Taking Care of Your Teeth and Braces Can Mean More Effective Orthodontic Treatment

It may seem obvious, but the key to ensuring your orthodontic treatment goes as effectively and efficiently as possible, is listening to your orthodontist about how to care for your mouth while wearing braces. In this post, we will look at some of the ways you can keep your orthodontic treatment progressing in accordance with your orthodontist’s timeline.

You should try to eat healthy. As is the case when you’re not wearing braces, avoiding high amounts of sugar and starch can help to prevent plaque. You should also be sure to brush and floss according to your dentist and orthodontist’s recommendations. If you don’t, you could experience major tooth decay or gum disease that may need to be addressed – even including the removal of your braces which will undoubtedly change your timeline.

You should avoid foods that can be harmful to braces. Your orthodontist will give you a list of hard, sticky, and crunchy foods that you should avoid while wearing braces. Avoiding these foods will help to prevent you from breaking brackets or loosening wires, which obviously prolong treatment times and also result in additional appointments.

Follow your orthodontist’s instructions precisely. You should be sure to wear rubber bands or other orthodontic treatment equipment as is instructed by your orthodontist. This will provide the necessary subtle tooth movement and also result in more efficient treatment. You should also make sure you keep your appointments; they are scheduled as they are in order to keep your orthodontic treatment plan on the right track.

At Bandeen Orthodontics of Three Rivers, we take the time to educate, and provide materials to, those who are getting braces at our office. If you would like, you can also view our “dos and don’ts of wearing braces” page by clicking here. If you have any questions, or would like to set up an appointment, do not hesitate to contact us today!