|
 |
 |
|
|
Life With Braces | Braces in Action | Braces Diagram | Brace Painter | Oral Care Video
What can you eat? Let's talk about what you shouldn't eat! If you've been wanting
to drop a few pounds, the first week wearing braces is just your chance! For
the first day or so, stick to soft foods. Avoid tough meats, hard breads, and
raw vegetables. Before long, you'll be able to bite a cucumber again. But you'll
need to protect your orthodontic appliances when you eat for as long as you're wearing braces.
  - Chewy foods: bagels, hard rolls, licorice
- Crunchy foods: popcorn, ice, chips
- Sticky foods: caramels, gum
- Hard foods: nuts, candy
- Foods you have to bite into: corn on the cob, apples, carrots
- Chewing on hard things (for example, pens, pencils or fingernails) can damage
the braces. Damaged braces will cause treatment to take longer.
When you get your
braces on, you may feel general soreness in your mouth and teeth may be tender
to biting pressures for three to five days. This can be relieved by rinsing
your mouth with a warm salt water mouthwash. Dissolve one teaspoonful of salt
in 8 ounces of warm water, and rinse your mouth vigorously. If the tenderness
is severe, take aspirin or whatever you normally take for headache or similar
pain. The lips, cheeks and tongue may also become irritated for one to two weeks
as they toughen and become accustomed to the surface of the braces. You can
put wax on the braces to lessen this. We'll show you how!
This is to be expected throughout treatment. Don't worry!
It's normal. Teeth must loosen first so they can be moved. The teeth will again
become rigidly fixed in their new – corrected – positions.
To successfully complete the treatment plan, the patient must work together with
the orthodontist. The teeth and jaws can only move toward their corrected positions
if the patient consistently wears the rubber bands, headgear or other appliances
as prescribed. Damaged appliances lengthen the treatment time.
 
It's more important than ever to brush and floss regularly when you have braces,
so the teeth and gums are healthy after orthodontic treatment. Patients who
do not keep their teeth clean may require more frequent visits to the dentist
for a professional cleaning. Adults who have a history of gum disease should
also see a periodontist during orthodontic treatment.
- Wear your retainers full time, until the doctor instructs otherwise.
- Take your retainers out when eating... and always put retainers in their
case! (Most appliances are lost in school lunch rooms or restaurants.)
- Clean retainers thoroughly once a day with a toothbrush and toothpaste.
Use warm but not hot water. Brushing retainers removes the plaque, and eliminates
odors. Efferdent or other orthodontic appliance cleaners can be used, but
do not take the place of brushing.
- When retainers are not in your mouth they should ALWAYS be in a retainer
case. Pets love to chew on them!
- Initially, you may find it difficult to speak. Practice speaking, reading,
or singing out loud to get used to them faster.
- Retainers are breakable, so treat them with care. If retainers are lost
or broken call us immediately.
- If you have any questions or concerns about your retainers, or your retainers
need adjusting, call us. Do not try to adjust them yourself.
- Always bring your retainers to your appointments.
- Retainer replacement is expensive... with proper care they will last for
years!
- Remove retainers when swimming.
- Keep retainers away from hot water, hot car dashboards, pockets, the washing
machine, and napkins.
- Wear your expander all the time. That means all day, during meals, and while
sleeping.
- Remove your expander only to brush your teeth. Brush your expander at least
twice a day with a toothbrush and toothpaste.
- Turn your expansion screws as instructed. Insert the key into the hole and
turn toward the arrow.
- If you are unable to keep your scheduled appointment, stop turning the expander.
 
If you play sports, it's
important that you consult us for special precautions. A protective mouthguard
is advised for playing contact sports. In case of any accident involving the
face, check your mouth and the appliances immediately. If teeth are loosened
or the appliances damaged, phone at once for an appointment. In the meantime,
treat your discomfort as you would treat any general soreness.
Don't be alarmed if a wire or band comes loose. This happens
occasionally. If wire protrudes and is irritating, use a blunt instrument (back
of spoon or the eraser end of a pencil) and carefully, gently push the irritating
wire under the archwire. Simply get it out of the way. If irritation to the
lips or mouth continues, place wax or wet cotton on the wire to reduce the annoyance.
Call our office as soon as possible for an appointment to check and repair the
appliances. If any piece comes off, save it and bring it with you to the office.
As a general rule, an emergency appointment may be made when there is severe
pain, a loose band, a broken wire or something sticking out that you can't take
care of. It's important to know the names of the parts of your appliances. It
will help, when you phone the office, to be able to identify what part is broken
or out of place.
Back to Top
|
|
| |
|
