tip:

For less discomfort,

use dental wax to

cover any sharp

areas of braces

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Braces:

What to Expect

LIBERTY cares about more than just teeth!

Life with braces is different and adjusting to

this inconvenience is only temporary.

Even

though braces are temporary, you still need to

protect and take care of your teeth and gums

hiding below your braces. In no time, you will

have perfectly aligned teeth and this temporary

adjustment will be well worth the time!

Keeping your teeth and gums healthy:

1. Use a regular soft toothbrush and brush down

from the top and then up from the bottom on

each tooth with braces.

2. Follow up with a proxabrush

or ‘Christmas

tree’ brush, which is specially designed for cleaning

between two braces brackets. Insert the proxabrush

down from the top and then up from the bottom

between two braces. Use several strokes in each

direction until all teeth have been cleaned.

3. After brushing, oss. Dental oss is the

preferred way to remove plaque in-between

teeth, but it can be annoying to thread the oss

through and around braces. Using a good water

osser (oral irrigator) is an excellent way to remove

plaque in-between teeth.

It is easy to use, and the

powerful water jet will get to places that cannot

be reached by a toothbrush or dental oss, and

results in overall better oral health.

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Playing sports with braces:

You can still play sports even with your braces!

• If you do play sports, it is recommended that you

wear a mouth guard in order to protect your

teeth and your appliance (ask your orthodontist)

• In case of a sports emergency, be sure to

immediately check your mouth and your

appliance for any damage that may have

occurred

• If you notice any loose teeth, or if your

appliance has been damaged, please contact

your orthodontist ofce right away

Foods to avoid with braces:

• Chewy foods - bagels, licorice

• Crunchy foods - chips, ice

• Sticky foods - caramel candies, candied apple

• Hard foods - nuts, hard candies

• Foods that require biting into - popcorn,

corn on the cob, apples, carrots

Soreness caused from braces and appliances

When you rst get your braces, you may notice that

your teeth and mouth feel a little tender or sore. This

is perfectly normal for patients who have just started

their treatment and know that your mouth will not

be sore forever! It is also not uncommon for your lips,

cheeks, and tongue to become irritated for one to

two weeks as they toughen and become used to

the braces. The orthodontist should provide you with

some dental wax to cover any sharp areas of your

braces for less discomfort. Ask your orthodontist.

Take Care of your appliances

Be sure to take care of all your appliances. If you

damage your brackets, wires, or retainers this can

increase the length of your treatment. Your teeth

and jaw can only move into their correct positions

if you consistently wear your rubber bands, aligners,

retainers, or other appliances prescribed by your

orthodontist.