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One of the most important things in orthodontry is trying to get the force of the archwire transferred to the tooth surfaces. This is done via the brackets, but sometimes the tooth has to be turned at an angle, or must have the pressure distributed in a different way than that of the main pull of the archwire. In these cases, tiny “rubber bands”, or orthodontic elastics are used to align the teeth. These elastic rings tend to confound people, so we are going to write a few words in this article to try to clear up when and why these are used and what they are used for.

Patients wearing orthodontic braces may find that one of the brackets holding the archwire in place has become undone. This can occur if the dental adherent on the tooth surface lets go and becomes loose. A loose bracket can injure your mouth or gums, and is in general unsightly and uncomfortable to wear. Aside from this, treatment will be delayed, as the tooth in question is not receiving the torque or push that has been assigned for it, and this may change the outcome of the treatment if left on its own for an extended period of time.