Wearing braces do not limit your ability to eat. It is possible to eat almost anything but some foods amy damage your appliances and should be avoided.

Crunchy foods – this includes nuts, seeds, popcorns, hard snacks and chips, ice and frozen foods
Hard breads and finger foods – includes corn on the cob, chicken wings, chicken bones and spare ribs
Chewy foods – sticky, chewy candies, gums, soft caramels
Sugary foods – foods with high sugar contents that may cause tooth decay. If you have to eat any of them, see to it that you rinse your mouth with water or brush your teeth at once.

Well, of course, not in the sense that they’re completely invisible, it’s just that they sport a clear, transparent look, and people will probably not immediately notice that you have braces on.

This new dental technology is courtesy of Invisalign, which is a custom made aligner that is tailor made to fit your teeth only it’s also more comfortable and less invasive than the customary braces. They’re also more comfortable, owing to the computer scanning technology that makes sure that your invisible braces are just the right size for your teeth without compromising the alignment process.

Some patients would like to have straight teeth but without showing the braces. A certain type of braces, the lingual braces, is placed behind the teeth and works just as well. Just like the regular braces it could be used for both the upper and lower teeth. The lingual braces have to be custom made to fit your teeth and they are more costly than regular braces. Wearing braces requires an adjustment period which usually lasts from 1 to 4 weeks. The part of the mouth affected by lingual braces is the tongue which in turn affects your speech when you first wear them. Regular braces, on the other hand affect the lips and the cheeks.

One time while I was in class, a good friend of mine asked me “Am I going to wear retainers after braces?”

The answer is YES.

Why you ask? Our periodontal ligaments and bone might take months or years to recall or get used to the new position of the teeth and stay in place. The retainer is a big help in forming the new positions. You should follow the instructions of your orthodontist regarding on how frequent you should use your retainers because if you won’t do that, your teeth may go back to its old self. Isn’t sad if you spent three years with your braces on but ended up looking the same because you don’ want to wear the retainers?

Invisalign, the leading alternative to braces, has many advantages: needs fewer appointments with your orthodontist; removal of the aligner while eating; and can take chewy, sticky foods. After you’ve eaten, the teeth are cleaned by brushing, flossing and rinsing with water and the re-aligner is then placed in. for cosmetic appearance, the aligner is invisible therefore it is not evident that the person is having his teeth aligned. It is usually worn 22 – 24 hours a day and is only removed when eating. The treatment using this appliance takes around 12 months. The time and cost differ in relation to the degree of abnormality and the patient’s willingness to use it.

Brush, using a special toothbrush, in between wires and gums to release any food particles that may have stuck in your dental braces.
Position bristles at 45 degree angle toward the gum and begin with the outside surface of your upper teeth. Brush in a circular motion two to three teeth at a time. Follow the same procedure for the inner surfaces.
Repeat the process for the lower. Rinse and check to see if all particles have been removed.
Floss in between braces daily.
You can use toothpicks and other similar devices for cleaning under brackets.
See your dentist at regular intervals for thorough cleaning of your dental appliance.

This alarming news causes a huge amount of failure for braces treatment due to the teeth returning to their previous positions when treatment started. Whatever reason teens and kids may have for not wearing their retainers, dentists are getting tough on them for this may mean success or failure of the very expensive treatment they’ve just gone through.

What are Elastics? Why do we have to wear them 24/7? These are special rubber bands that are being used along with the braces that helps produce a gradual movement of the teeth.

Is it Ok to take it off once in a while? It is best to keep the elastics all the time. You can remove it though when needed like when you brush your teeth, when you�ll be eating your meals or when changing the elastics.

For first timers, you will feel discomfort. But when you wear the elastics as instructed by the orthodontist, you will get used to it in a few days. If you are disciplined in wearing the elastics, there is a big possibility for having the treatment in a short time.

Many materials are being studied for their anti-bacterial properties and Triclosan copolymer, mixed with mouthwash or toothpaste can help reduce the amount of bacteria that is blamed for gum disease and tooth decay that causes a plethora of other problems not limited to the mouth. This is in the continuing quest to find materials to help battle tooth decay a battle raging since documented history has noted.

Braces Do’s
• Brush after every meal. If you can’t brush right away, rinse your mouth (and removable appliance) with water.
• Floss every day. Your orthodontist can give you a floss threader if you’re having difficulties.
• Chew only sugarless gum.
• Call your orthodontist if anything is loose or broken.
Braces Don’ts
• Don’t miss your orthodontic appointments. Missed or delayed appointments mean you’ll have to wear your braces longer.
• Don’t eat hard, sticky or chewy foods, crunchy foods.
• Don’t chew on pens, pencils, ice, fingernails or anything that might break your braces.