Brace Care 101 – Welcome to a Life with Braces
Congratulations on taking the exciting step towards achieving a beautifully aligned smile! Brace yourself (pun intended) for an adventure filled with straightened teeth, more confidence, and brace chic attitude.
At Lucas Orthodontics, we’re thrilled to be your companions on this journey with all the insider tips, tricks, and must-knows for navigating life with braces like a pro. Ready, set, smile!
Brushing and Flossing
Braces make brushing and flossing harder and require adjusting your habits to keep a healthy smile. 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. Watch the videos below on the proper care of braces during orthodontic treatment.
Eating with Braces
For the first day or so after an adjustment, 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. Additionally, regularly check for any loose wires or brackets that may require immediate attention from your orthodontist to maintain the effectiveness of your treatment.
Foods to Avoid
- Chewy foods: bagels, hard rolls, licorice
- Crunchy foods: popcorn, ice
- 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 also damage the braces. Damaged braces will cause treatment to take longer and may result in extra appointments.
General Soreness
When you get your braces on, you may feel general soreness in your mouth and teeth may be tender to biting pressures for 3-5 days. Take Tylenol or a similar pain reliever that you normally take for headache or discomfort.
Your lips, cheeks, and tongue may also become irritated for one to two weeks as they toughen and become accustomed to the braces. We will supply orthodontic wax to put on the braces in irritated areas to lessen discomfort.
Loosening of Teeth
Yes, your teeth may become a bit loose during treatment. While this is scary, it’s totally normal! This is to be expected throughout treatment. Teeth must loosen first so they can move. The teeth will firm up in their new—corrected—positions after the treatment is completed.
Loose Wire or Band
Don’t be alarmed if a wire or band comes loose; this happens occasionally. If a wire sticks out and is irritating, carefully use a blunt instrument (like the eraser end of a pencil) and carefully, gently push the irritating wire back under the archwire.
You should only try this if your discomfort becomes unmanageable with only orthodontic wax. Simply get it out of the way. If irritation to the lips or mouth continues, place additional 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 problem.
Rubber Band Wear
To successfully complete orthodontic treatment, 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 or other appliances as prescribed.
Lack of cooperation following instructions and damaged appliances lengthen the treatment time. Cooperation and commitment from both ends will ensure timely and successful results.
Athletics
If you play sports, we’ll prioritize your dental safety and well-being. Get custom-fitted protective mouthguards made specifically for those involved in contact sports. These mouthguards serve as a crucial preventative measure to safeguard your teeth and oral structures from potential impact or injury during sporting activities. We’ll provide you with the necessary protection while you pursue your athletic passions.
