Donnelly Orthodontics

Faces with Braces

The Importance of Cooperation

The estimated time determined to complete each patient's treatment plan can depend on several of or all of the following:

A patient's growth - or lack of growth
The rate at which a patient's teeth will move
The severity of the patient's problem
Most important of all -- the patient's cooperation.

The orthodontist creates an environment in which the patient treats himself/herself. The orthodontist provides the "battle plan", but the patient is the one who makes it work by following it. Success requires good, intelligent planning by the orthodontist, and a commitment by the patient to make the treatment work.

The following patient responsibilities are key to obtaining a successful treatment result:

Wearing removable appliances as directed
Maintaining proper oral hygiene
Refraining from eating certain foods
Keeping regularly scheduled appointments

The success of treatment depends largely on you - the patient.

Oral Hygiene Care

Maintaining good hygiene requires special care while you are undergoing orthodontic treatment.

As you eat, your teeth and appliances collect food. If the food is left in the mouth, especially overnight, a thick plaque forms on the teeth and gums. This plaque causes tooth decay, decalcification (white markings on the teeth), and could lead to gum disease.

Bleeding and swollen gums are usually a sure sign that plaque is not being removed. If your gums are swollen, your teeth will not move into their new positions as easily and you will experience more discomfort. Follow these guidelines for a clean, healthy smile during your orthodontic treatment:

Brush . . .
     . . . . . When You Wake
               . . . . . After Eating, Whenever Possible
                 . . . . . Before you go to Bed (most important of all!)

Your orthodontic appointments are not substitutes for your regular hygiene appointments with your dentist. Continue to see your dentist and hygienist for regular cleanings. Good oral health greatly affects your orthodontic treatment. Poor oral hygiene will slow the results of your care.

Tips for Excellent Oral Hygiene:

Use a toothpaste containing fluoride
A soft bristled brush is recommended -- get a new one when the bristles get "shaggy"
Continue to use all hygiene aids (such as waterpics, electric toothbrushes, fluoride rinses, flossing aids) that have been recommended by the orthodontist or have been part of your regular routine.
A special fluoride gel may be prescribed if needed
Use a timer or watch to measure your brushing time, as "more" time is needed to effectively clean around appliances. Five minutes is a good amount of time.
Waxed Floss will not fray and a floss threader is helpful in guiding dental floss under wires.
Remember to brush removable appliances that you may be wearing as these also will collect plaque

Beware of These Foods

While you are undergoing orthodontic treatment, you will need to take special care about what you eat. Certain foods (in general hard, brittle, and chewy foods) will bend, break or loosen your appliances. Here is a list of foods to avoid and a few tips to make eating some foods easier and/or safer.

Keep in mind that this is only a partial list. In general, if you use good judgment when eating, you will experience few problems.

DO's:

Cut raw vegetables into bite-size pieces. Corn may be eaten if it is sliced from the cob.
Cut down on sugary foods and carbonated soft drinks.
Brush your teeth after eating whenever possible to remove food that may become caught in appliances.

DO NOT Eat or Chew:

Ice, hard candy -- Ice and hard candy totally destroy braces
Pizza Crust -- The hard crust bends wires, loosens band and knocks off brackets
Hard pretzels -- Like pizza crust, pretzels can cause serious damage to appliances
Caramel candy, bubble gum -- the sticky goo pulls off wires
Popcorn -- The small shells can become trapped between the bands and your gums
Pens and Pencils!!! -- Favorite exam time food -- BREAKS EVERYTHING

A "safe" rule of thumb is --

if it's.... sticky, chewy, gooey, or hard......you should not eat it.

It's not over, 'til it's over . . . . . Retention

Every patient will go into retention or a holding phase when braces are removed. Your retainer(s) will be specially designed to help maintain the improvements that have been achieved. Shortly after the braces are removed, the teeth can shift as they are used. The teeth will need support, and your cooperation in wearing retainers as directed will be important.

Tips for your retention phase and/or retainers are:

Your retainer should be worn as directed full time. It can be removed for special circumstances as indicated when you receive them. As the bite stabilizes, the hours required are often reduced.
Certain teeth may feel pressure and become sore for a couple of days after a retainer is adjusted. This is normal as the retainer may be making very minor adjustments to the bite.
Brush your retainer with toothpaste and cool water. A fresh and clean retainer is healthier and more comfortable. Rinsing with mouthwash can freshen its taste.
Your retainer is durable, but needs "tender loving care" in order to do its job.
Please do not bend the wires. Excessive flipping of the retainer with the tongue causes premature wire breakage.
Store it in your retainer case when not in use. Do not leave it where it might be damaged, thrown away, bent, broken or played with by small children or pets. YES, DOGS DO EAT RETAINERS.
Keep your retainer away from heat or hot water. Unfortunately, plastic can warp or distort, making the retainer not fit properly.
A damaged or lost retainer may have to be replaced.
If for some reason, you cannot wear your retainer as suggested, call the office for a check or adjustment appointment.

As we grow and mature, everything undergoes changes. Some minor shifting and settling of our teeth is expected. Proper retainer wear will keep these changes to a minimum.

Tips for Dealing with Special Concerns

Orthodontic treatment becomes easier once you . . .

Learn How to Ease Discomfort
It is normal to experience discomfort of the teeth and gums from certain aspects of your orthodontic care. A pain reliever taken with a glass of water may help relieve some of the discomfort. Here are some more ideas to deal with discomfort:

SORENESS . . . can be expected when you are fitted for braces and after regular adjustments. To help ease discomfort, frequently rinse your mouth with 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water and eat only soft foods until your mouth feels better.

WIRES THAT STICK OUT. . . can hurt! If you have problems with wires and cannot press them back into place, try covering them with wax. Call our office and schedule an appointment to adjust or repair the problem.

BROKEN PARTS . . . are also a signal to call us. If you break a part of your braces and cannot make an appointment right away, try to remove any loose pieces, push broken parts out of the way or cover the problem with wax.

Adjust to Your New Look
Keep in mind that a change in the way you look does not change the person you really are. While eating and pronouncing certain words may be difficult at first, most patients are able to adapt in a few days to a week. Remembering this will help you to:

DEAL WITH ANY NEGATIVE COMMENTS. Your friends will be very kind and supportive. The usual "wise guys" may tease you, but remember your orthodontic care will give you a beautiful smile for a lifetime.

DEVELOP A POSITIVE ATTITUDE. You are working toward a worthwhile goal. Don't become discouraged. Keeping a strong attitude will help you overcome any difficulties along the way.

REMEMBER TO HELP YOURSELF! Keep all scheduled appointments with Dr. Donnelly. Missing appointments can delay progress toward your goal of a beautiful smile. Follow all instructions carefully. Not wearing appliances can also hinder your progress. Cooperation is key to success.