Orthodontic
treatment does more than just straighten your child's smile. It helps
to prevent painful decay, gum disease, speech problems, and even
tooth loss. Even though braces can move misaligned teeth into place,
sometimes brackets and wires aren't enough. If your child needs
elastics, take a look at what you need to know about these
orthodontic rubber bands.
Types of Elastics
There
are two main categories of orthodontic elastics. Depending on your
child's needs, the orthodontist may recommend one or both types of
use. Orthodontic elastics include:
Ligatures.
These
elastics fit around the metal brackets. As part of your child's
braces, these small-sized rubber bands help to move the teeth in a
specific direction and can apply a greater degree of force. The
orthodontist typically changes these during regular appointments. Interarch
rubber bands.
These
elastics help to adjust your child's bite (or jaw position). Your
child will hook these rubber bands onto the brackets, removing them
for meals. Instead of the orthodontist replacing them, your child
will change them daily.
Always
follow the orthodontist's recommendations for interarch rubber band
use. Failure to do so could extend your child's treatment time. Using
extra rubber bands or wearing them longer than recommended is never
advisable.
Choices for Elastics
While
your child won't have a choice whether they wear ligature, interarch,
or both types of rubber bands, they will get to select what the
elastics look like. Given that elastic ligatures are permanent parts
of your child's orthodontic treatment, they may want a type that
they're comfortable looking at every day.
Elastic
ligatures often come in a wide variety of colors, giving your child
options. Your child can pick their favorite hue, select their school
colors, or go with a holiday theme (such as red and green for
Christmas or pink for Valentine's Day). If your child wants to try
something new or prefers a changeable seasonal color scheme, they can
select different hues at their next office visit.
Care for Elastics
How
should your child care for their orthodontic elastics? The answer
depends on which type they have. Elastic ligatures require little
extra care. Your child can brush and floss as they normally would. If
an elastic breaks or pops off the bracket, do not replace it
yourself. Call the orthodontist as soon as possible and schedule an
appointment for a replacement.
If
your child wears interarch rubber bands, they should remove the
elastics before daily oral care. Brushing and flossing around these
bands isn't easy. Removing them, and setting the bands aside, makes
it possible for your child to brush every space of their mouth
without obstructions.
Remind
your child to immediately replace the elastics after brushing and
flossing. Failure to do so can extend the length of time that your
child needs to wear them.
Like
with oral care, make sure that your child immediately replaces the
rubber bands after their meal or snack to make the most of their
treatment. Your child should also carry a few extra rubber bands with
them during the day. These bands can break (or your child could lose
one after removing it to eat), making it necessary to replace them.
Expectations for Elastics
With
proper elastic wear and care, your child's orthodontic treatment plan
should proceed as expected. Your child may notice some soreness or
discomfort in the beginning of use or if the orthodontist changes the
tension of the rubber bands. This pain is typically temporary and is
likely to subside after the first few days.
Does
your child need orthodontic treatment? Contact our staff at Donald
E. Snyder Orthodontics
for more information.
