Home Care instructions for your New Braces!
Congratulations on your new braces! We are very excited that you have chosen Orthodontic Options as your home for the duration of your treatment. You may find that over the next few days your teeth and gums may be tender, you may also find that you are producing more saliva than usual and some patients may develop sores on their lips and cheeks. This is all normal and discomfort should subside in 3-5 days. Here are a few helpful hints to make the transition smoother for you.
- Avoid any hard or sticky foods: (Caramel, Taffy, Corn Chips, Nuts, Ice, Apples Gum, Candy, Pretzels, Pizza Crust, Corn on the Cob, Popcorn, Crusty Bread, Crabs and Chicken Wings
Make sure all meats are cut off the bone and fresh fruits and vegetables are cut up into small pieces. The adhesive that we use is very strong; however, excessive force when chewing, particularly when teeth are moving may cause the adhesive and braces to become loose. If you feel a significant amount of resistance when chewing, do not bite harder, ease off on biting pressure.
2. Proper oral hygiene is very important in order to prevent any caries and decalcification.
Orthodontic Options has provided you with the proper tools to maintain excellent oral hygiene.
3. There may be times during your active treatment that brackets can come loose and / or the arch wires may begin to poke.
Do not panic! Contact our office so that we can make you comfortable. You may try to use wax and/or Tylenol or Ibuprofen for any discomfort.
What I can expect?
- Tenderness of the teeth for the first 4-5 days (Use Tylenol or Ibuprofen, chew softer foods)
- Tenderness of the insides of the lips and cheeks for 4-5 days. (Use Tylenol or Ibuprofen, chew softer foods and wax applied to dried-off braces/wire ends).
- Some mobility of the teeth (normal during tooth movement).
- Initial wires are extremely flexible. All precautions are taken to prevent the wire from slipping out of the back bracket (usually caused by hard foods flexing the wire). If any discomfort place wax on the dried last bracket. However, if discomfort continues call the office to clip wire.
- Loose braces may occur. Immediate relief can be achieved by placing wax over the bracket.