First Days In Braces
How Long Appointments Take
Foods To Avoid With Braces
Foods that cannot be cleaned off of the braces may lead to discoloration and decay of your teeth. Even though our braces and wires are metal, they are fragile and are usually damaged by eating the wrong foods, thus taking us longer to finish your treatment.
○ Absolutely No Gum – Sugarless or otherwise
○ Chewy foods – bagels, hard rolls, licorice
○ Crunchy foods – popcorn, ice, chips
○ Sticky foods – caramels, gum
○ Hard foods – nuts, candy
○ Foods you have to bite into – corn on the cob, apples, carrots
Minor Pain And Discomfort
How To Minimize Discomfort
Before leaving the office, there are routine steps which we ask you complete prior to leaving. These steps will minimize discomfort related to irritation from the braces and ensure an optimal response to treatment. Please make these steps a part of each office visit:
○ Using your finger and tongue, check to see that the wire ends do not extend into areas which might poke or abrade the cheek or tongue.
○ Make sure you understand what you are to do until your next appointment. This could include wearing elastics as instructed, adjusting an expander or following specific hygiene and diet instructions.
○ Make sure you have an adequate supply of dental wax, special cleaning aids, elastic bands, or other related materials you may need between appointments.
○ Always schedule your next appointment before leaving the office. Waiting 1-2 weeks after an appointment before scheduling your next office visit complicates the scheduling process, since appointments are programmed 4-6 weeks in advance. Postponing appointments is a common contributor to overtime treatment.