Take Care Of Your Smile:

Care during and after orthodontic treatment

Proper oral hygiene must always be performed, but this must be even more rigorous when wearing an orthodontic appliance. By wearing retentive elements, the remains of food are deposited more easily between the teeth, which contributes to the formation of cavities and / or inflammation of the gums due to the accumulation of bacterial plaque and tartar in these elements.

The oral care to be carried out will depend on the type of appliance that is worn. We are going to detail a series of tips for care and hygiene, depending on the type of orthodontics:

 –  Removable appliance (active plates or Invisalign):

It is the most comfortable orthodontic treatment and that least affects the retention of bacterial plaque, since the teeth will be freed of cemented attachments on them. Therefore, hygiene will be carried out in the usual way, after each meal, removing the device from the mouth. It is also important not to forget to maintain proper hygiene of the appliance while it is not in the mouth.

 –  Fixed appliance (brackets):

Hygiene is difficult since the teeth have brackets attached to their external or internal part and there are also the metal arches that join them. We must insist on cleaning the small gaps that remain between brackets-teeth and arches. We will do this with interdental brushes and with silk junipers. If we use a manual toothbrush, we must use a specific V-shaped orthodontic brush with a small head and filaments of a soft or medium hardness. Place it perpendicular to the tooth surface and carry out rotary movements. We will have to incline the brush to clean all the surfaces of the tooth. The area between the bracket and the gum is very important, where a large amount of food accumulates. Brushing the bracket it must be done gently: first in the front part and then in the upper and lower area that is in contact with the teeth.

If we use an electric toothbrush, the procedure is the same, only you have to let the brush perform the rotary movement.

 In addition, special attention must be paid to the nutritional diet during orthodontic treatment:

– Avoid sticky and / or high sugar foods (gum, candies, sweets)

– Avoid drinks that cause staining of the teeth (coffee, tea, red wine)

– Avoid hard foods to reduce the pressure on the appliances (nuts, pitted olives, ice)

– Drink enough water to eliminate waste and avoid bad breath.

– Do not eat bites, but cut the food into small pieces before putting it in the mouth and then chewing it with the molars.

After orthodontic treatment, if there is not good care of the teeth, bad occlusions can return, and the teeth can return to their initial position. To avoid the reappearance of dental malformations, we recommend the adoption of daily hygiene habits and the use of retainers.

Once the orthodontic treatment is finished, oral hygiene is similar to that of any other patient, but the use of orthodontic retainers is also very important: devices that provide stability to the results obtained during orthodontics.

We not only want well-aligned teeth, but also healthy teeth. That is why it is so important to maintain proper care and hygiene during and after orthodontic treatment.

How to take care of teeth with braces

If your child (or yourself!) Wears orthodontic appliances, whether removable or fixed (braces), it is very important that you make him understand that taking good care of them and following the dentist’s instructions to the letter will help him the treatment is not prolonged. It is true that the little ones can find it difficult to follow all the indications, since it requires more effort to clean the teeth with appliances than without them, but it is important to insist so that the orthodontics can be removed as soon as possible. Here we leave you a series of cares and recommendations to show off an impeccable mouth during the duration of the orthodontic treatment.

Oral Health Tips for Orthodontics:

If the appliance is removable, it is best to remove it from your mouth every day to clean it thoroughly. It should be brushed until all residues are removed and then rinsed well with water. You can also use cleaning tablets with specific components that help to easily remove food debris, residues and bacteria that may accumulate from use.

If the appliance is fixed , it is necessary to be very careful with oral hygiene, since the remains of food can accumulate more easily than in removable ones. You have to brush your teeth after every meal and especially after taking products with a lot of sugar. It is highly recommended to use a brush with V-shaped filaments, as they adapt to the shape of the brackets and eliminate bacterial plaque and food debris. It should be checked that the spaces between the teeth and next to the brackets and bands have been completely clean. To supplement hygiene, you can floss after brushing or use interdental brushes and rinse daily with a mouthwash. This procedure will take longer than brushing teeth without braces, but it is important to make the effort so that the brackets can be removed in the established time and it is not necessary to extend the treatment any longer. The better they take care of themselves, the faster they can be removed.

