Home l Contact Us l Feedback   Descriptions and Instructions for Various Orthodontic Appliances Braces Herbst Appliance Your Sagittal Appliance Your Lip Bumper Retainers Separators The Herbst Appliance There are many methods that orthodontists may use to correct a particular problem. In your case we may decide that the Herbst appliance will help bring your chin forward and improve your bite more effectively than any other option. The Herbst appliance accomplishes three things: It immediately improves your appearance. Insasmuch as your face is still growing, holding your chin forward will help speed the growth of your lower jaw. Your total treatment time usually will be shortened. What To Expect The first few days you may have some tenderness in your jaw muscle. You may want to eat a soft diet until the tenderness diminishes and you become accustomed to chewing in the new position. Gradually you may go back to your normal diet. Do avoid sticky or hard foods that might damage your appliance. You may have some irritation to the inside of your cheeks. This is usually due to the extra fullness made by the heads of the screws. The screws are necessary to allow the jaws to work up and down freely. Placing orthodontic wax over the source of irritation will help. Wax generally becomes unnecessary as your mouth becomes accustomed to having the appliance in place. If soreness persists after a few days, call us and we’ll adjust your appliance. We want you to be as comfortable as possible. Some Precautions If you open too wide, the little plunger attached to your lower jaw may slip out of the sleeve that is attached to your upper jaw. Should this happen, look in a mirror, open very wide, slip the little rods or plungers into the tubes or sleeves of the upper part, and close your mouth normally. Please do not play with your new appliance. Daily Oral Care Brushing your teeth with your Herbst appliance in place requires extra time. Brush thoroughly and leave no food trapped under the tubes. If you have a water irrigator, such as a Waterpik, rinse thoroughly once or twice a day. Using fluoride is also important. Rinse each day with a fluoride rinse. If you prefer, brush normally, rinse, and then brush with a fluoride gel. Do not rinse with water after using fluoride. Take care of your appliance and you will be amazed how quickly your jaws will change! Your Sagittal Appliance Your new appliance should be worn 24 hours a day. The only exception is when you are playing sports that could result in an injury to the mouth and a broken appliance. You know that the appliance is not food, but your brain doesn't. At first, your mouth will produce a lot of saliva. In a few days, your brain will figure it out and you won't have to slurp so much. The first day or two you may talk a little funny, but this will improve with time. Try reading out load and your speech will return to normal in a very short time. It is very important that you learn to eat with the appliance in your mouth. Remove the appliance after each meal and brush your teeth and the appliance thoroughly. Occasionally you may want to soak it in mouthwash or denture cleaner. Never use hot water. Take responsibility for your appliance because replacing it is expensive. We have given you a carrying case. Please write your name, address and phone number on the case. When you remove the appliance for sports, always put in the case. Remember to keep the appliance away from your dog or cat. If you have questions between your monthly check-ups, please call our office. Do not leave the appliance out just because it is bothering you. Come by and let our staff check it. Remember, if you fail to wear your appliance at all times, it will result in a longer treatment time, the need for new appliances, and less than ideal results. Dr. Robinson’s home phone number is 817-5850. Should you feel the need to discontinue use of the appliance, please call Dr. R. Your Lip Bumper A lip bumper is a wire that extends from one lower molar to the other, resting between the teeth and cheeks. Unless you show it to your friends, nobody should be able to tell you are wearing it. Why we use it. Many orthodontists make room for crowded teeth by removing permanent teeth. When possible, Dr. Robinson wants to preserve all your permanent teeth, which results in a bigger, more beautiful smile. The lip bumper can eliminate the need to pull teeth. How it works. Your teeth are held in place by the tongue, cheeks and lips. The lip bumper keeps the cheeks and lower lip away from the teeth. This allows the tongue to gently push on all your teeth, making more room for them. Every time you talk, laugh or smile, your lip pushes on the bumper. This pushes your molars back and creates space for your crowded teeth. In all likelihood, you will wear your lip bumper about a year before getting the rest of your braces. It works slowly, but it works well. If it becomes dislodged. Your lip bumper is made in a way that allows Dr. Robinson to remove it for periodic adjustments. Because the lip bumper is not tied in, it may become dislodged. If this happens, carefully place it back into the molar band. If you are unable to get it back in place, please call for an appointment. Eating with your lip bumper. Please leave your lip bumper in while eating. Food