Bands are used in orthodontics to anchor an appliance to the teeth or secure an archwire to the molars. Used on the molars and in some cases the premolars, bands are made from stainless steel and are very similar to a ring. Bands come in different sizes and are custom fit to the tooth using the appropriate dental instruments. They are temporally cemented on your teeth with cement designed specifically for the use with bands.
Bands have attachments similar to a hook to allow for the use of removable elastics or other attachments. The archwire slides into a small sleeve on the cheek side of the band. This allows for the movement or stabilization of the molars. Bands may become loose and this should be reported to the dentist or orthodontist as soon as possible. Some instances that cause bands to become loose are:
- Eating hard, crunchy, or sticky foods on your back teeth
- Habits such as chewing on a pen or pencil
- The cement becomes loose due to wear
Rings
Anchor Band
Ortho Band
