Orthodontic treatment and rubber bands

Wearing rubber bands during your orthodontic treatment

There may come a time during your orthodontic treatment when you are asked to wear rubber bands.  They are an important part of your treatment and it is important to follow the instructions given to you.  

These small, elastic bands add the needed force to align teeth, correct an overbite, or correct an underbite.  The rubber bands or elastics come in many different sizes, strengths, and colors and are fit specifically for you.  You will be instructed on where to place the rubber bands and also how many hours per day they are to be worn.  They can be removed to eat and also to brush your teeth.  After you brush, always remember to replace your rubber bands with new ones that Prose Orthodontics supplies for you.

If you are instructed to wear them full time, that means 21-22 hours per day. 

Think of the rubber bands as the force that pushes a car uphill - the continued force the faster the car will get up the hill. If you stop the force the car will roll back down the hill and you will be back where you started.  

Teeth can't guess where they are supposed to be in your mouth.  Their position is a result of force over a continued period of time.

Keep your orthodontic treatment on schedule and make sure to wear your rubber bands as instructed!  Please ask anyone at Prose Orthodontics for more information regarding rubber bands.

Prose Orthodontics knows that a clean mouth is a happy mouth!!!

Nothing makes us happier than when we see your smiling face and your clean teeth and braces! 

Clean teeth and braces means that you have been working hard to prevent food from getting trapped under your wires and in between your teeth.  Always be thorough when you brush.  Here are some tips to keep your teeth (and us) smiling proud...

• Tooth brushing is all about angles.  
• Brush the tops of your teeth and braces with your brush angled down.  
• Brush the bottom of your teeth and braces with the brush angled up. 
• "Christmas tree" or interproximal brushes are great for reaching the tiny spots around your braces and under your wires.
• Brush after every meal.  You don't want to leave food sitting on your teeth or braces because it will turn into plaque if left long enough.  Plaque is a sign of an unhappy mouth!
• Don't skip flossing!  Use floss threaders to make the job easier and try to floss after every meal.

Visit our website for more helpful hints.

http://proseorthodontics.com/braces/#brushing  

TIPS FOR AVOIDING AND HANDLING ORTHODONTIC EMERGENCIES

Taking care of your braces throughout your treatment is the best way to avoid orthodontic emergencies.  However, emergencies happen, and not always at the best time!   Sometimes no matter how careful you are or how well you care for your braces, the wires get long, brackets come loose, or you experience orthodontic discomfort.  

Some common emergencies are loose brackets, poking wires, mouth sores, lost or broken retainers, and mouth injuries sustained playing sports.

WHAT TO EAT

It is very important to not eat foods that can damage your braces and wires.  All sticky, crunchy, chewy, and hard foods should be avoided during your entire treatment.  While it seems like a long time to go without, these types of foods can loosen the brackets and bend the wires.  

If a bracket comes loose or comes off of the wire, put the bracket in a bag, and call us at 630.584.6555 to set up a repair appointment.  If a wire comes out of a bracket you can try to put it back in or you can call us and we will be happy to fix it.  

DISCOMFORT

You will experience some discomfort after your braces are first placed or after your wires are changed. That discomfort should only last a few days and over the counter pain medication can help give you relief. If you are still experiencing discomfort after 4-5 days, however, it would be a good idea to call Prose Orthodontics.  

In between appointments your wires make get too long and start to poke.  Don't try to trim the wire yourself.  Please call the office to set up an appointment and we will take care of the poking wire for you.

PLAYING SPORTS

Sports related injuries to the mouth and jaw are common and the best way to protect your teeth and braces is to wear a mouthguard.  We have mouthguards in the office and will be happy to give you the appropriate one for your sport.

RETAINERS

Your retainers are so important to maintain your Prose smile.  If by chance a pet gets a hold of one of your retainers please call us to have it replaced for a fee. We will need to take an impression to make you a new retainer.  If your retainer develops a crack please call the office and set up an appointment to have your retainer evaluated.  

Your lower retainer will need to be repaired if it becomes loose.  If it happens to come out, please save it, and call us to set up a repair appointment.  

You never want to go too long without your retainers!

Most orthodontic emergencies do not require an immediate appointment. Please refer to http://proseorthodontics.com/braces/ for more information.  

If you have any questions or would like more tips please ask any team member at Prose Orthodontics.  

  

May is National Teen Self Esteem Month

National Teen Self Esteem Month is designed to focus attention on the importance of teens having a healthy outlook of themselves and figure out ways in which we can support them in that development.

Building and maintaining self esteem is a process that happens throughout the year and Prose Orthodontics is here to help.  Below are some interesting facts regarding straight smiles...

• The Want List: Having an attractive smile is something important to many Americans. Close to three in five (57%) Americans would rather have a nice smile than clear skin. What's more, 87% would forego something for a year in order to have a nice smile for the rest of their life; more than one-third of these folks would give up dessert (39%) or vacations (37%).

