Wearing your Elastics is Important: Here’s Why!

If you’ve been wondering why orthodontic treatment sometimes involves the use of elastics, let us explain! Orthodontic brackets and wires are used to straighten the top and bottom teeth and develop better arch alignment. Elastics are used to develop better contact and relationship between the upper and lower arches. When not worn correctly, teeth can be straightened but they may not fit together properly.

So, when Dr Reed and our assistants give you a little grief if you haven’t been wearing your elastics, you now know why! Treatment success is dependent on those tiny rubber bands.

And wearing elastics for half the day or just at night-time won’t work.

Think of the elastic band as the force that pushes a car uphill, the more continual force the faster you’ll get the car up the hill. If you stop pushing the car, it will roll back down the hill and you’ll be back in the same place you started.

Your teeth don’t know where they’re supposed to go – their position is a result of force over a continued period of time. Orthodontic elastics provide the force to gently push or pull teeth in to healthier positions but it doesn’t happen overnight. When you stop wearing elastics, your teeth, like the car, will move back to their original position. Uh oh!

Dr. Reed and his team are passionate about creating healthy, beautiful smiles, but we need your help to make it happen. Always follow Dr. Reed’s instructions when it comes to wearing your orthodontic appliances and elastics. This way, everyone has something to smile about!