Dental Brace Guide

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.

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.

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.

• An Instant Orthodontics procedure is complete in as little as two office visits

• You can have a straight new smile in a couple of weeks rather than a couple of years

• Instant Orthodontics does not involve painful and cumbersome appliances

• Your instant orthodontic procedure not only straightens your teeth, but also corrects a host of other cosmetic issues, including cracking, chipping, staining, and unevenly sized and shaped teeth

• The porcelain veneers used in Instant Orthodontics procedures replicate the color, texture, and luminescence of natural tooth enamel for a clean, natural look

• Harder and more durable than enamel when bonded into place, your porcelain veneers can actually reinforce your teeth

Essix Retainer or more popularly known as clear plastic retainer, is being used one or two days after the braces are removed by the orthodontist. Essix retainer is somewhat similar with the Invisalign appliance. I’ve been hearing a lot of complains regarding this type of retainer. It was said that this retainer is the most uncomfortable retainer ever that’s why some patients would rather stop in using it. Orthodontists are advising their patients to patiently wear them at night for two straight years, depending on the case. After that, the orthodontist will now replace is with the traditional type of wire retainer.

We have several ways that orthodontics can be used to help improve the way that a patient’s teeth align. When our parents were teenagers, it used to be that metal, obvious and often painful braces were the only solution to this type of problem.

Today, the products are much more easier to use. The braces are less difficult to care for and they are better looking. Some brace products such as Invisalign, are able to go unnoticed, too. Another thing, many people of all ages can get this type of help from kids to teens to adult. This means that you can take care of the overbite that you have.. It’s never too late!

The Damon System is a revolutionary way of orthodontic treatments. Conventional orthodontic treatments remove healthy teeth or involve the use of palatal expanders to make space in the mouth. This technique is more comfortable, takes more time, and leads to a flat profile and narrower arches. With the Damon System, patients get to keep all their teeth while improving their overall facial result.

The Damon System makes use of three components that result in a faster, more comfortable treatment that requires less appointments. First, the self-ligating braces eliminate the use of elastic ties. This means the patient does not have to go through tightening every few weeks. Next, memory wires on the braces will move teeth faster. Finally, a new treatment is employed which will align your teeth without resorting to extraction or palatal expanders.

If you’re planning to go scuba diving or snorkeling this summer, don’t cancel your plans just because you had to get braces. There is plenty of space for the snorkel or the regulator to fit inside your mouth. The trick to getting used to it is to try on the equipment before actually getting in the water.

If you are wearing rubber bands on your braces that connect your jaw, it’s recommended that you remove them for the dive. This is because you need to clear your ears and ease the preasure my wiggling your jaw. Doing this might cause the rubber band to snap and get lodged somewhere in your mouth.

Divers who have braces don’t usually have a problem with their braces during dives. If you’re still not sure about diving, practice in a swimming pool or stick to a shallow dive until you feel more confident.

Retainer Brite is one of the best retainer cleaners in the market today. This product is manufactured to clean removable dental appliances like retainers, Invisalign braces, and mouth guards. Retainer Brite is a tablet that you dissolve in a cup of warm water with your retainer. Leave the retainer soaking for ten to fifteen minutes once a day, while eating a meal.

Some patients who use retainers daily usually clean them by brushing them with toothpaste and a toothbrush. Although this is a good solution, it does not remove plaque as thoroughly as a retainer cleaner and the plaque may build up over time. This is why it is important to clean your retainer by using products like Retainer Brite.