Elastics move the teeth in a direction which cannot be accomplished with braces alone.

Your teeth and jaws may be tender the first few days of wearing the elastics.  This is normal and should begin to disappear within a week.  If it persists longer, please call our office.  Rinsing with warm salt water will help take away the tenderness.

It may seem hard for you to put on the elastics at first, however it will become easier with practice.

Elastic wear must be constant to be effective!  24 hours a day, 7 days a week (unless Dr. Stark and his staff indicate otherwise).  You may remove the elastics only when eating meals or brushing your teeth.  Leave them in during snacking.   Be sure to replace the elastics with new ones immediately following mealtime and brushing.  Part-time wear does NOT move teeth, but it does cause them to constantly be sore.

Change the elastics routinely even if they are not broken.  After a while, elastics lose their strength.  Change them at least twice per day.

Carry extra elastics with you at all times.  If you don't have enough elastics to last until your next appointment, please stop by our office to pick up more or call us and we can send more to you.  We don't want you to run out!

Elastic wear is an important key to the speed of your treatment and the final results we can achieve.  The diagram below shows the correct placement.  Please call us if you have any questions or concerns.  Good luck with your elastics!