• Making a Lasting impression: It's important to have attractive teeth as part of a smile because pearly whites make a lasting first impression.Nearly one-third (29%) of Americans say the first aspect of someone's face they typically notice is his or her teeth, and 24% say this is also the facial aspect that they remember the most after meeting someone.

• A Nice Smile Goes a Long Way: Nearly three in four (73%) Americans would be more likely to trust someone with a nice smile than someone with a good job, outfit, or car.  

Not all teens are that excited at the thought of metal brackets, however, metal brackets aren't the only option to achieve a beautiful smile. Invisalign is the clear alternative to metal braces that uses a series of virtually invisible and removable aligners that gradually move teeth over time.  Dr. Prose is a 2016 Preferred Provider of Invisalign.  

Please contact us today for more information on how we can work together to help develop a positive and healthy self image!

Spring is right around the corner.

Play it safe this spring!

Spring is almost here and we want to remind our patients at Prose Orthodontics to protect their faces and teeth while out on the playing fields.  Children, high-school athletes, and adults have more than 5 million teeth are knocked out in sporting events each year, according to the National Youth Sports Safety Foundation.

If you are planning on, or playing in, a spring sport it is important to have a proper-fitting mouthguard.  Mouthguards can prevent chipped or broken teeth, lip and cheek injuries, jaw fractures, and even concussions.

If you are currently wearing braces we have mouthguards in the office that will fit over your braces and protect your teeth and brackets.  If you don't have braces you will want to protect your Prose smile with a custom mouthguard. Please call 630.584.6555 with any questions.

How to keep your orthodontic retainer clean.

Retainers are forever!

At Prose Orthodontics we want you to understand that the retainers you have been given at the end of your treatment are necessary to minimize the movement of your teeth.  There is no part of your body that doesn't change over time and teeth are no exception.  Since your retainers are part of your life now, here are some tips to keeping them clean. 

If you have a lower bonded retainer we have shown you how to floss around it.  The retainer can stay in place for as long as possible, however, if it were to become lose or completely come out, please keep it and call our office right away to schedule an appointment to have it repaired.  Your dentist will clean around it at your regular visits also.

 

Your upper retainer will get dirty and wear out over time just like a pair of shoes. The key to keeping your retainer as clean as possible is to clean your retainer immediately after removing it from you mouth. Brushing your retainer can remove bacteria, but soaking your retainer in some form of anti -bacterial retainer/denture cleaner on a regular basis will help your retainer taste and smell better the next time you wear it.  

Keeping your retainers clean are very similar to keeping your teeth clean.  If you take care of your retainers, just like your teeth, they will look better and last longer.

What is the Best Age for My Child to See an Orthodontist?

Have you noticed more young kids with braces on these days?

Why so young? 

Don’t they still have baby teeth? 

When should I take my child to see the orthodontist for the first time? 

According to the American Association of Orthodontists, the best age for children to be seen by an orthodontist for the first time is 7. Why age 7?  Not every orthodontic problem can be treated at age 7, however, most problems can be identified by that age. 

Baby or "primary" teeth are usually lost in a fairly specific order. The 1st eight primary teeth are usually lost between the ages of 6 and 8.  These eight primary teeth are ideally replaced immediately by the permanent incisors.  The 1st four permanent molars emerge around the age of 6. If they come out in a different order there may be developmental issues that need to be addressed.

Around the age of 7 it is possible to determine if a child has excessive crowding or spacing problems.   Excessive spacing may mean that a baby tooth has been lost too early or a tooth never developed.  Excessive crowding means that there isn't enough room for all of the teeth and may require early intervention for the arches to be expanded.

At any age, teeth can be aligned.  However, crooked teeth are more prone to uneven wear or damage.  Also the gum tissues can be compromised.  Earlier intervention can prevent wear and gum issues and also a child's self esteem can  be positively impacted.

Prose Orthodontics recommends an exam at age 7 so these and other conditions can be identified and corrected as early as possible.  If treatment is not warranted at this age your child's growth and development will be monitored at 6 month intervals to determine to best time for orthodontic treatment. 

As always, our new patient exams are complimentary as well as the 6 month monitoring visits.  

No matter the age, you and your family will receive the highest quality care at 

Prose Orthodontics.

Have you noticed more young kids with braces on these days? Why so young? Don’t they still have baby teeth? When should I take my child to see the orthodontist for the first time? - See more at: http://www.gregjorgensen.com/blog/2012/08/what-is-the-best-age-for-my-child-to-see-an-orthodontist/#sthash.J3Z78Dbr.dpuf

Have you noticed more young kids with braces on these days? Why so young? Don’t they still have baby teeth? When should I take my child to see the orthodontist for the first time? - See more at: http://www.gregjorgensen.com/blog/2012/08/what-is-the-best-age-for-my-child-to-see-an-orthodontist/#sthash.J3Z78Dbr.dpuf