Will I need to wear rubber bands?

Most patients need to wear rubber bands near the end of their treatment to bring their teeth together.

Why do I need to wear rubber bands?

Your braces and your archwires will make your teeth straight, but your rubber bands will make your upper and lower teeth fit together. When your teeth are straight and they fit together, your braces can be removed.

How often do I need to wear my rubber bands?

Wear your rubber bands 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Make sure to change them after you eat. Rubber bands need to be worn all the time to work effectively. When you remove the rubber bands, your bone cells stop working to make your teeth fit together. Missed wearing time makes treatment take longer! Remove them only for brushing and replace them right away.

Helpful hints

  1. Always carry some rubber bands with you, so if one breaks, you can replace it right away.
  2. If you forget to wear your rubber bands one day, don’t double up the next day – just follow your regular instructions.
  3. Elastics wear out. If they lose their elasticity, they do not provide effective pressure to your teeth and jaws. It is important to change them after every meal, even when they are not broken.
  4. If your elastics break frequently or the hook for your elastic breaks off, call the office immediately.
  5. If you are sore from the rubber bands, don’t give up. The soreness will go away, just like the soreness from new wires goes away. Removing them will cause you to be sore for a longer time and can be damaging to your teeth.