{"id":324,"date":"2024-07-15T21:08:52","date_gmt":"2024-07-15T21:08:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sunrisedentalsmile.com\/blog\/?p=324"},"modified":"2024-07-29T21:11:16","modified_gmt":"2024-07-29T21:11:16","slug":"rubber-bands-office-supplies-orthodontic-necessity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sunrisedentalsmile.com\/blog\/2024\/07\/15\/rubber-bands-office-supplies-orthodontic-necessity\/","title":{"rendered":"Rubber Bands: Office Supplies or Orthodontic Necessity?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\"Woman<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

You thought that rubber bands were just for miscellaneous office tasks, but your dentist put quite a few on your braces<\/a>. Besides adding a bit of color to your otherwise metallic orthodontics, what are they good for?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Believe it or not, those elastics are helping to correct your oral alignment! So before you start pulling them off to aim at your friends, read these facts and tips about your stretchy straighteners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Brace Bands Type 1: Ligatures<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are actually two types of rubber bands for braces. The most common ones, ligatures, wrap around each individual bracket. In other words, you have at least one on every tooth. Everyone has this type of rubber band, because they\u2019re used to keep the wire in place. However, not everyone chooses the same color! That\u2019s right \u2013 ligatures are the bands that can give your orthodontics a sparkle of personality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Without them, your wire and brackets would have a hard time doing the work of pulling your teeth into alignment. Office supplies? Definitely not. Orthodontic necessity? Absolutely!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brace Bands Type 2: Elastics<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Once they\u2019re wound around your brackets, your ligatures have to stay put. But there is one type of rubber band that you can remove from time to time: elastics. These bands are hooked to specific brackets; one bracket on your upper row of teeth and one bracket on the bottom row. Their purpose is to correct jaw <\/em>alignment issues, like overbites and underbites, by creating pressure that encourages specific movement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not everyone has to get elastics to achieve their smile goals, but those who do aren\u2019t using them to simply hold a couple of pens together! Elastics are 100% an orthodontic necessity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rubber Band Tips and Tricks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As you might have guessed, there are right and wrong ways to handle orthodontic rubber bands. Here\u2019s how you can avoid prolonging your treatment:<\/p>\n\n\n\n