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Invisalign

Orthodontic Appliances

Braces for All Ages

Life with Braces

First Aid

 

   


  

General Soreness

You may feel some discomfort after the initial banding appointment and after major adjustments. Generally the discomfort is alleviated within a couple of days. If the tenderness is severe, we recommend taking whatever you normally take for headache or similar pain. If the lips, gums, cheeks or tongue become irritated, you should rinse with warm salt water mouth washes, and place orthodontic wax on the braces around the discomfort area. If the discomfort remains severe after four days, call our office.

Eating with Braces

There are certain foods that you will want to avoid while you have orthodontic appliances. Hard, sticky crunchy or chewy foods can break the appliances and delay the progress of treatment. Avoid:

  • Bagels, hard rolls, hard pizza crust, beef jerky

  • Crunchy foods: popcorn, ice, hard chips

  • Sticky foods: caramel, bubble gum

  • Hard foods: nuts, hard candy, ice

  • Foods you have to bite into: corn on the cob, apples, celery, carrots. We recommend cutting raw vegetables and fruit into small bite size pieces before eating

  • Chewing on hard things such as pencils, straws and finger nails can also damage your braces and delay the progress of your treatment.

Oral Hygiene

It is very important to keep your teeth clean during your orthodontic treatment. Cavities and gum disease are caused by plaque that easily builds up on orthodontic appliances, teeth and gums. Plaque can cause swollen gum tissue and scarred and decayed teeth.

We recommend brushing after every meal with a soft-bristle toothbrush, at least three minutes. Use floss threaders to floss between your teeth.

The continuing service of your family dentist will still be necessary throughout orthodontic treatment. Regular six month hygiene appointments should be performed with braces in place.

Athletics

If you play contact sports, we recommend special protective mouth guards. If you would like a mouth guard please let our office know. "Boil and bite" type mouth guards are not recommended during orthodontic treatment.