Thinking of getting your dental braces real soon? Hold up! Have you done enough research to better prepare yourself for your braces' journey? If not, you come to the right place! Let's take a look at some of the popular questions and answers about dental braces!
Or if you are more interested to get yourself clear aligners treatment due to the aesthetic factors or other reasons, you can find out more information on clear aligners in this article about Invisalign and other clear aligners in Singapore !
Howdo I brush/flossmyteethwithbraces?
You can brush or floss your teeth normally, but you just have to be more meticulous and gentle. In fact, you have to brush and floss regularly because with the dental braces on, the chance of traces of food and bacteria sticking to the gaps in between your teeth and the braces are higher. If they aren’t cleaned regularly, then there is high chance that plagues or other issues may develop.
You can use a normal toothbrush, or an electric toothbrush, whichever you have at home. Brush at a certain angle so that you can reach the gaps that are sometimes difficult to reach by a normal brushing technique. Usually, orthodontists would recommend aiming at around 45 degrees so the toothbrush can reach the sides of the braces.
Howwillbracesaffectmylifestyle?
Braces will affect some areas of your life. For example, what you eat and drink will be affected. Throughout your treatment, you will need to always have soft foods ready because you won’t be able to eat tough foods for a while. Tough foods might damage your braces so you will need to make some changes in your diet for a while.
Ideally, you should try to clean your teeth after eating or drinking something other than water, but sometimes that’s not always feasible to do. [1] In that case, just get used to checking your teeth in the mirror regularly because you really don’t want to be walking around with a tiny piece of vegetable stuck on one of your braces.
If you’re active in general and you do a lot of sporting activities, be sure to protect your teeth when you are doing some of those things. Wear a mouthguard when you play basketball or soccer, for example. This is to make sure that if physical contact happens and something hit your teeth and jaw, your teeth and braces will be protected from the impact.
Whattodoif I noticebrokenbracesorwires?
You should immediately call your orthodontist and set an appointment to get it fixed. You don’t want to prolong the situation because it can make your treatment less effective. To protect your gum and the walls of your mouth, make sure the broken braces or wires don’t hurt the walls of your mouth. Sometimes the broken braces or wires can scratch the gum and then wound it. This will be uncomfortable and painful. So, if you notice that, just adjust the position of the broken braces or wire while you for your orthodontist to fix them for you.
Howoften are theclinicalappointments?
You will need to see your dentist for about once a month to once every two months. This will depend on your case, how much realigning do you want to do with your teeth and also at what stage of the treatment you are currently at. The earlier the stage, the more often you will have to go in for a consult. This is because your orthodontist will still need to readjust and tighten your braces as the treatment progresses. You don’t want to miss any of the scheduled appointments because readjusting your braces as you go is a crucial part of your treatment.
[1] Blue Ridge Orthodontics, N/A. Living with Braces: Tips and Lifestyle Hacks, from https://www.blueridgeorthodontics.com/life-with-braces/
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