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Why do you need Rubber Bands for Braces?

From the beginning, rubber bands were used in orthodontics to transmit force from the upper arch to the lower. These are termed inter-arch elastics. Dental braces work well with rubber bands as rubber bands help with making sure that a bite can be corrected and the jaw can be put into its right place.

 

How do rubber bands work with dental braces?

 

The rubber bands will be attached to the brackets on one’s braces. This is done in that a small latex rubber band that has been given to a patient by one’s orthodontist will attach on one bracket and go vertically or diagonally down to another. Two different bands will be used with one on each side of one’s teeth. The bands will be used to help with applying tension onto one’s teeth that will go onto a bracket and creates the right amount of pressure to move teeth in directions as desired that the braces alone can’t. This tension is also sufficient to correct an overbite or an underbite in the jaw. Over time this will be used as a means of helping to get the teeth to work properly in conjunction with other parts of the jaw. Continue reading