Traditional metal braces move your teeth using metal wires and brackets. Invisaling Rubber bands are often attached to these brackets to increase pressure on specific areas, helping teeth move faster in certain directions. Invisalign, on the other hand, is a more modern and discreet option. It uses clear, custom-made aligner trays that fit snugly over your teeth, gradually shifting them into place. Every one to two weeks, you’ll switch to a new aligner to continue moving your teeth.
Sometimes, your orthodontist may suggest using rubber bands with your Invisalign aligners. These rubber bands (or elastics) help apply extra force to specific teeth, just like they do with traditional braces.
Keep reading to learn when and why your orthodontist might ask you to wear rubber bands with Invisalign and how they can help correct certain bite issues.
What Are Rubber Bands for Invisalign?
Rubber bands, also called elastics, are small, stretchy loops that create extra pressure to move teeth in certain directions. With traditional braces, elastics are connected to brackets to help correct how your teeth fit together (your bite). In Invisalign treatment, rubber bands work the same way, but instead of attaching to metal brackets, they hook onto small “buttons” placed on your aligners or teeth.
These rubber bands are most commonly used when you have problems with how your upper and lower teeth meet. Invisalign aligners can straighten your teeth, but they don’t always provide enough force to correct bite issues like overbite or underbite. This is where the rubber bands come in—they help move your teeth and jaw into the right alignment.
How Invisalign Aligners Work Without Rubber Bands
Invisalign aligners straighten your teeth by gently shifting them into place. You’ll wear a series of aligners, each moving your teeth slightly more than the last. If your dental problem is minor—such as crooked teeth or small gaps—you may not need rubber bands. For more complicated issues, especially those involving your bite, rubber bands may be necessary to achieve the best results.
When Are Rubber Bands Needed with Invisalign?
Invisalign aligners alone can correct minor dental issues, but more complex bite problems often require the use of rubber bands. Here are some common bite issues that may require elastics:
- Overbite
An overbite is when your upper teeth overlap too much with your lower teeth. This can happen because the back teeth (molars) in your upper jaw are further forward than those in your lower jaw. A large overbite can cause discomfort, jaw pain, and uneven tooth wear. Rubber bands can help by attaching from the upper canines (the pointy teeth) to the lower molars, gradually pulling your teeth and jaw into a better position.
How Rubber Bands Help Overbite
Rubber bands create pressure that helps move your lower teeth forward and your upper teeth back, correcting the misalignment. A 2017 study showed that using Invisalign with elastics effectively improved overbites in adults.
- Underbite
An underbite happens when your lower teeth stick out past your upper teeth. This can lead to problems with chewing and jaw pain. For underbites, rubber bands are usually attached from the upper molars to the lower canines to pull the upper teeth forward and push the lower teeth back into place.
Treating Underbite with Invisalign
A 2016 case study found that mild underbites could be successfully treated with Invisalign and rubber bands. The elastics helped adjust the bite, making the treatment more effective.
- Anterior Open Bite
An anterior open bite is when your upper and lower front teeth don’t touch when you close your mouth. This can make eating and speaking difficult. In these cases, rubber bands can connect the upper and lower front teeth, helping to bring them together.
Research on Open Bite Treatment
In 2017, a small review found that Invisalign with rubber bands could effectively treat mild open bites in adults. The elastics helped guide the teeth into better alignment.
- Maintaining Bite Alignment
Once your bite is corrected, your orthodontist may recommend vertical elastics to maintain the new alignment. These rubber bands attach to both the upper and lower teeth in the same area, ensuring that your teeth stay in place while your treatment progresses.
Do All Invisalign Patients Need Rubber Bands?
No, not every Invisalign patient will need rubber bands. If you’re only correcting minor issues like slight crookedness or small gaps, you probably won’t need elastics. Rubber bands are mostly used to fix problems with how your teeth meet (your bite), like overbites, underbites, or open bites.
If your orthodontist doesn’t mention rubber bands in your treatment plan, it’s because they believe your aligners alone will be enough to achieve your desired results. However, if your orthodontist does recommend elastics, it’s important to use them as instructed to make sure your treatment is successful.
