What Do Rubber Bands Do for Braces?

Braces are an orthodontic appliance made up of brackets, wires, and rubber bands. If you’ve seen someone with braces before, you’ve probably seen those small colorful rubber bands around the brackets and maybe even the ones that stretch across the top and bottom teeth. These little tools play a big role in guiding your smile into alignment. Let’s go through the types of elastics used in orthodontics and how they help create beautiful, balanced results.

Though they may be small, elastics play a powerful role in your smile transformation. Whether they’re helping your teeth shift into place or correcting your bite, rubber bands are often the detail that makes all the difference. When used properly, they can speed up your overall treatment time and fine-tune your results for both aesthetic and functional benefits. There are two main types of rubber bands for braces:

Ligature elastics, also known as “ties,” are the small rubber bands you often see in fun, bright colors around each bracket on traditional braces. While they may seem like a cosmetic feature, these tiny ties play an important role in the tooth-moving process. Their main job is to hold the archwire securely in place within each bracket, helping apply steady pressure that gradually guides your teeth into alignment.

Interarch elastics are the rubber bands that stretch from the upper to the lower brackets, typically attaching to small hooks. Their primary role is to correct the way your upper and lower teeth fit together, helping to address issues like overbites, underbites, and crossbites. Wearing these elastics consistently and as directed is essential.

Not everyone has to wear interarch elastics. If you don’t have an overbite, underbite, or crossbite, you may not need to wear them. If you have traditional braces, you will have to wear colorful ligature ties. Luckily, you get to choose the colors that go on your brackets, and you can change them out when you get your braces adjusted!

There’s also an alternative to traditional braces at Olive Orthodontics. We’re proud to offer advanced Pitts 21 self-ligating braces, which are elastic-free and ultra-efficient. They’re designed to hold the archwire in place without the need for ligature ties, giving you a cleaner look to your braces and less overall friction. Dr. Rohra is one of the only Pitts 21 Masters in the St. Louis area, and he thoughtfully recommends treatment options that align with your goals and lifestyle.

Rubber bands can also be used in tandem with clear aligners from brands such as Invisalign or Angel Aligners! In order to use elastics with clear aligners, your orthodontist may attach anchor points to your clear aligners or to your teeth. Similar to interarch elastics for braces, rubber bands for clear aligners help to align your bite and should be worn as directed.

Olive Orthodontics is here to make your orthodontic experience comfortable and confidence-boosting. Our expert team will guide you every step of the way, from explaining how orthodontic treatment works to helping you choose the treatment that’s right for you.

With advanced options like Pitts 21 self-ligating braces and personalized care plans designed by Dr. Rohra, you can trust you’re in great hands. Schedule your complimentary consultation today and take the first step toward a beautifully aligned, healthier smile.