Choosing to get braces is a big decision that involves an investment in time and money. Additionally, wearing braces requires certain lifestyle changes and mindfulness when it comes to oral hygiene, diet, and upkeep.
Certain foods, such as nuts, popcorn, hard candy, crunchy foods, hard and sticky foods, apples and carrots can loosen bands and brackets and can bend wires. Bends in wires may result in the teeth shifting in undesirable directions. Avoid chewing on ice, as it can cause brackets to pop off of your teeth.
It is important to eat a nutritious diet, high in fruits and vegetables while limiting your sugar intake. This will help to prevent tooth decay. Harder fruits or vegetables such as carrots or apples should be cut into smaller pieces when eaten.
Majority of appliances used are not removable and because of this, need to be cleaned thoroughly on a daily basis. Dr. Kurti will provide you will special tools and instructions that will help you to keep your braces clean and free of cavity-causing bacteria. Using these tools, clean the archwires and braces. When brushing your teeth, move the toothbrush in a small, circular motion. When flossing, thread the floss under the archwire in order to floss normally. Use your provided proxa brush in order to further clean around each bracket or part of any appliance and the archwire.
If your retainer is removable, then it is likely you will be instructed to wear it only at night and keep it in your provided retainer case at all other times. Cleaning your retainer is easy; brush it with toothpaste and a toothbrush daily. You can also use denture soak/refresher, soaking your retainer throughout the day.
When brushing your teeth, clean your permanent retainer by using a floss threader to pull floss behind the wire, sliding it across the back of the wire and between the teeth in order to remove food and plaque. It is also possible to use the bristles of your toothbrush or proxabrush to do so as well. If your bonded wire should come loose, don’t hesitate to call your orthodontist for assistance. Be careful with sticky foods and avoid chewing ice.
We strongly advise you to use an athletic mouthguard whenever engaging in athletics or sports. This will protect your lips, mouth, and braces from injury during any contact sport. You may purchase a boilable mouthguard from a sports equipment store. Alternatively, Kurti Orthodontics can take an impression for a custom-fitted mouth guard which can be replaced at least one time during your orthodontic treatment.
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