What Is the Purpose of Elastics?

You may know that braces use brackets and wires to pull your teeth into their perfect positions, but what about orthodontic elastics? You might have seen some people with braces who also have elastic bands that stretch from the upper set of teeth to the lower set. They may look unusual to you, but they do serve an important purpose.

What Elastics Do

With elastics, we can apply steady force and additional pressure in order to readjust your teeth. Many times, these elastics reinforce the movement that we’re trying to achieve by helping close gaps. Oftentimes, we position them in certain ways to fix jaw misalignment. That means that elastics can help correct overbites, underbites, open bites, and cross bites.

Types of Elastics

The great thing about using elastics is that they’re quite customizable. We can choose bands of different force, size, and material depending on the specific orthodontic treatment plan we’re working on. Of course, we can also customize their color, and many patients enjoy choosing their favorite color at their appointments.

Sticking to the Treatment Time

Since orthodontic elastics are helping move teeth along, they’re a critical part of the treatment process. That means that if you don’t wear them for the amount of time that your dentist says to, it can slow down the process. That being said, don’t think you can rush things too much by using double the amount of elastics. We don’t want to apply too much force otherwise we risk damaging the teeth.

Braces for Adults & Kids in Littleton, CO

Do you have any other questions about braces or other orthodontic treatments? At Summit Family Orthodontics, we are here to help! Our orthodontic dental practice provides a range of treatments to help adults and children get beautifully straight smiles. Just call or email us today to set up a consultation, and we’d be happy to discuss how we can address your smile needs.

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