Bands and appliances with bands

Bands are metal rings that are fitted around your molars. They are used to hold the wires and elastics in place or are used to build appliances.

The bands are bonded in place with a special cement, which contains a high concentration of fluoride. This helps prevent tooth decay around the band.

It is really important that you follow these instructions in order to prevent your bands from coming off:

• Avoid gummy foods such as bubble gum, toffee and jujubes. These foods will weaken the band cement and eventually the band will come off.
• Don’t bite down on hard foods such as whole almonds, hard candies, ice cubes or the like.
• When you brush your teeth, don’t forget to brush especially well around your bands. This will probably require extra effort because they are far back in your mouth.
• If you sense that a band is loose, please call us right away. We must see you as soon as possible in order to re-cement it. Food can get stuck between a loose band and your tooth, causing gum inflammation and decalcification of your tooth.

It’s common for irritation or canker sores to develop on your inner cheeks after bands are cemented in place. This is totally normal, but we recommend rinsing with warm salt water at least three times a day or applying orthodontic wax on your bands until your cheeks adapt.