Braces Care
Braces Care
Get Successful Results Using Braces
The experienced doctors at Century Orthodontics can review all your options whether you are interested in traditional braces or Invisalign. No matter what your decision, our team can help you achieve the stunning smile that you desire!
We have an extraordinary level of Invisalign experience. We are also very experienced in traditional braces and other orthodontic appliances. Call
us today for a FREE
consultation!
Fixed Appliance Care
We are glad to be working with you to create a great smile! We need your cooperation to make your treatment as pleasant as possible. The following instructions should help you care for your appliance and your oral health while undergoing orthodontic treatment:
Initial soreness:
- Ibuprofen (Motrin), or what you normally take for headache pain, may be taken as needed for discomfort. It is best to keep ahead of the pain by taking the medication early and for 2 or 3 days after appliance placement and major adjustments
- Wax may be used to cover brackets, bands, wires, or any sharp areas. A pea-size ball pressed onto the area will relieve the sharpness. Remove the wax before brushing, and if you find it helpful to keep it on while eating, try not to swallow it! Unusually sharp spots may require adjustments at our office
- A mouth rinse of 1 tsp. Salt to 1 cup warm water may be used to help heal cuts or scrapes in your mouth
Conscientious oral hygiene:
- Floss daily. Use a floss threader or super floss. Use the Proxy brush to clean under the wire and between the teeth
- Brush at least twice a day with a soft bristle brush or an electric toothbrush. You will need to angle the bristles to remove all plaque from the teeth, brackets and under the wires. Often times it is necessary to pull your lips and cheeks back (especially the lower) to get at the area between the gums and braces. Check teeth when done brushing. Your braces and wires should shine. Gums should be pink and firm. If they do not you haven’t brushes adequately
- After your evening brushing and flossing rinse with a half cap full (1 tsp.) of the fluoride rinse. Swish in mouth for 60 seconds and expectorate. (Do not swallow). Bedtime is a good time to do this so the fluoride can work while you sleep
- Continue six‐month check‐ups with your dentist. We do not actively check for cavities during orthodontic visits although we certainly will tell you if we find one! When you call your dentist to make your appointment let them know you are in braces. They may want you to have your wires taken out before your appointment. If so call us for “wires out / wires in” appointments
Signs of improper oral hygiene:
- Red, puffy gum tissue that bleeds easily during brushing or flossing. This doesn’t mean stop brushing and flossing! When the gums heal up, the bleeding will stop
- Presence of plaque (sticky film on braces and teeth
- Bad breathe
- De-calcification (white marks on the teeth around brackets or gum line)
- All these problems are preventable with good oral hygiene
Breakage instructions:
- Check your braces daily for any loose or broken bands, brackets, or wires and call the office if you need a repair appointment
- Breakage can cause undesirable tooth movement that will prolong treatment time so please be careful. Damage to the teeth and soft tissue is also possible if broken appliances are not repaired
- Wax may be used to cover anything sharp or to hold things in place until you can get into the office to get them fixed
Mouth and lip guards:
- We offer generic mouth guards for active sports. Please let us know if you need one
- We offer smooth lip guards for patients who play certain musical instruments. Please let us know if you need one
Modified eating habits:
- Please do not chew anything hard, such as ice cubes, hard candy, pens or pencil, finger nails
- Please do not chew anything sticky, such as taffy, caramel, gummy bears, bubble gum etc. (sugarless regular gum is fine and even encouraged)
- Please do not bite into anything tough with your front teeth, such as apples, corn on the cob, bagels, meat that is on a bone. (Cut the apple into small pieces, scrape the corn off the cob, and cut the meat off the bone)
- Please limit amounts of carbonated drinks such as soda/pop, flavored waters, or acidic drinks (orange juice, lemonade, sports drinks or bottled teas). If you do drink these, try to brush your teeth or rinse your mouth with water after you have finished your drink
Eating these foods or anything else not listed here that is hard, crunchy, sticky, or chewy will loosen the braces. You may not discover the problem until hours or days later. This can cause longer treatment time, so it is up to you! By doing this you can have a great smile in the least time possible.
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Century Orthodontics
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