Life With Braces
When you are first fitted with braces, there will be a few things you will need to get used to. The following information should address any concerns you may have, and make your orthodontic experience as pleasant as possible!
Eating with Braces
For the first few days after your braces are put on you will want to stick to foods that are soft. Some suggestions are oatmeal, bananas, soup, pasta, cooked vegetables, smoothies, and scrambled eggs, just to name a few.
Foods to Avoid
To minimize the likelihood of loose brackets and bent wires, please avoid these types of food while wearing braces:
- Sticky: Caramel, Tootsie Rolls, taffy, crunchy granola bars
- Hard: Chewing on ice, biting into raw vegetables and apples, hard nuts. We encourage you to eat your fruits and vegetables; you just need to slice them!
- Crunchy: Popcorn, chips, hard tacos
- Tough: Corn on the cob, ribs, beef jerky
General Soreness
Most patients experience some discomfort for the first 3-7 days after their braces are put on. To help alleviate the soreness, you may rinse your mouth with a salt water solution and take an over-the-counter analgesic. Chewing sugarless chewing gum (sweetened with xylitol) for the first few days also helps minimize the discomfort. In addition, you may use dental wax (available at our office or your local drugstore) to cover any problem areas if they are rubbing your mouth.
Loosening of Teeth
As a part of the process of moving your teeth into a more ideal position, you will notice some teeth will present increased mobility. Loose teeth are a natural part of the process and they will “harden up” again once they are settled into the new position.
Loose Wire, Bracket or Band
Sometimes a bracket can come loose or a wire may pop out of place. If it is a flexible wire, you may be able to push it back into place using tweezers. If not, you may use a pencil eraser or the back of a pen to push the end of the wire down. A small amount of dental wax may be placed over the area that is bothersome. Next, schedule an appointment to have the wire, bracket, or band repaired.
Care of Appliances and Brushing
With braces it is more important than ever to brush and floss your teeth to keep them clean and healthy. Consistent brushing and flossing as well as maintaining your regular professional cleaning appointments with your dentist will ensure that your gums and teeth remain healthy throughout treatment.
Types of Braces
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Clear Braces
We use the highest quality clear braces called Clarity Advanced. These ceramic braces feature a comfortable design with a translucent appearance. These braces will not stain or discolor and perform the same as metal braces. Adults and teenagers are eligible for this treatment! Clarity Advanced
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Traditional
Metal BracesAt our office, we use the highest quality available metal braces that are considered to have a very low profile. They are made of high-grade stainless steel and are much smaller, more attractive, and much more comfortable than they used to be. We also rarely use bands that wrap around the entire tooth.
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Invisalign
The Invisalign System is a series of clear overlay templates called aligners that have been generated by computer simulation to gradually move the teeth. Our office has a digital scanner (The iTero Element), which eliminates the need for impressions! After the scan is taken, the doctors prescribe the desired tooth movement and the aligners are fabricated and shipped to the office. Adults and teenagers are eligible for this treatment!