Can you buy elastics for braces

Home Kids and Teens All about elastics. Braces — which consist of brackets attached to the teeth with dental adhesive and flexible wires which are held into the braces with coloured or clear plastic modules — work by gently applying pressure to the teeth to gradually move them into the correct position. In some cases, orthodontic elastics sometimes known as rubber bands are used to apply additional pressure in a specific direction to move individual teeth or groups of teeth and are commonly used to improve your bite.

In orthodontics, rubber bands are often used to align your bite and are very important in the bite-fixing phase of treatment. These bands stretch over tiny hooks on the top and bottom of your braces or over small clear buttons attached to a few teeth if you are wearing clear aligners.

If worn consistently, these tiny elastics will apply the steady pressure needed to guide teeth into the correct position.

These elastics are usually crafted from medical-grade latex, which is safe to be in contact with your mouth, but latex free options are also available — and no, they are not normal elastic bands or hair bands!

Your orthodontist will demonstrate how to wear the elastics so it will soon become second nature to replace them. There are many different types of elastics that your orthodontist may recommend for you or your child throughout their treatment period. This includes:. These elastics run from the upper 1st or 2nd molar hook to the upper cuspid hook. Class II Elastics — Class 2 elastics are used to reduce an overjet by retracting the upper teeth and moving the lower teeth forward.

Class III Elastics — Class 3 elastics are used to correct an underbite by retracting lower teeth and advancing upper teeth. DO — Get in the habit of carrying around extra elastics and replace them as soon as possible if one breaks or is lost.

By consistently wearing the elastics you will ensure that your orthodontic treatment is always progressing. We have tooth-colored rubber bands that will blend right in or if you want to go bold, we can do colored ones as well. Rubber bands for an underbite will go the opposite way and run from the lower front teeth to the upper back teeth.

Rubber bands can also be configured in a triangle, rectangle, across the front of the mouth or other formations. Their versatility is one of the things we love about them.

So, how long do you need to wear braces rubber bands? It depends on your individual needs. For some people, this can happen in several months and for others, it could take a year. For the best results, Dr. Kothari usually has patients wear them all day, every day, taking them out only to brush and floss, eat and change them. Their effectiveness is completely based on compliance. DO wear them about 23 hours a day, seven days a week taking them out to brush, floss, eat or wear a mouthguard unless otherwise instructed.

DO bring some extra rubber bands along with you in case one breaks or gets lost. If this happens, always replace both rubber bands to ensure equal tension on either side of your mouth. Moving the teeth with orthodontic treatment involves biological forces and too much pressure can cause serious harm and potentially damage the roots of your teeth. Treatment is customized to your mouth and we use a specific type of rubber band. To help, my team and I have done a bit of research and found some reasonably affordable options on Amazon.

Of course, patients are welcome to get variations but these are all good examples of similar items we keep in stock. Before we get into our list, first, a note for patients who need new elastics : Prior to purchasing elastics, complete a quick virtual visit with me. Now, on to the goods:. Or, complete a virtual visit right from our website to ensure your treatment is still on track. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Close Search. Ankush Khanna April 28, Blog. No Comments. Now, on to the goods: Chewies — Seat your aligner trays with these chewies. Light Elastics — Try this pack of light-force orthodontic elastics. Force 1 Elastics — These orthodontic rubber bands should do the trick. You can substitute two light elastics or drop down to Force 1 until we reopen our office.

Braces Wax — Stop irritation or poking wires with this wax for braces. Proxabrush — Use these proxabrushes to clean in between braces and to dislodge food. Platypus Flossers — Platypus orthodontic flossers make flossing with braces so much easier. You can find them here. This Waterpik is a good deal. Book Your Free Consultation.

Am I a Candidate for Invisalign or Braces? Categories Blog Community. Khanna draws on his education from UPenn and NYU and his extensive clinical and teaching experiences to provide personalized care.

He is dedicated to a patient-centric approach based on high quality customer service and exceptional results. Read more about Dr. Fresh Orthodontics. Christine Vasquez 04 Mar There are not enough great things I can say about Dr, Khanna and his staff, my daughter had the best experience there.