Braces are durable, long-lasting, and effective. They aren’t completely foolproof, though. While problems can arise, most of those concerns are preventable. Here’s a look at eight issues you can totally avoid.
#1: Poor Oral Hygiene
You’re rushing out the door each morning, but don’t forget to brush and floss on a consistent basis (at least twice a day). Braces may make it harder to maintain dental hygiene, but that’s not an excuse to let this slip. To avoid this, get creative with how you brush. Pay a bit more attention to the process. Try using special brushes designed for braces. You can also use a floss threader and mouthwash to improve the outcome. Make sure brushing is a part of your morning routine.
#2: Teeth Stains
The brace brackets protect your enamel where they are located. However, if the rest of your teeth’ surface gets stained, you’ll end up with little white squares once your braces come off. You may be able to fix this later with teeth whitening after braces. In the meantime, consider a few tips. First, cut back on the soda, coffee, and tea you drink. Yes, that’s all of the good stuff. Or, if you can’t go without your morning coffee, try using a straw when drinking.
#3: Soreness
As your teeth move into the right space, soreness can develop. You know that’s going to happen. The solution? Get ahead of the pain. If you are coming in to get your braces tightened up, take over-the-counter pain meds before you arrive. Make sure to check with your orthodontist on how much or what to take, just to be safe.
#4: Cuts Inside Your Mouth
These can hurt! You may not feel like there’s anything you can do. There is. Your mouth is a delicate surface. While braces can cut, that’s not expected. If you notice any sharp spots when you run your tongue over them, that means coming in to see your orthodontist. It’s not normal. While you’re waiting for your appointment, purchase over-the-counter dental wax. Place this on that sharp spot. It should give you a few days of protection until you make it in.
#5: Missing Ligatures
Ligature is a fancy word for rubber bands. You know you need to keep these wires attached to the brackets securely. If they are not there, this can slow down the process. No one wants that to happen. The solution to this is to come in any time you notice there’s a missing ligature. It’s not uncommon for them to fall and break off. That’s most likely to happen when you’re eating. Don’t worry. They won’t hurt you even if you do swallow one!
#6: Broken Brackets and Wires
This can be the worst because you know you need to come in for a fix. Let’s avoid it when possible. To do that, remember what types of foods commonly cause brackets and wires to break. That includes foods that are super hard, crunchy, or sticky. Try your best to avoid these at all costs. They just put too much pressure on the brackets, and they are hard to clean off thoroughly.
#7: Speech Problems
Once braces are placed in your mouth, they are going to take up some room in there. That may leave less space than you would like, which can cause your speech to change a bit. The good news is that most people see these problems disappear within a few days or weeks. Once you get used to the braces, the way you use your mouth and tongue changes enough that the speech problems seem to disappear. For now, don’t think twice about it.
#8: Slow Progress
There’s nothing quite as frustrating as coming in for a check-up and learning your braces are working but taking a long time to create results. Braces do take time. The problem is, if you don’t do everything you need to, the process will take longer. One of the biggest problems is not wearing the rubber bands as often as you should. That is going to slow down the progress of your braces.
Keep in mind that if you do everything your orthodontist tells you, the process can go a bit faster, and most of the time, that means a beautiful smile is the result.
Let Our Team at Laster Orthodontics Make This Process as Easy for You as Possible
According to WRAL voters, Laster Orthodontics is the best orthodontist in The Triangle. There are many reasons for that. We’re here to make sure you get the results you want, and the process goes well. Check out our Smile Gallery. These are real results from our patients. We’re confident we can help you as well. Set up an appointment with Dr. Laster today. Let’s see if braces are the best option for you.
At Laster Orthodontics, we help families develop healthy, life-changing smiles using customized treatments, cutting-edge technologies, and caring relationships. Our individualized treatment plans help our patients achieve their perfect smile in the quickest, most painless way possible by utilizing a wide range of options from traditional braces to propel accelerated treatment to Dr. Laster’s in-house aligner program, Laster Perfect Smile. With three locations throughout the Triangle Area, we create life-changing smiles every day.