Elastics or rubber bands are used to help fit your bite together. Elastics are extremely important to complete your treatment!
Your teeth will get sore when the elastics are started, but this soreness only lasts a few days. Once you push through this initial tenderness, the soreness goes away. However, inconsistent wear causes increased tooth soreness and your bite won’t be fixed. So please commit to wearing your rubber bands 100% of the time!
Unless instructed otherwise, elastics should be worn twenty-four hours a day, 7 days a week.
If the rubber bands are not worn as directed, the teeth will not move, and treatment will be prolonged.
Remove elastics for two reasons only (brushing or eating), and immediately place them around your pinky fingernail, so that you will remember to put them back in afterwards.
Carry extra elastics with you at all times. Replace any broken rubber bands immediately.
Should you lose your elastics or run low, please stop by the office to pick some up or call so that we can mail you more. We do not want you to lose any wear time.
Do not double up on your elastics to make up for lost time. It does not work!
Elastics will lose their strength after a period of time so you should change them at least three times a day.
Your elastics may be difficult to put on in the beginning. After a few days of practice, placing the elastics will become very easy.
If, for some reason, you cannot wear your elastics as you have been instructed, please call our office for an appointment to fix the problem. This is not considered an emergency, but we do want to fix the problem immediately.