to use, as well as an ideal configuration to place them in. Here’s some additional information on these classes:
- Class III: Connects the lower front teeth to the upper back teeth.
- Class II: Tackles overbites by connecting the upper front teeth to the lower back teeth.
- Class I: Close gaps between teeth.
- Other Configurations: Depending on the type of rubber band and the treatment goal, they can be placed in triangle, box, or straight line configurations. However, it’ll be up to you to apply your rubber bands correctly and stick to the script.
How Do Rubber Bands Work?
Orthodontic rubber bands pack a bigger punch than you might think! They can be utilized in the following ways:
- Correcting Bite Issues: Rubber bands attach to certain fixed points on your braces, impacting your bite alignment based on their configuration.
- Enhancing Tooth Movement: Rubber bands can be added to make movement precise and concentrated, whereas braces apply force in many ways at once. We can use rubber bands to focus this movement, such as to move teeth closer together.
- Improving Jaw Alignment: Jaw alignment can be a complex aspect of treatment and completely unique depending on the patient’s facial structure. Rubber bands aid us in this process, which can help vastly improve a patient’s ease of access when speaking, biting, or chewing.
- Stabilizing Treatment Progress: Rubber bands act like a house’s foundation, anchoring your results in place as your treatment progresses.
- Speeding Up Treatment: The prospect of treatment moving along more quickly makes patients pretty happy. Rubber bands can actually put this into motion!
Questions About Rubber Bands
Q: Can I double up on rubber bands to speed up the process?
A: Our team wouldn’t recommend trying this. Placing an improper amount of pressure on teeth during active alignment can be a problem immediately and in the long run. This is why it’s so important to adhere to your regimen carefully.
Q: Can I reuse rubber bands?
A: We wish it were that simple! Orthodontic rubber bands lose their elasticity after a single use, so they’re not appropriate for being used more than once. Just be diligent about changing them out, and you’ll be fine.
Q: Can I use another kind of rubber band I find if I lose mine?
A: They may look a lot alike, but this is never a good idea. As we said, the size and power of the rubber bands Dr. Yu selects are bespoke to your treatment. So don’t try to grab hair elastics as a substitute!
Q: Can I play sports or exercise with my rubber bands on?
A: If you play contact sports that require a mouthguard, take your rubber bands off while that’s in use.. Otherwise, they shouldn’t do any harm during physical activity.
Q: How will I know when to stop wearing my rubber bands?
A: When in doubt, remember that most orthodontic processes are a lot more complex than they look. For this reason, count on our team at Adult & Pediatrics Orthodontics to walk you through the right timeline for wearing your rubber bands on your braces. In many cases, this is only needed for a certain portion of your active treatment, not the entire time.
Making Connections
So yes, those little rubber bands might look unassuming, but they can make or break some orthodontic treatments! They do require some compliance from you, the patient—but our team is here to guide you in the right direction if you’re struggling. We look forward to seeing you in Windham or Portland real soon!