During Treatment
Orthodontic Dos and Don'ts
Our goal is to provide you with a beautiful smile. This can only be accomplished if the braces stay attached to your teeth and you exercise appropriate oral hygiene. We do not want to take away all the food you like to eat, but we do ask that you watch certain types of foods that are capable of breaking your wires or the bands/brackets. Broken orthodontic appliances will lengthen your treatment time.
The foods listed below are the ones we have found to be the most common causes of loose bands, brackets and broken appliances.
* These foods may be eaten if cut into small pieces and chewed carefully with the back teeth (molars).
** DO NOT BITE INTO carrots & apples; they may be eaten if they are cut into small pieces. Corn-on-the-cob may be eaten if sliced off the cob.
***These items may be eaten if broken into small pieces and chewed with the back teeth (molars).
Obviously, we cannot list everything. If you are not sure of something, ask yourself, "Is it hard, sticky or crunchy?" If the answer is "yes," you should not eat it.
Problems and Solutions: What to Do
Braces have a tendency to feel rough against the cheeks, lips, and tongue, especially soon after the braces are placed. This will sometimes lead to soreness and cause discomfort. The tissues will develop a callous over time, so this becomes less of a problem while treatment progresses. In the initial stages of treatment, wax can be used in areas that are particularly painful. Temporary pain relief can also be obtained with topical anesthetics (i.e. Orabase®).
Discomfort is a normal part of orthodontic treatment. We recommend over the counter pain medication just prior to and after the adjustment appointments. This allows the medication to already be in the system before the pain begins, improving the effectiveness. You can continue taking this medication until the discomfort subsides, usually for a day or two.
Be careful with your appliances, bands, brackets, wires or anything the orthodontist places in your mouth. They can be easily dislodged or even broken if you are not careful.
If you have had an appliance cemented into your mouth and it comes loose or falls out, it is important to contact our office as soon as possible to schedule an appointment. If the appliance is not in its proper position, or if it falls out completely, any correction already achieved may be compromised.
If a band or bracket comes loose or falls off, call our office. We will schedule a repair or give you extra time at your next appointment. Save the appliance and bring it with you for recementing. Remember, a broken or lost appliance cannot correct your teeth and may extend your treatment time.
Sometimes a wire gets loose and pokes the inside of your mouth. When that happens, cover it with a piece of wax until you can get to our office. Dry the area first (the wax sticks better that way), take a small amount of orthodontic wax, roll it into a little ball between your fingers and stick it on the area that seems to be bothering you. This will provide temporary relief until you can get to our office.
Fortunately, emergencies for patients in braces tend to be relatively infrequent. If you have problems, however, don’t hesitate to contact us. We’ll schedule an appointment to address your needs. If you have issues after office hours or on the weekends, call the office. Emergency numbers are available in our answering machine messages.