How Noticeable Are Rubber Bands with Invisalign?
One of the best features of Invisalign is its nearly invisible appearance. The aligners are clear, making them far less noticeable than metal braces. However, adding rubber bands and buttons (small attachments used to hold the elastics in place) can make your treatment slightly more visible.
Buttons and Hooks
Buttons are small attachments that act like anchors for the rubber bands. These buttons are usually tooth-colored and blend in fairly well, especially if they’re on the back teeth. Some aligners come with built-in hooks, so the elastics can be attached without needing additional buttons.
Rubber Bands
The rubber bands themselves are more noticeable, especially if they are attached near the front of your mouth. Clear elastics are available and are less visible than colored ones, but they may still stand out. If you’re worried about how noticeable the rubber bands might be, your orthodontist can explain where they will be placed and how visible they are likely to be.
How to Put Rubber Bands on Your Invisalign Aligners
Putting on your rubber bands can feel a little tricky at first, but it becomes easier with practice. Here are two ways to attach your elastics:
Method 1: Using Aligners with Hooks
- Take your aligners out of your mouth.
- Find the hooks on your top and bottom aligners where the elastics will go.
- Attach the rubber bands to the hooks on the aligners.
- Hold both aligners together and put them back in your mouth, making sure to keep the tension in the rubber bands.
Method 2: Using Buttons
- Remove the bottom aligner from your mouth.
- Hook the elastics onto the buttons or hooks on the bottom aligner.
- Place the bottom aligner back into your mouth, keeping the rubber bands in place.
- Hook the elastics to the buttons on your upper teeth.
If you’re unsure about how to properly attach your elastics, your orthodontist can show you exactly how to do it.
What to Do If a Button or Hook Falls Off
Sometimes a button or hook may even drop off while one is busy eating food or even brushing teeth you know. This could be so if the bonding material that fixates the button to your tooth is not strong or has become broken. If this ever happens, do not attempt to repair the worn-out disk by yourself. However, do not keep the bracket to yourself and visit your orthodontist for a reбрали fixation as soon as possible. If you were to put off the repair it might set back your treatment.
How to Care for Your Invisalign Aligners and Rubber Bands
If you are going through treatment, you have to understand that there are some things that you need to do to ensure that you work well with your aligners and rubber bands properly. Here are some tips for caring for your aligners:
- Change Rubber Bands Regularly: They stretch when worn and as such must be replaced often, especially twice or four times a day. Keep a set for yourself in your purse or desk so that no matter where you are if you are out of new ones it is better to have the used ones to have them than to have nothing at all.
- Keep Your Aligners Clean: Clean your aligners with water every night to remove any leftovers from food. Rinse them with gentle soap, but must not use toothpaste or mouthwash because these can harm the plastic; the toothbrush that should be used is also soft.
- Store Aligners Safely: Most of the time of the day goes with it removed and that is why it is recommended that when you are not using it, you should keep it in its case to avoid misplacing it or damaging it.
- Remove Aligners for Eating: When wearing the aligners, always remove them before consumption of food and only consume water when they are still in the mouth. This ensures that the aligners do not get stained or damaged in any other way you may have seen your friends using trays.
- Maintain Oral Hygiene: Wear your normal working clothes including avoiding contact with water running over buttons or hooks on your working tools. These areas may be harmed and a soft-bristled toothbrush ought to be used as a recommended tool to clean the mouth.
Conclusion: Follow Your Orthodontist’s Advice for the Best Results
Pay attention to what your orthodontist advises because they may prescribe rubber bands alongside your Invisalign. Compliance with elastics as advised will enhance the ability of your teeth and bite to transition as expected, shorten the time spent in treatment, and yield enhanced outcomes. These are serious consequences because if you skip a rubber band or wear them in the wrong way, your treatment will be slower and will take more time than it was planned.
Rubber bands are quite vital in correcting bite problems when used alongside Invisalign. In a nutshell, if you wear your aligners daily and maintain them properly then you are on the right track of obtaining a perfectly aligned set of teeth.
