The elastics are very strong and can move the teeth faster and more efficiently than braces without elastics. When worn correctly, they can greatly shorten treatment time. In some cases, elastics do not need to be worn all day.

Teeth move about one millimeter per month, so depending on what needs to be fixed, most patients need braces for somewhere between 6 months and 3 years. Average is about two years.

Typically, elastic bands will need to be worn a minimum of 10-12 hours, but for some patients, they need to be worn 24-hours and only removed for eating and cleaning/caring for your braces and teeth.

By consistently wearing the elastics, you may shorten the overall time needed to wear braces. DON’T – Double up on elastics as this will cause too much pressure on the tooth or teeth and can actually harm the root of the tooth. DON’T – Overstretch the rubber band or it will lose its strength and it will be ineffective.

If you have run out of elastic bands for your braces, please do not panic you can contact the clinic and we can post some out for you. Do not try elastics sourced from other places or online, as you must only ever use the ones provided by your orthodontist. Other elastics can damage your treatment.

Some ways to alleviate rubber bands and braces pain, according to the Oral Health Foundation and the AAO, include:

1. Placing orthodontic wax on areas that are painful to help mitigate rubbing or chafing inside the mouth.
2. Taking an over-the-counter pain medication.
3. Applying a topical anesthetic to provide temporary relief.

You should change your elastics 3-4 times a day, at the very least every 12 hours, even if they are not broken, because after a while they lose their strength and elasticity.