Rubber bands will always go a long way in terms of improving the overall efficiency of orthodontic treatment, but patients have to utilize them correctly!
Do you know exactly how you should properly put your rubber bands on while wearing braces? This may seem pretty straightforward, but there actually are many different ways to utilize rubber bands!
It’s also vital to note that properly putting your rubber bands on is extremely important. Rubber bands do a great job at keeping your braces secure and providing that necessary added pressure to slowly move your teeth into their proper positions. So if you misuse your rubber bands or neglect wearing them, then you’ll inevitably experience a much slower treatment time.
Below are some tips to keep in mind when it comes to wearing rubber bands with your braces:
The Overall Purpose Of Wearing Rubber Bands
We understand how you or your child may think it seems weird to have to put tiny rubber bands in your mouth while undergoing orthodontic treatment, but it’s important to know that these tiny rubber bands actually help ensure that the treatment stays on course and is as efficient as possible.
One of the most important purposes of rubber bands is to ensure that a patient’s top and bottom teeth are aligning properly, which is absolutely critical when it comes to the bite-fixing stages of a patient’s treatment.
This portion of the braces process is many times considered to be the most difficult, so you’ll always want to ensure that you’re wearing your rubber bands correctly and replacing them after each meal!
How To Properly Utilize Rubber Bands
One thing that orthodontic patients should consider is that your rubber bands come in all different colors, and that is also the same for your braces. This means that you can potentially mix and match the aesthetics of your braces to coincide with your personal preferences!
The following are a few ways in which patients put their rubber bands on:
Simply Using Your Fingers
It’s more than likely that you’re going to utilize your fingers in order to properly put on your rubber bands, and this is because it’s typically a patient’s easiest option. The first thing you should do when using your fingers is to stand in front of a mirror so you can see what you’re doing!
You’ll then hold the rubber band with your thumb and index finger and attach it to the top hook on the appropriate top arch, and then pull the rubber band down and attach it to the aligning bottom hook.
This process always becomes quite easy for patients once they’ve gotten the hang of it, and this typically doesn’t take long because orthodontic patients have to continuously be replacing their rubber bands after eating.
Utilizing A Hook
There are some instances in which patients have trouble putting on their rubber bands, and in these situations we’ll typically provide a plastic hook to help them out. This specialized orthodontic tool is uniquely designed to help people properly place rubber bands within their mouths.
What you’ll do is place the rubber band on the plastic hook and then use this hook to properly connect the band to the appropriate top hook on your designated bracket. Once you’ve attached the rubber band there, you’ll then simply pull down the hook and connect it to the appropriate bottom bracket.
A lot of people who have long nails prefer utilizing the hook tool, and it’s simply a great alternative to using your fingers.
Utilizing Rubber Bands With An Open Bite
An open bite occurs when a patient’s top and bottom teeth don’t touch when their mouth is closed, and rubber bands help this orthodontic issue by properly realigning the jaws to work correctly. This will generally require a triangle pattern with the rubber bands.
So in this situation a patient will want to first hook their top bracket with the rubber band, and then hook two bottom brackets. This rubber band strategy will always go a long way in terms of bringing someone’s bottom teeth closer to their top teeth and eventually filling in the open space!
Utilizing Rubber Bands With An Overbite
An overbite will cause an orthodontic patient to have their hooks in different positions, so in this situation you’d want the rubber bands to stretch from your back, bottom teeth towards your top, front teeth.
When a patient wears rubber bands like this it’ll inevitably create some added pressure that helps pull front teeth back and push bottom back teeth forward. This type of rubber band placement can always be a little bit tricky, so it’ll typically be necessary to put the rubber bands on in front of a mirror.
Dr. Karpac will always help patients when it comes to remembering where exactly the right spots are to place rubber bands, and sometimes this will include us taking a picture for you that you can take home.
Utilizing Rubber Bands With An Underbite
It’s sometimes a little difficult for orthodontic patients experiencing an underbite to get their rubber bands on correctly, and in this situation you’ll be placing your rubber bands in the exact opposite direction of an overbite.
This means you’d be attaching a rubber band to a your top, back teeth and stretching it down towards your bottom, front teeth.
How Often Should You Wear Your Rubber Bands?
It’s many times likely that an orthodontic patient will need to wear rubber bands at all times, but our team will help you in terms of better understanding when it’s ok to take them out.
You’ll of course always need to take your rubber bands out when you eat and brush your teeth!
How Often Should You Change Your Rubber Bands?
You should always be placing a new set of rubber bands in your mouth after eating and brushing, and it’s important to note that rubber bands can snap if you wear them for too long.
A lot of patients will typically go through about 4-5 different sets of rubber bands each day, and this might sound like a lot but you’ll get used to taking them on and off after just a few days!
Reach Out To James Karpac Orthodontics To Learn More About How We Utilize Rubber Bands Within Treatments And To Book Your Initial Consultation!
All of us at James Karpac Orthodontics want everyone to know that it’s always important for orthodontic patients to wear their rubber bands, and this is because they’re a crucial component of your treatment process!
Always feel free to reach out to us online or call us at 614-766-0330 (Dublin office) or 614-471-6355 (Gahanna office) to get in touch with our team and book your initial consultation!