Life with Braces
OK, so now you have braces. What will be different? Actually, life with braces will be somewhat different, but not as much as you probably imagine. The first few days will require the most adjustment and then it will get easier. Although we have already discussed caring for your braces, this section will be a helpful reference.
Eating with Braces
Don’t worry; you will not starve when you have braces. You can still eat plenty of the great foods that you ate before you got “wired.” There are only a few categories of foods to avoid which damage your braces while your teeth get straighter. So hang in there; you will back again eating all those great things in no time!
Foods you CAN eat with braces:
- Dairy - soft cheese, pudding, milk-based drinks,
- Breads - soft tortillas, pancakes, muffins w/o nuts
- Grains - soft cooked pasta & rice
- Meats/poultry - soft cooked chicken, meatballs, lunch meats
- Seafood - tuna, salmon, crab cakes
- Vegetables - mashed potatoes, cooked vegetables
- Fruits - applesauce, bananas, fruit juice, smoothies
- Treats - ice cream w/o nuts, milkshakes, Jell-O, soft cake
Types of foods to avoid with braces:
- Hard foods - nuts, hard candies, etc
- Sticky foods - caramel candies, chewing gum, gummy candy
- Chewy foods - bagels, pizza crust, licorice, etc
- Crunchy foods - popcorn, chips, ice, etc
- Foods that you bite off- corn on the cob, spare ribs, apples, carrots, etc
Discomfort when your teeth move
Good news! Your new braces are not like the one’s your mother had! Gone are the
days when you got them “tightened” and your teeth hurt after each visit.
Advances in orthodontics have produced gentle memory wires and customized self-ligating
brackets that make life with braces much more comfortable.
However to be truthful, you will have to adjust to two things when you first get your braces. First, you will have to adjust to having braces on you teeth. Your mouth is just not used to the feeling of brackets and wires. This is where the wax on the braces comes in to make the surfaces smooth while your lips and cheek become adjusted. If you run out of wax, we can give you more or you can go to the pharmacy.
Secondly, teeth get tender or sore when tooth movement first begins. This is perfectly normal and acetaminophen or other non-aspirin pain relievers will relieve this initial discomfort. Your teeth will continue to move even though the tenderness fades. We promise your mouth will not be sore forever!
If your teeth begin feeling a little loose, don’t worry; this is normal! The membrane around your teeth gets wider as the teeth move. Once the teeth are stabilized, they will no longer be loose.
Take Care of your Braces
Under Dr. Miner’s direction, your braces will do much of work to straighten your
teeth. However, you determine how quickly and effectively your teeth move. Unhealthy
gums, damaged braces and poor cooperation with elastics bands can increase the length
of your treatment. Please be sure to take care of all your appliances as prescribed by
Dr. Miner and your teeth and jaws will move into their correct positions quicker.
Brushing your teeth
When you have braces it’s very important to brush and floss after every meal in
order to keep your teeth and gums healthy throughout your treatment.
What? We recommend using an electric toothbrush and there are many brands available. They fall into two different types of action, mechanical and ultrasonic. Both types have been shown to be equally effective, but more importantly, electric toothbrushes have been proven to be significantly more effective than brushing manually.
When? You should brush at least 3 times per day and after snacks. You will need to spend a minimum of 2 minutes brushing to be effective. We have provided you with a timer to help you be consistent, but some electric brushes come with timers that signal you every 30 seconds. Don’t forget to brush your tongue and the roof of your mouth before you rinse.
How? You will probably need to replace your toothbrush more often when
you wear braces. Electric toothbrush heads can be found at most pharmacies. As soon as
the bristles start to wear down or fray, it’s time to replace it with a new one.
Use an
interdental (between the teeth) toothbrush to clean underneath and around your wires
and braces. It is also important to floss and use a fluoride treatment throughout your
orthodontic treatment and beyond for optimal care.
Flossing your teeth
For areas between the teeth that a toothbrush can’t reach, use dental floss to remove food particles and plaque. Traditional flossing takes more time and patience when you are wearing braces and requires a floss threader. However, we recommend using Platypus Orthodontic Flossers™ to make flossing easier. If you need help or further instruction, please contact our office
Playing Sports with Braces
We have great news; you can still play all sports even while undergoing orthodontic treatment! We always recommended that you wear a mouth guard for all sports in order to protect your teeth and your braces. Please use only those mouth guards specifically developed for braces. We do have mouthguards available in our office that are braces friendly. Please let us know if you need help.
Emergencies: What to do
Actually, you will be pleased to know that there are very few true orthodontic emergencies. Most difficulties can be remedied at home. The information below can help you with any simple situations you may encounter.
However, if you have a problem that you cannot resolve on your own, please call us as
soon as possible, so we can set aside time to repair any damage. Even if you have a regular
appointment scheduled, you will need to call us immediately to notify us if you need
an appliance repaired.
1. Wire Irritations
Sometimes discomfort caused by a wire on your braces can be resolved by moving the wire away from the irritated area with a cotton swab or the eraser end of a pencil. If the wire will not move, try covering the end of it with a small amount of wax. If the wire is painful, you can cut it with nail clippers or scissors that have been cleaned in alcohol. If you cannot solve the wire irritation, call our office for an appointment.
2. Something Loose or Broken
Please call our office immediately for advice if a bracket or wire is loose so that we can check and repair your appliance. Please save any piece of your appliance and bring it to the office with you.
A lost band or bracket will need to be reattached as soon as possible to minimize increasing the treatment time. If you need to cut a wire, you may use nail clippers that have cleaned in alcohol. Please call our office as soon as you can, so that we may schedule a repair appointment for you.
3. Lost Spacers
A spacer or separator may be lost during treatment. If you can replace it yourself, just put it back in place. But, do not worry about replacing the separator. Please call our office to see when it needs to be replaced.
4. Sports injuries
Even when you wear a mouthguard, accidents can happen.. In case you do have a sports emergency, be sure to check your mouth and your appliances for damage. Please contact our office immediately if you notice loose teeth or if your appliances have been damaged. You can temporarily relieve any discomfort by rinsing your mouth with warm saltwater and by using wax.
