Rubber bands for braces are also known as elastics. These unique bands are tiny and come in lots of different colors. They serve a valuable function and help your brackets and wires do their job more effectively.  These bands stay in that place for the entire treatment time frame and only taken out by your orthodontist when they adjusted your braces during appointments.

There’s also another type of river band you used in orthodontic treatments, known as an inter-arch rubber band. This type of rubber band exists to adjust your bite and help correct an overbite, under-bite, or other jaw alignment issues. These are not just ordinary rubber bands like you could find local office supply store! Make sure that if you ever break or lose one, you have another from your orthodontist.

How Do Rubber Bands Work?

Usually you will need to wear one of these orthodontic rubber bands on each side of your mouth during your treatment. They will each be attached to a bracket that is in turn connected to a tooth, and then stretched so that I can be attached to another bracket on one of your lower molars. The purpose of this River band is to hold the arch wire in place for the duration of your brace’s treatment time.

Rubber Band Tips And Tricks

The first and most important thing when it comes to dental rubber bands is to make sure that you wear them every day. It is going to take you a little while to get used to having them in your mouth, and you may experience some pain at the beginning, but eventually, you will get used to them. Other suggestions include:

• Change out your rubber bands each day, both to keep them clean and to keep them fresh and tight. Don’t replace just one side, but always be sure to replace both sides at the same time, to make sure that they remain symmetrical.

• Whenever you eat, take your rubber bands out first, and keep them out until after you brush your teeth. This will make cleaning them and putting them back on easier.

• Be sure to keep your rubber bands stored in a clean, safe location where you won’t lose them, and they won’t get dirty.

• Use both your thumb and your index finger to attach the rubber bands in place. It helps to stand in front of a mirror while doing so. After some practice, you should be able to do this by feel, without the mirror. You also be able to do it much more quickly.

Choosing Rubber Band Colors

Orthodontic all rubber bands come in a fun variety of colors. This means you have the opportunity to customize the look of your braces every single day. You can choose a color for each holiday, for sports teams, or other fun themes. Of course, these sorts of customizations are most likely going to be limited to kids and teens. Adults will probably want to stick with more conservative color choices.

Adults who want to maintain a professional appearance can choose clear to white or neutral colors like brown, silver, or black. However, remember that colors like brown or black can resemble food stuck in your teeth, so you might want to stay away from them. White or clear are both excellent options, but keep in mind that sometimes clear rubber bands can become tinted by coffee stains, so if you drink a lot of coffee, white might be your best bet.

Remembering to Wear Bands

Whether you are an adult or a child with braces, you must follow your orthodontist’s instructions carefully and wear your rubber bands daily as instructed. If you decide not to wear your rubber bands your s treatment could end up being much less effective or taking far longer than necessary. Set the alarm, post a sticky note, or tie a string around your finger. Finding the right motivation is an individual preference, so you need to do what will work best for you.