Why Orthodontic Elastics Are Important

Pacific Dental Care

So you’ve gotten your braces installed. Your mouth is full of brackets and wires, and now your orthodontist is asking you to wear rubber bands. What purpose do these elastics serve, and how important are they to your treatment? In fact, elastics are an essential part of correcting your bite, and your diligence in wearing them determines how long your treatment will last.

What are the advantages of orthodontic elastics?

The primary purpose of orthodontic elastics is to properly align the upper and lower sets of teeth. Using rubber bands eliminates the need for bulky and unsightly headgear. They can be colored to blend in with the teeth, their flexibility allows for a full range of motion while talking, yawning, etc, and they are easy to remove while eating or brushing. Rubber bands are cheap and correct most types of bite problems. The pressure exerted by the rubber band pulls the teeth together in certain ways prescribed by your orthodontist. While your braces are doing the work of straightening your teeth, elastics ensure that your sets of teeth align perfectly.

How important is it to wear my elastics?

Orthodontic treatment is the best way to address malocclusion. Braces and Invisalign restore your teeth to perfect alignment and correct problems with your bite. These reliable treatments gradually apply pressure that moves your teeth to the correct position. In the process, your teeth become easier to clean, more cosmetically appealing, and better able to perform chewing and speaking functions.

Don’t hesitate to get malocclusion corrected: the earlier in life, the better. Call Pacific Dental Care to schedule your orthodontic consultation.