Wearing / Caring for Your Braces

Elastics

Elastics or rubber bands provide an important force in moving your teeth into proper position. When they are not, no progress is made toward completion of treatment. Please follow the instructions below for maximum progress with elastics.

1. Elastics should be worn twenty four hours a day, unless you have been told otherwise.
2. Remove them only when you brush your teeth or eat meals, then put them back immediately.
3. Carry extra elastics with you all the time. If one breaks you can replace it immediately.
4. Should you lose them or run low, please stop by the office and pick up a new supply, or call and we can mail some.
5. Sometime teeth are sore when elastics are first begun, usually this soreness lasts only a few days. Wearing elastics irregularly increases soreness and makes teeth harder to move.
6. Elastics lose their strength the longer they are worn. Please put fresh elastics on each twelve hours.
7. Your elastics may be difficult to place on your braces at first. Placing them will be easier after you practice for a few days.
8. If, for some reason, you can not wear your elastics as you have been instructed, please call our office for an appointment in order that we might help you.