Adolescents and oral health 

Foods to Avoid:

There are some foods that should be avoided while the treatment lasts:

– Hard foods, such as nuts or stale bread.

– Sticky foods, such as candy or gum.

– Be careful with pitted olives and ice.

– When eating sandwiches or raw vegetables and fruits (such as carrots or apples) it is best to cut them into small pieces that are easier to chew.

Care of orthodontic appliances:

If the appliance is removable, you have to be very careful with knocks. A deformed device is useless! It is also important to make sure where it rests when it is not in our mouth to avoid losses and not take it off for longer than necessary so that the treatment is not interrupted.

With the fixed ones, it is necessary to avoid bending the wires or detaching parts of the device. Nor should we bite hard objects such as pencils or pens, or use toothpicks. At first, it will be more difficult to eliminate some habits that we are used to and that can be harmful, but it is important to bear in mind that it is a treatment that must be taken care of for a long period of time and that we cannot be irresponsible if we want to show a nice smile as soon as possible. If you notice any deformity in the device or any part comes loose, you should go to the dentist as soon as possible to fix it.

What Is An Orthodontic Treatment?

We call orthodontic treatment all those processes of correction of the position of the teeth to improve the aesthetics, occlusion, and functionality of the same.

In principle, anyone with a healthy mouth can undergo orthodontic treatment. The degree of severity of the malpositions will determine its duration and cost, and the choice of one orthodontic system or another will be made according to the patient’s priorities.

At What Age Can Orthodontic Treatment Be Started?

Although from the age of 6 molars usually erupt and the orthodontist is already capable of evaluating the child’s mouth, the ideal age to start orthodontic treatment is around 7-8 years.

At this age, the child has already experienced enough bone growth for the dentist to detect abnormalities in the normal growth of the teeth or the position of the jawbones.

In the cases of children of growing age, an interceptive orthodontic treatment will be put. In this case, either thanks to the use of fixed or removable appliances, we can act directly on the child’s jawbones and guide the correct eruption of the teeth.

In this way, we can correct problems of facial asymmetries or abnormal positions of the maxillary bones that, if not treated at an early age, can only be treated through a combined treatment of orthodontics and orthognathic surgery at the hospital level.

How Do You Start Orthodontic Treatment?

All orthodontic treatment begins with a previous study. That is to say: diagnostic tests – intraoral and extraoral photos, radiographs, cephalometric and models – that allow each case to be analyzed and a specific treatment plan adjusted to the needs of each patient.

Orthodontic Problem

Crowding

Mounted teeth without space for correct alignment.

Openbite

The anterior teeth do not contact when closing the mouth. It is a problem that can be bone (associated with the growth of the jaws) and that can also be caused or aggravated by lack of space for the teeth and by habits of very long use of the pacifier, thumb sucking, and atypical swallowing.

Deep bite or overbite

The upper teeth over-cover the lower ones. Sometimes to such a severe degree that the lower incisors rest on the palatal mucosa.

Highlight

The overjet is a condition in which there is an excessive distance between the upper and lower incisors, with the upper incisors positioned far in front of the lower ones.

This situation usually accompanies certain so-called Class II malocclusions. It can be due to an incorrect position of the teeth, jaws, or a combination of both.

Congenital Absence of Teeth or Agenesis

Some people may have a congenital absence of one or more teeth. This is known as agenesis.

Generally, when there is agenesis, the rest of the teeth are in incorrect positions (malocclusions) and require orthodontic treatment.

Anterior or Inverted Crossbite

The reverse bite or anterior crossbite occurs when the upper teeth are behind the lower teeth. It is a problem that may be due to an incorrect incisor inclination but it is generally a skeletal problem: the upper jaw is small (Maxillary Hypoplasia), the lower jaw or mandible is large (Mandibular Hyperplasia or Prognathism) or there is a combination of both bone problems.

