In some cases, when a patient is wearing dental braces, Dr. Cynthia Wong may need to supply the patient with rubber bands. While brackets, archwires, and ligatures are responsible for moving teeth along the gum line and the angle at which they point away from the gums, rubber bands pull the jaw forward or backward in order to line up your top and bottom rows of teeth to improve your smile and make your teeth fit together comfortably when you bite down.
Rubber bands attach to the braces in specific ways to apply proper pressure on your teeth. The constant, steady pressure moves teeth. Elastics must be worn consistently, usually 24 hours a day. Leaving your elastics off for as little as a day can allow teeth to move back and erase the progress you had made. The way in which the elastics attach to the braces dictates the direction of the tension, so the specific configuration of the rubber bands is customized for each patient. The rubber bands typically hook over loops on the brackets of upper and lower teeth and may be placed vertically, diagonally or in a zigzag pattern.
If you have questions about using rubber bands while wearing braces, give us a call. To learn more about the different types of braces available, visit www.drcynthiawong.com for more information. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Cynthia Wong in Orland Park, IL, call 708-444-8341.
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