may get caught in it, but a thorough brushing will remove it. Avoid eating hard, chewy or sticky foods. They will damage your lip bumper or cause your bands to come off. This would necessitate additional trips to our office and add considerable time to your treatment—and we know you don’t want that! Like any other new orthodontic appliance, the lip bumper takes a little getting used to. Remember: the lip bumper is an important part of your treatment. Wearing and caring for your lip bumper as instructed will allow you to get your braces sooner, and help give you a lifetime of big, beautiful smiles. Retainers After Phase One Treatment CONGRATULATIONS! Your rapid palatal expander has been removed and you are now beginning the next critical step of your orthodontic treatment: maintaining the correction to your upper jaw. Wearing your new retainer will hold your jaw in its expanded position while new bone fills in. Here are some tips that will contribute to effective retainer wear. Wear it! To be effective, your retainer must be worn at all times, except when eating or swimming. We ask that you wear your retainer night and day for SIX MONTHS, and then nights only until we tell you that it is no longer needed. Keep it clean. Remember when you brush your teeth, clean your retainer as well. Use luke warm, soapy water, NEVER HOT WATER. You may use your toothbrush and toothpaste to clean your retainers. Soaking them in mouthwash for 10-15 minutes will help freshen them. Keep it safe. Keep your retainer in your mouth or in its case at all times. Many retainers have been thrown away when wrapped in a napkin or chewed up by the family pet. Do not leave your retainer in the sun or use hot water to clean it, or it may become distorted. If something does happen to your retainer, contact our office immediately for a replacement. You’ve worked too hard for that perfect smile to lose it! Visit your dentist. It is important to visit your general dentist for a complete checkup and cleaning now that your braces are off. It is also important that Dr. Robinson continue to check your retainers as requested. If you forget your appointment or think your retainers aren’t fitting properly, call us! After Orthodontic Treatment is Complete CONGRATULATIONS! You have finally made it through active orthodontic treatment and are officially “out of braces.” Now that your teeth are straight, you may believe you are done with orthodontics. NOT TRUE! One more step is critical to maintaining your new smile and protecting your investment: RETENTION. Your new retainer will help ensure a lifetime of beautiful smiles. Here are some tips that will contribute to effective retainer wear. Wear it! To be effective, your retainer must be worn at all times, except when eating or swimming. We ask that you wear your retainer night and day for 4-6 months, then nights only until your wisdom teeth come in or are removed. This will keep your front teeth from begin pushed forward and becoming crowded. Teeth naturally move and crowd each other as you get older, whether you have worn braces or not. If you want your teeth to be perfect when you are 50, you need to wear them every night. Keep it clean. Remember when you brush your teeth, clean your retainer as well. Use luke warm, soapy water, NEVER HOT WATER. You may use your toothbrush and toothpaste to clean your retainers. Soaking them in mouthwash for 10-15 minutes will help freshen them. Keep it safe. Keep your retainer in your mouth or in its case at all times. Many retainers have been thrown away when wrapped in a napkin or chewed up by the family pet. Do not leave your retainer in the sun or use hot water to clean it, or it may become distorted. Remember to keep your retainer in your mouth or in its case. If something does happen to your retainer, contact our office immediately for a replacement. You’ve worked too hard for that perfect smile to lose it! Visit your dentist. It is important to visit your general dentist for a complete checkup and cleaning now that your braces are off. It is also important that Dr. Robinson continue to check your retainers as requested. If you forget your appointment or think your retainers aren’t fitting properly, call us! You have worked hard for that beautiful new smile. We hope you are as proud of it as we are. Thanks for being a wonderful part of our practice! Separators Separators are the first step toward your super smile. Small donut-shaped separators, or spacers, are placed between your back teeth to gently create enough space for us to fit and place your molar bands. We will show you how many separators have been placed in your mouth and where they are. Brush your teeth as you normally do, but avoid flossing between teeth where your separators are located. Please do not use toothpicks, chew gum, or eat anything sticky that might pull your separators out. When we first place the separators, your teeth may be sensitive, especially when eating. Choose soft foods or foods that don’t require a lot of chewing. To relieve the soreness, you may take an over-the-counter pain reliever as needed. The discomfort will go away in a few days. IMPORTANT! If you lose a spacer, please call us so we can replace it. We need that space at your next appointment to place your braces in the most comfortable way.