Your teeth will begin moving soon after the braces are put on.\u00a0 After a few days you may notice some of the teeth are getting loose.\u00a0 Don’t be alarmed, this is how teeth move through the bone.\u00a0 This is the normal pattern of tooth movement.\u00a0 You will feel the teeth getting loose, and sometimes you may see gaps opening where there were no spaces before.\u00a0 As the teeth move into their ideal position, the extra spaces will be closed and your teeth will firm up again.<\/p>\n

Caring for braces:<\/h2>\n

At the appointment where we place your braces, we will also review how to take care of your braces.\u00a0 The success of your orthodontic treatment depends on how well you take care of your teeth, the brackets and how well you follow our recommendations.<\/p>\n

Brushing:<\/h2>\n

With the braces on, it is very important to keep the teeth, gums and brackets themselves nice and clean.\u00a0 Our office will provide you with a complimentary orthodontic hygiene kit.\u00a0 We will review and demonstrate how to use each item in our kit, so that we can give you the proper tools for success.\u00a0 Brush your teeth with a soft bristle tooth brush after every meal and before bed.\u00a0 Hold the tooth brush at a 45 degree angle and brush above, below and in between the braces. Don’t forget to brush your tongue and the roof of your mouth. \u00a0Look closely and make sure that there is no food or plaque around the teeth.\u00a0 Change your tooth brush as soon as the bristles become frayed. Electric tooth brushes help reduce plaque better than manual toothbrushes.<\/p>\n

Flossing:<\/h2>\n

Floss in-between the teeth at least once a day.\u00a0 Flossing removes the plaque and food caught in- between the contacts of the teeth.\u00a0 Your complimentary hygiene kit will contain floss and reusable floss threaders that help thread the floss under the arch-wire.\u00a0\u00a0 We will also show you how to floss with braces when you get your braces placed on your teeth. Healthy teeth and gums move more efficiently and your treatment will progress more effectively.<\/p>\n

Rinse:<\/h2>\n

You can use a mouth rinse such as Listerine Total Care, to help minimize plaque build-up and reduce minor gum inflammation and irritations.<\/p>\n

Eating with braces:<\/h2>\n

Food particles and plaque naturally accumulate on the teeth whether you have braces or not.\u00a0 The braces make it easier for the food and plaque to sit on the tooth surface.\u00a0 When the food and plaque sit on the surface of your teeth, they create a higher acidity level and you can get cavities or gum irritations. There are some foods that we ask that you avoid while undergoing orthodontic treatment, to reduce the chance of damaging the braces and decrease the chance of possible cavities or gum irritations. It is important to make smart food choices that reduce the amount of plaque build-up around your teeth.\u00a0 Foods that are higher in sugar content produce more plaque.\u00a0 Foods that are sticky and chewy tend to stick to the braces or teeth and create more plaque as well.\u00a0 Sodas have a high sugar content and the carbonation in the soda breaks down the glue on the braces. \u00a0Hard foods should be cut into small bite size pieces so that they do not break the brackets.\u00a0\u00a0 Broken brackets, swollen gums, and cavities can prolong your treatment time and overall health of your teeth. The following is a brief list of foods to avoid, but use common sense and logic to see if what you want to eat can potentially damage your braces.<\/p>\n

Foods to Avoid:<\/h2>\n

\n
• Chewy foods: gummy bears, licorice, Skittles<\/li>\n
• Crunchy foods: popcorn, ice, chips<\/li>\n
• Sticky foods: gum, caramel<\/li>\n
• Hard foods: nuts, hard bread, candy<\/li>\n
• Chewing on hard things like: pen, pencil, nails<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

  Foods to cut into small pieces<\/strong>: raw carrots and apples, crusted breads, pizza crust, corn on the cob, firm meats, etc.<\/p>\n

  [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_sidebar _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default”][\/et_pb_sidebar][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  [et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” hover_enabled=”0″ width_last_edited=”on|phone” width_phone=”100%” sticky_enabled=”0″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” sticky_enabled=”0″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default”] It’s important to know what to expect when you get braces.\u00a0 The\u00a0 more you know about how your teeth will feel and react to braces, the better prepared you will be in your life with braces.\u00a0 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"yoast_head":"\n