Braces Care
During Orthodontic Treatment
Having braces should not cause any major changes in your day-to-day activities. You can still dine out, sing, play a musical instrument, or have pictures taken. If you play a wind instrument, several companies make mouth guards and lip protectors, although you may not need them. For certain sports it is a good idea to wear a mouth guard. Ask us about recommendations based on your specific needs when you come in for your next appointment.With proper care and maintenance, you can promote your oral health while on your way to a more beautiful smile.
Printable Reference Forms
Click each image to download and print, or scroll down for text-only versions
BRUSHING:
After every meal using only a soft bristle toothbrush. If you cannot brush right away, rinse well with water.
1. Use a dry brush with a small amount of toothpaste. Place the bristles where gums and teeth meet.
2. Use a circular, vibrating motion around the gum lines, 10 seconds on each tooth.
3. Brush slowly, each arch separately, every tooth.
4. Brush the lower teeth up and the upper teeth down. Brush your tongue and the roof of your mouth too!
FLOSSING:
Nightly after brushing using a floss threader between gums and braces.
5. Carefully pull floss wire through braces. A floss threader may be helpful.
6. Floss carefully around the braces.
7. Floss carefully around the gum area.
8. Floss carefully around each tooth.
CONCENTRATE ON THE DANGER ZONE! …The space between the bands or brackets and the gums.
Pizza Crust - The hard crust can bend the wires.
Ice…NEVER - It will damage your braces.
Corn on the Cob - Slice corn off the cob.
Hard Pretzels - Bends wires, loosens bands and loosens brackets.
Apples - Slice into bite size pieces.
Hard Rolls, Bagels - Bends the wires and loosens the brackets.
Doritos, Tacos, Tostitos, Cheetos, Fritos and the like - Will form a hard ball and break your braces.
Beef Jerky, Slim Jims - Tough as nails
Lollipops and Hard Candy - You may weaken your braces when you bite into them.
Popcorn - The little kernels get between the gum and the band. This can be very painful.
Nuts - No nuts of any kind!
Raw Carrots - Too hard. Slide them very thinly or avoid them.
Pens and Pencils - Favorite exam food; damages wires and brackets.
Caramel Candy, Bubble Gum, Taffy - Is sticky and will pull off wires and feed the bacteria in your mouth.
Elastics are small rubber bands used to align the teeth in the top jaw with those in the bottom jaw, often eliminating the need for extractions or headgear.
Remove the elastics only when you brush your teeth or eat, and reinsert them when you are finished. If you happen to forget to insert your elastics one day, do not double up the next day. As the elastics get older, they lose their stretch and do no function properly. It’s very important to change them routinely, even if they are not broken.
Will wearing elastics hurt?
There may be minor soreness initially from the elastics’ pressure. Any discomfort can be relieved by taking acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
What should I do if I lose my elastics or run out of them?
You can either stop by our office, and we will give you a new package, or you can call our office and we will mail them to you.
Congratulations on the start of your orthodontic treatment. We have placed little rubber bands called separators between your back teeth. Please know these are needed to help with placing the braces at the next appointment.
Here are some quick tips for you regarding your separators:
- Please allow 48 hours to get used to having separators between your teeth.
- Take Tylenol or Advil as needed for discomfort.
- Do NOT floss where the separators have been placed.
- Do NOT eat sticky candy or gum.
Today your appliance have been placed and will be monitored throughout your treatment. This is a permanent appliance that cannot be removed.
Here are some quick tips for you regarding your appliances:
- Please allow 48 hours to adjust to your new appliance.
- Take Tylenol or Advil as needed for discomfort.
- Do NOT eat sticky candy, gum or hard foods.
- If the appliance was to come loose or break please contact our office.
Retainers should be worn for twelve hours per day. This is best accomplished at night.
Always keep the case in a safe place. Keep it out of the reach of small children and all pets. Do not take your retainers out of your house, unless you are going on vacation.
Always rinse and clean your retainers in cold water. Never use warm or hot water because it will warp the retainers. Always rinse them with cold water before putting them in the case that you have been given.
Brush retainers every morning with a toothbrush and cold water; for additional cleaning, soak them in cold water with a denture tablet.
Never wrap your retainers in a paper napkin and do not store them in your pocket or purse without their case. If the retainers are not in your mouth, they should be in their case at home.
Bring your retainers to every visit.
The charge to replace one retainer is $200.00. The charge to replace both retainers is $400.00
Please call the office to schedule an appointment if you lose or break your retainers, or if they do not fit properly.
Step 1 - In a well-lit area, tip the patient’s head back.
Step 2 - Place the key in the hole until it is firmly in place.
Step 3 - Pushing the key towards the back of the mouth, you will notice the fender will rotate and the new hole will appear. The rotation stops when the key meets the back of the expander.
Step 4 - By pushing back and down towards the tongue, remove the key. The next hole for insertion of the key should now be visible.