Posterior Crossbite

Posterior crossbite occurs when the posterosuperior teeth are positioned inside the lower ones. It is a common problem in those with a narrow or pointed palate (palatal compression).

This bite in children should be corrected as soon as possible, especially if it is unilateral and is accompanied by mandibular deviation, as it can lead to asymmetric growth of the face and overload problems in the teeth, in the facial muscles, and the temporomandibular joints.

Tooth Spacing

Some people have wide teeth (tooth spacing). These spaces can be due to various causes and are usually accompanied by an incorrect bite or malocclusion that can be corrected by orthodontic treatment.

The most frequent causes are anatomical and periodontal.

Anatomical causes are due to teeth being too small for the size of the dental arches, dental arches too large for the size of the teeth, or a combination of both.

Periodontal causes (gum disease) are common in adults. The teeth gradually separate because they lose part of their support (bone loss and inflammation of the gums and the ligament that surrounds the root).

It can also happen that there are habits that promote the appearance of these spaces: tongue thrust, macroglossia (large tongue), repeated nibbling of objects.

Elements That Make Up An Orthodontic Kit

The market specialized in dentistry offers a wide variety of oral hygiene products that constitute an orthodontic kit which contains the following elements:

Toothbrush For Orthodontics: 

It is made up of rounded nylon bristles that protect the teeth and gums. , whose design aims to achieve efficient removal of bacterial plaque without damaging the gums, reducing the presence of cavities and dental calculus. The bristles have a V cut that seeks to get rid of the plaque that surrounds the brackets. This is one of the essential elements of the orthodontic kit.

Handle For Interproximal Brush: 

It consists of a long handle that is characterized by a rough texture in the section for a better grip, with a narrow neck that allows access to those difficult-to-access spaces. The head is flexible and has an opening in the neck that accommodates the closure tab on the head. The handle was designed to include interproximal brushes.

Interproximal Brushes:

They adapt very well to the handle and are effective for the removal of bacterial plaque and food debris that usually accumulate in the wide interdental spaces. They also help clean the places where the traditional brush cannot access, such as in fixed prostheses or bare roots that are caused by periodontal problems. They are included in the orthodontic kit because they are perfect for cleaning the spaces between the bracket and the tooth.

Dental Floss: 

Consists of resistant filaments with special torsion. They have a natural wax manufactured with strict quality controls. It is an effective wax to eliminate bacterial plaque that forms in the gingival sulcus of the interdental areas.

Threaders:

They are nylon filaments with a particular design that serves to allow the passage of dental floss through places of difficult access, for example, splints, fixed prostheses, or orthodontic appliances.

Wax Bars: 

Prevent wounds and lacerations in the mucosa of the lips and cheeks, generated by friction with orthodontic appliances.

Orthodontic Treatment: 

Aesthetics or health?

Very good question! When I recommend orthodontic treatment to a patient, it is because they need it. Orthodontics goes far beyond being an aesthetic procedure, this treatment seeks:

Align the teeth to facilitate cleaning.

Improve chewing.

Adjust facial aesthetics.

In other words: A beautiful and HEALTHY smile!

How Do Teeth Move With Orthodontic Treatment?

It’s Pure Mechanics! The essential elements for all conventional orthodontic treatment are the brackets and the wire. The wire makes the force and the bracket transmits it to the tooth.

It is simple! When the wire is changed at each appointment, continuous pressure and tension are applied. These pressures stimulate bone cells to rearrange the teeth through the remodeling of the bone.

Do You Feel Pain During Orthodontic Treatment?

Yes, in the first days of using the devices you may feel a little pain. The pressure and tension generated on the ligament and the bone sensitize the nerve endings in the area around the tooth. This is why you may feel some pain.

Nothing is perfect! It is part of the process and it happens soon. This discomfort lasts 2 or 3 days after the appointment of the wire change, the pain subsides when the tooth moves and the force exerted on it decreases.

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