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Contact Us Today

The first step towards obtaining a beautiful, healthy smile is to schedule an appointment. Please contact our office by phone or by completing the appointment request below. Our Appointment Coordinator will contact you to schedule your appointment.

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Life With Braces

Choose a Tpoic:

Compliance and Cooperation | Eating with Braces | Foods to Avoid | Discomfort
Loosening of Teeth | Loose Bracket, Band, or Wire | Brushing and Flossing | Athletics

Compliance and Cooperation

Successful orthodontic treatment depends upon the teamwork of the doctor and the patient - "Effort Equals Results!" The doctor designs a custom treatment plan and prescribes specific appliances. The patient must take care of the appliances and wear rubber bands, headgear, or other appliances as instructed to accomplish the goals of producing a healthy, beautiful smile. TREATMENT WILL BE PROLONGED BY:

• Failing to cooperate with wearing the appliances as prescribed
• NOT keeping up with regularly scheduled appointments
• Breakage of the orthodontic brackets, bands, wires, or appliances
• And yes, POOR ORAL HYGIENE

Eating with Braces

What can you eat? For the first day or so, stick to soft foods. Try to get used to chewing slowly and not biting down hard initially. After a few meals, you will get used to knowing how to chew without breaking any braces or biting on your cheeks. Learning how to "CHEW SOFTLY" is as important as knowing what to eat or not eat.

Foods to Avoid

The foods to avoid during orthodontic treatment are those that can damage the brackets, bands, or wires when chewing: hard, sticky, crunchy, or chewy foods. Bent wires and broken or loose bands and brackets delay treatment and require additional appointments for repair.

• Ice (even if you're careful)
• Taffy and caramels
• Jolly Ranchers and other hard candies
• Hard chips like Doritos
• Stay away from the bottom of the popcorn bag - the hard kernels are bad news
• Meat should not be chewed off the bone - it should be cut off
• Corn on the cob should be sliced off
• Pizza crust, bagels, and French bread should be broken into bite-size pieces
• Pens, pencils, and fingernails should not be bit down. They will break brackets.

Discomfort

When you get your braces on or have them adjusted, you will feel pressure on your teeth and you may experience some tenderness when biting and chewing for a few days. Actually, chewing soft, sugar-free gum helps relieve the pressure and discomfort. If the discomfort is severe, take Advil or whatever you normally take for a headache

The lips, cheeks, and tongue may also become irritated for one to two weeks as they adjust to the surface of the braces. This can be relieved by rinsing your mouth with warm salt water (dissolve 1 teaspoonful of salt in 8 ounces of warm water). Also, You can put wax on the brackets or bands that are causing the irritation to relieve the sore spots. We'll show you how!

Loosening of Teeth

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.

Loose Bracket, Band, or Wire

Don't be alarmed if a bracket, band, or wire becomes loose or breaks. This happens occasionally. If it is a loose bracket or band, try to leave it in place and use wax if irritation occurs. If a wire becomes loose or poking, try to replace the wire, tuck it somewhere out of the way, use wax to cover it, or clip it with fingernail clippers. These are not orthodontic emergencies, but you do need to call our office as soon as possible for an appointment to check and repair the appliances. If the bracket or band comes out completely, save it and bring it with you to the office. (For more information click on Emergency Care)

Brushing & Flossing

It's more important than ever to brush and floss regularly when you have braces so the teeth and gums are healthy during orthodontic treatment. If you do not keep the teeth clean, there may be "white spots," decalcification areas, once the braces are removed. These chalky white areas do not go away. Patients who do not keep their teeth clean may require more frequent visits to the dentist for a professional cleaning (3-4 month interval). Adults who have a history of gum disease should also see a periodontist during orthodontic treatment.

Athletics

If you play sports, it's important that you consult us for special precautions. A protective mouth guard is advised for playing contact sports. In case of any accident involving the face, check your teeth and the appliances immediately. If teeth are loosened or the appliances damaged, phone our office for an appointment. In the mean-time, treat your discomfort as you would treat any general soreness.