Tips for Adjusting to Life With Braces
You’ve taken a big step by having braces put on, and you're now officially on the path towards a healthy, beautiful smile. It’s an exciting time, but it also comes with a bit of a learning curve.
As you get used to your new orthodontic treatment, you may need to make a few adjustments, but it'll become second nature before you know it.
Brushing
Brushing your teeth properly is an essential part of your treatment. Not only do you want to avoid puffy gums, cavities, and white spots on your teeth, treatment moves much more quickly and leads to a better result when the teeth and gums are healthy.
Our staff will go over every aspect on how to care for your braces, including brushing, following the placement of your braces. In case you forgot, you can review any of our instruction by viewing the video below.
Food
The basic food guidelines while undergoing orthodontic treatment is nothing:
1) Hard
2) Sticky
3) Chewy
That means no gum, gummy bears, Laffy Taffy, Mike and Ikes, Airheads, Warheads, Starbursts, Skittles, popcorn, licorice, Tootsie Rolls, or chewing on pens, pencils, or ice.
Remember, there's no such thing as "gum for braces" no matter who tells you there is. All of these hard, sticky, chewy foods can break your braces and bend your wires. The more broken braces and bent wires you the longer it will prolong your treatment.
We never want to eliminate healthy foods but one has to take some extra care. When eating an apple, carrot, or bagel, bite with your front teeth. Cut up those foods and chew them on your back teeth.
Elastics
Braces can straighten your teeth but we need your help to correct your bite. You'll get elastics or rubber bands to help slide your teeth into their proper position.
The more you wear them as instructed, the quicker treatment can go. We can always tell if you are wearing your rubber bands at your office visits and not wearing them can slow down your treatment.
You'll receive plenty of elastics so be sure to change them multiple times a day. If you ever run out, call us and you can get more.
Retainers
Unfortunately, teeth want to move over a period of time and we do everything we can to set you up for long-term success. After completing your treatment, you'll receive a combination of cemented and removable retainers to ensure their smile looks just as good in 10 years as it does the day your braces come off.
We've been cementing retainers behind teeth for more 30 years and have found that these provide the best option for the long-term stability of your teeth over years not just months. In addition to cemented retainers, all of the patients will receive a removable top retainer as extra protection against your teeth moving.
The first set of retainers and the retainers visits up until your wisdom teeth can be evaluated are included in your overall fee for treatment. The cemented retainers are guaranteed for a year after treatment and if they break there may be a charge to replace them after the first year.
Sometimes they may be able to repaired at no charge to the patient so don’t hesitate to come in. If you think you have lost or broken your retainer, please come in as quickly as possible so we can evaluate your smile and bite.