Palos Hills IL Orthodontist | Why Straighter Teeth Require a Professional

Palos Hills IL Orthodontist | Why Straighter Teeth Require A Professional

Having a great smile with straight teeth is an often sought after look. As orthodontic technology continues to improve with more convenient options becoming available, it can be a bit overwhelming trying to find the best and most affordable options for you.

One thing we can tell you for sure is that when considering options for straighter teeth, it is crucial to consult with an orthodontist. Orthodontists can personally assess your teeth and create an ideal treatment plan for your unique needs. Everyone’s teeth and alignment are different, and a personal, professional touch is a necessary tool for those who want to increase their chances of desirable results. Even thoroughly researched options should still be reviewed by a professional orthodontist before any action is taken. Failure to do so could result in detrimental impacts for you or your child’s oral health.

Nowadays, there are many commercials on television and social media for companies that are looking to sell you plastic aligners and straighter smiles without a visit to an orthodontic office. While this may sound like a positive solution, avoiding orthodontic supervision by a professional may be detrimental to your dental health. Our office has your best interests in mind and wants to make sure your smile is straightened the correct way for lasting oral health.

Working to improve your smile is a big step in health, financial, and emotional terms. Making sure you find the right orthodontic professional to help your treatment go smoothly is important. Don’t allow a non-professional service to ruin your smile with rushed orthodontic care. Our team will work with you to find the best options available to you both personally and financially. If you have any questions, or want to schedule a consultation, contact our office today.

Palos Hills IL Orthodontist | Why Should I Brush More Often With Braces?

Palos Hills IL Orthodontist | Why Should I Brush More Often With Braces?

Your braces are made up of many different parts, all of which can possibly hinder your ability to reach the entire tooth surface while brushing. The Wires, brackets, bands, and screws can trap food particles after every meal, even if you feel as if your mouth is perfectly clean. Giving your mouth a quick rinse and brush after meals not only helps to keep your teeth and brace clean, but can also help you sustain great oral health throughout the period of your orthodontic treatment and beyond.

The Best Way To Brush:

Your braces themselves can become a hotspot for bacteria buildup if you aren’t diligent in making sure no food is left behind. When brushing with braces, make sure to get in all the nooks and crannies, as there are many. Brush your teeth at different angles to target the spots between brackets and bands. Remember to take your time – you should expect to be brushing for longer amounts of time and more thoroughly with braces.

It is also important to be regularly rinsing your mouth with water to dislodge anything lingering in your bands or brackets. If you find yourself without a toothbrush after a meal, this rinsing could help remove stubborn food particles left in your braces and protect your from plaque build up or tooth decay.

Brush, But Don’t Overdo It:

Should you be brushing more often with braces? Absolutely, but don’t overdo it. Having braces doesn’t require you to be brushing upwards of ten times a day. It also doesn’t mean that you should be brushing aggressively.

Be gentle on your mouth. You should never be brushing to the point of feeling any pain or discomfort. A thorough rinse and brush in the morning, at night, and after meals will leave you with the healthy smile of your dreams once your braces are removed.

For more tips on optimal oral health, or to schedule an appointment contact our office today. We are here for you.

Palos Hills IL Orthodontist | Your Braces Survival Guide

Orthodontist Oak Lawn, IL

Getting orthodontic treatment is a big step towards a straighter, healthier smile. Taking the time to correct your smile is not beneficial to your appearance, but also is a step to improving your oral health overall. The wait to have them removed, including the need to avoid certain foods or habits can be tough, but taking care of your braces will ensure you have a healthy smile when they finally are removed. Following the tips below can help you make it through having braces as easily as possible.

Watch what you eat
Your diet while wearing braces is very important. Avoiding certain foods can help you prevent many problems that may occur with braces. As a general rule of thumb, there is likely a better alternative to most of what we would refer to as “junk food” while wearing braces. Chips or sweets can get stuck in braces, causing plaque to build up faster than normal.

