Home l Contact Us l Feedback   Although you may feel like you have a mouth full of appliances, you are wearing the smallest, most comfortable braces available today. Smile and be happy, because you are well on your way to a super smile! Please read the following information carefully. The quality of our results depends on your active participation and cooperation. Eating with Braces Mealtimes with braces may feel awkward at first, but most people quickly adapt to eating with their appliances. However, you may have to adjust your diet to avoid certain foods that can damage your braces. Please stay away from hard and sticky foods, which can bend wires, pull cement loose or break small brackets and tubes. You should also limit your intake of sugary foods and drinks (yes, that means soda!), which are particularly attractive to decay-causing bacteria. If you do eat sweets, try to brush your teeth immediately; if that’s not possible, rinse your mouth with clear water. For kids who need a little extra convincing, click here! Sore Teeth For the first few days following an adjustment, your teeth may be tender. You may take whatever pain reliever you normally use for a headache. After a few days, the soreness should go away. Pain not related to adjustments is unusual and not expected; if you experience sore teeth between visits, please phone the office. Routine Dental Care Caring for your teeth with braces does require a little extra effort, but it is not difficult. In addition to the regular brushing you do after you eat, you’ll need to use the special proxy brush we provided to clean beneath your archwires and between brackets. There’s also a special threading tool that helps get dental floss under the wire between your teeth. If you ever need reminding how to use these tools, just ask Dr. R or one of our orthodontic assistants for a refresher course. Poor hygiene can lead to gum disease and tooth decay—conditions that cannot be present during orthodontic treatment. Each time we see you, we will check your dental hygiene and make suggestions for improvements if necessary. However, the responsibility for maintaining a healthy mouth belongs to you. Routine dental exams and cleaning are especially important during orthodontic treatment. Please see your dentist at least twice each year for a checkup. Your dentist may recommend more frequent visits, and may employ special cleaning processes to remove any buildup around your braces. Potential Emergencies Even the most careful patient may occasionally damage his or her appliance. Some situations may warrant emergency treatment, while others can be addressed at home or with a telephone consultation. Here are some guidelines: Loose Band or Bracket. Call our office at once. While a tight band actually protects a tooth from decay, a loose band can trap food particles, quickly leading to decay. If you are out of town when a band or bracket comes loose, you may have any orthodontist or dentist remove it. Keep all the parts and bring them in when you come back to our office. Stickers. “Stickers” are small wires that have broken or shifted out of place, which can “stick” into mouth tissue, causing discomfort. If the sticker is a wire tie around a bracket that has come loose, you may carefully remove it. Attached stickers often can be safely turned down at home using a pencil eraser or some other smooth object to tuck the offending little wire out of the way. Alternatively, you may cover the sticker with orthodontic wax. Our office provides patients with this wax; any time you need more, just ask for it. Broken Arch Wire. If a main arch wire breaks (the one that goes all the way around the outside of your braces), call for an emergency appointment. Missing Metal or Elastic Ligature. This may or may not be an emergency. Please call our office. Lost or Broken Retainer. Phone our office as soon as possible. Your teeth will move without a retainer, especially if your appliances were recently removed. Don’t take any chances. Gum Swelling or Abscess. Inflammation of the gums can be serious. Phone the office and ask to be seen. Repeated damage to braces can slow progress and add months to your treatment. So take good care of them! If you do have a problem that needs special attention, please notify us, even if your regular appointment is in a few days. We’ll need to allow enough time during your visit to make repairs. Orthodontics & Sports If you are involved in contact sports, we advise that you wear an orthodontic mouth guard that fits over your braces. Ask us for details.