How to Take Care of Your Braces

Once your braces are firmly on your teeth the work of straightening your smile can start.  Your Orthodontist will examine and inspect your braces on a regular basis.  At each visit, they will be adjusted by changing or tightening your wires, changing your rubber bands, and anything else that the orthodontist recommends.

In between visits, it is important to care for your teeth at home.  Eating the wrong thing or failing to brush and floss properly can lead to complications and make the process last longer.  The typical time a patient has them on is around two years.  A delay or complication can extend the process out much farther.

Here are tips for how you can care for your braces and teeth at home.

·         Brush after meals.  Do not wait for the evening to brush your teeth.  Carry a soft toothbrush with you and use it after every meal and some snacks.  This will help to remove food that has gotten stuck around your braces and will help to prevent staining and cavities.

·         Use a wire brush.  A special wire brush can be used to clean the plaque off from around your braces.  Its small pointed tip can get into small spaces.

·         Floss daily.  There are flossing tools that are made for patients with braces.  Use this at least once a day.  Food and bacteria will become trapped on and in between your teeth if you are not careful with your oral care habits.

·         Use mouthwash.  Instead of chewing gum, use an antiseptic mouthwash.  This will kill bacteria that is forming in your mouth, on your teeth, and gums.  It is also safer since gum tends to be sticky and can even cause your rubber bands or wires to become loose.

·         Drink water.  Substitute soda, juice, coffee, and other sugar filled liquids with water.  Your overall health may improve, and you will prevent sugar and bacteria from sitting on your teeth throughout the day. 

·         Visit the dentist.  Continue with your preventative care treatments.

·         Avoid candy.  Biting down on hard candy can cause your braces to become damaged.  Any damage to your braces will elongate the amount of time you have to wear them. Additionally, caramels and other soft chewy candies can become stuck in your braces which creates a risk of getting cavities.

·         Stay away from hard foods.  Things like nuts, ice, carrots, and hard pizza crust can all damage your braces or the hard pieces can be stuck in between your brackets and cause pain.  If you want to eat these foods look for a softer version.  For example, steamed carrots, soft crust, and pecans instead of almonds.

Follow your orthodontists’ instructions on anything additional you need to do for your specific situation.  Make sure to attend all of your scheduled appointments so that your braces stay in the best shape possible, and your smile is straightened on time and on schedule.  By caring for teeth and braces, you will have a gorgeous smile in no time.

Invisalign is the Clear Way to Straighten Your Smile

You can have a straight and a gorgeous smile with Invisalign.  A bright, straight, and warm smile exudes confidence and can transform someone’s appearance.  Most people want a straight smile but may not have the time or desire to wear traditional braces.  Fortunately, there is another option.

MG Dental provides patients with multiple ways to straighten their smile.  While we offer traditional braces, this is not a good fit for everyone.  People with busy careers that need to maintain a certain image may be unable to wear braces while people that travel a lot don’t have time to visit the orthodontist on a frequent basis.

Invisalign is ideal for people with a busy schedule because the progress can be made at home.  Appointments are simply to make sure that the teeth are adjusting as they should.  Traditional braces have multiple components – brackets, wires and rubber bands. These components need to be adjusted or changed regularly at the orthodontist office in order to keep teeth moving in the right direction.  Invisalign is different because there is only one piece to worry about, an aligner.

Clear aligners are created using a mold of your mouth.  They slowly change so that every couple of weeks you can remove the old one and start to wear a new one.  They go in stages so that each time you start wearing a new aligner it will move the teeth that much close to your smile goals.  Patients are given the aligners at the beginning of the process, so there is no need to visit the orthodontist before switching one out.  Regular inspections still need to be completed, but that can be done on a patient's schedule without worrying about causing delays.  Flexibility is important because people’s lives are so incredibly busy.  Even those that are committed to having straight teeth may find the number of office visits cumbersome, making this alternative option ideal.

Invisalign is also an excellent option for those worried about their appearance.  Many people are uncomfortable with the idea of having metal braces on their mouth.  Whether needing to blend in at work or a high school senior wanting to look amazing for the prom, braces do impact your overall appearance where this option won’t.  Since the aligners are clear, a patient can wear it with them with confidence that no one can tell they are on.  This makes them a viable alternative for people that want to straighten their smile without calling attention to it.

Another benefit is that you can care for your teeth like normal without any additional maintenance steps.  Simply brush your teeth after each meal or sticky snacks, floss daily, and use an antiseptic mouthwash to kill bacteria and to remove plaque.  Your aligners can also be brushed using a soft toothbrush and toothpaste.

To learn more about the process or to schedule a consultation call MG Dental at 718-416-6444 and speak with one of our experienced team members or our orthodontist.