Partway through braces treatment, many patients are given small rubber bands to hook between their upper and lower braces. These elastics might seem like a minor accessory, but they play a crucial role in correcting how your teeth bite together. How consistently you wear them often determines whether treatment finishes on time.
Brackets and wires straighten teeth within each jaw, but they cannot by themselves change how the upper and lower teeth meet. Elastics apply gentle, constant force between the jaws to correct overbites, underbites, crossbites and open bites, or to close specific spaces. The direction they are hooked determines the type of correction.
Your dentist will show you exactly which hooks to attach the elastics to. Wash your hands, then hook the band onto one bracket and stretch it to the other. Most elastics need to be worn nearly all the time, including while sleeping, and only removed for eating and brushing. Replace them several times a day, because they lose elasticity quickly.
Elastics work through continuous force. Wearing them only some of the time allows the teeth to bounce back, so you feel soreness each time you restart without getting the benefit. Inconsistent wear is one of the most common reasons braces treatment takes longer than planned.
Teeth often feel tender for the first few days of wearing elastics, or after changing to a stronger band. This is normal and usually settles quickly if you wear them consistently. Soft foods and over-the-counter pain relief can help. Do not double up on elastics to speed things up, as this can damage teeth and roots.
Carry spare elastics in your bag, car and school locker. Set reminders to change them after meals. If you run out, snap one, or lose a hook, contact the clinic rather than going without. Building elastics into your routine is the fastest path to finishing treatment.
Usually around 22 hours a day, removing them only for eating and brushing, unless your dentist gives different instructions.
No. Remove them before eating and replace them with fresh ones after brushing.
It varies from a few weeks to several months depending on how much bite correction is needed.
Ask our team about your braces progress and bite correction. Learn more about metal braces in Al Ain.
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