It is also in your best interest to avoid chewing hard foods like raw carrots or apples. These foods, while healthy overall, can damage brackets which may result in additional visits to the orthodontist for repairs. Preparing foods in softer manners or cutting them into small pieces is a preferable way to still enjoy the foods you love without causing any damage.

As a final note, always avoid gum when wearing braces as it can get stuck in many spots and is harder to remove when cleaning.

Keep your braces clean
Maintaining proper oral hygiene is very important when wearing braces, especially after they are removed. Brushing with a soft-bristled toothbrush is important to avoid damaging components of the braces. You can also incorporate an interdental brush to better clean hard to reach areas. Floss threaders are also a useful option to get behind the brackets to floss normally. Rinsing your mouth with water is a quick and easy way to remove larger pieces of food stuck in the braces.

Break those bad chewing habits
Chewing on non-food items like fingernails, pens, or ice are habits to break when wearing braces. Picking and pulling on braces is a bad habit that should be avoided as this can cause unnecessary damage to components. Breaking these habits will save you many troubles in the future.

Braces can be tough at times when dealing with them on a daily basis. Avoiding certain foods and maintaining proper oral hygiene is very important to ensuring a positive experience wearing braces. If you have any questions or concerns with your braces, please contact our office today.

Palos Hills IL Orthodontist | Take Care of Your Braces So That They Can Take Care of You

Orthodontist in Oak Lawn, IL

So you’ve invested in a set of braces to beautify your smile. Although most of the work will be done for you by your orthodontist and the braces themselves, you still have a part to play in keeping your smile healthy and beautiful by taking care of your braces on a daily basis. The care that you put into your daily brushing, flushing and flossing will make all the difference for your oral health as well as how beautiful your smile will look once your braces are removed.

What Gets Caught In and Around Your Braces?

Orthodontic hardware can become a breeding ground for germs if not cleaned properly on a daily basis. Although we know them simply as braces, when disassembled into parts they include brackets, bands, wires, springs, screws, and elastics, meaning there are quite a few pieces of hardware that stubborn food particles and germs can reside in. When braces aren’t cleaned properly, the germs can linger and multiply in the various nooks and crannies of your orthodontic hardware. Those germ colonies then develop into plaque biofilm, which presents itself as a chalky patch on the tooth around the braces. If these patches are not properly cleaned off of the tooth, the risk of tooth decay is drastically increased. Sugary and acidic foods increase the chances of developing plaque biofilm around your braces if they are not being cleaned daily and properly.

Cleaning Your Braces at Home

The good news is that keeping your braces clean at home is a quick and easy process when done consistently. For great orthodontic health, remember the BFF acronym – Brush, Flush, and Floss.

Brush: Be sure to put some extra time and care into your brushing with braces. Brush your teeth at different angles to get to those hard-to-reach places between brackets. It may even be beneficial to physically hold your lip up to get every last spot. Remember to remove and elastic or bands before brushing, as they can block your brushing efforts and contribute to the development of plaque biofilm.

Flush: Oral irrigation systems, or simply flushing your mouth with water, are necessary for optimal oral health with braces. Water can dislodge food particles from the various parts of your orthodontic hardware, reducing your risk of developing tooth decay or plaque. At-home oral irrigation systems are specialized tools that push a thin stream of water to flush in between your teeth, and are available at local drugstore and retail stores. Oral irrigation systems are recommended but not required for optimal oral health with braces. SImply swishing water in between your teeth after meals and snacks will do the trick, as long as you keep it up regularly.

Floss: Flossing is especially important to keep your braces and mouth clean. OFtentimes a piece of floss or an interdental cleaner is the only tool that can reach in between wires and brackets. It is important to thread floss under the wires of your braces every day in order to stay clean and healthy.

Don’t let the excitement of having your braces removed be overshadowed by dirty or decaying teeth. By learning how to effectively clean your braces, you’ll be sure to end up with a healthy and confident smile.

If you’d like us to show you how it’s done, or need to see us for a follow up appointment, contact our office to schedule a visit. We’ll be happy to provide you with any help or support that you may need in order to ensure you have a beautiful new smile by the end of your orthodontic treatment.