I got braces and rubber bands. What is it for?

Question

Well, I got my braces like a month ago and yesterday I got rubber bands. The doc said it will close my bite but I dont understand how it will. Oh yeah do I have to wear it 24 hours a day? The doctor told me I have to but yet he told me to not chew gum.

How long will it take for my bite to close? It is not that bad.

Answer 1

If you listen to the dentist 1-2 years. Braces push your teeth making them lose. Along with the rubber bands your teeth are place in the proper place and held there until they are fixed. Yes wear them.

Answer 2

The rubber bands are just going to pull your jaw into position so that your top teeth are in line when you bite together with your bottem set of teeth .

They Will most likley Ache a little to begin with then they will just keep ajusting them everytime you go to get your braces tightened lol

It all pays off when you get them off Trust me lol

Answer 3

well the rubber band is stretching right now because of your bite cause it's  

far apart and the rubber bands will pull it together and make it stay in place

Answer 4

Rubber bands are use to close gaps in your teeth...Always wear the rubber bands that the orthodonist assigns you because if you don't wear them it will be even longer before your braces come off...So definitely wear them. The rubber bands will put pressure on your teeth so that your teeth will move. Before you eat take the rubber bands off and put a new clean pair after you brush your teeth from eating. Wear the rubber bands at all times[even at night] It might hurt the first week that you get them but after that the pain will be gone. I am currenting wearing braces now and I think I am getting them off in 4 days!! Oh and 1 more thing is to always follow the directions your orthodonist tells you and to always floss/ brush.

Good Luck!

Answer 5

Two words: muscle memory.

By using the rubber bands, your jaw will remember how to bite properly. I had to do it.

If your dentist said to wear them all day, WEAR THEM ALL DAY! It will mean the difference of wearing braces for 5 years or six years.

Don't chew gum.

Answer 6

as long as it takes-my middle brother had it done,but not me-younger-

or oldest. Smiles for miles-but anything else?

(P.S.-Lost the bottom bridge in a car accident-rebuilt and done again).

Obla-di,Obla-da!

Answer 7

well the elastics, believe it or not, will orrect the bite problem you have...i had braces and an overbite and had to use elastics and they worked perfectly.

your ortho will prolly tell you to wear the elastics different ways each time you have an appt...and believe me, itll seem like "okay...why do i have to do this? it isnt helping me at all!" but it IS!! jsut give it time, and keep on wearin your elastics properly, 24 hrs a day. this means putting them BACK in after youre done eating and brushing your teeth (yes, its a pain in the neck) and NOT doubling up on the elastics.

if the ortho told you to wear it 24 hrs a day, then do it....excep tof course when you eat and brush.

yeah, dont chew gum while you have braces. who would want to? i never did. it jsut seems gross to chew gum and wear brackets and yuck! you could pull off brackets or damage your rbaces in some other way and thats gonna cause a longer treatment time! ick - who wants that?!

im not sure how long it will take for them to close...i remmeber that i got my braces off about a year and a few months after i started wearing them. because hes started you on the elastics he wont totaly fix your bite, and then let you not wear them with your braces still on. youll probaably have them till they get taken off.

it takes longer than you think for them to work, but they sure do work!

Answer 8

when they tell u to wear ur bands U NEED TO WEAR THEM!

My friend didn't wear hers and now she' has to have them on for way longer then she intended to. so please wear them

Answer 9

I just pulls until its even.  Then you wear them holding your jaw there, until your body only knows that way of doing it.  It should only take 3 weeks after its straight.  Also you will just wake up one day and be like, "wow my over/under bit is gone.  Then after that normally 3 weeks til no more bands.

Answer 10

you will probably be wearing your bands for awhile. i have a rubber band on just one side of my mouth and its towards the front so its sooo noticeable but in the end it will be worth it. so wear your bands for sure.oh and i chew gum even tho they told me not to. but for sure wear your bands or you'll have to wear these stupid things longer..good luck