Dr. Stuart Loos
Canton, GA 30114
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PATIENT EDUCATION
Orthodontics for Children
Now that you have your braces, how do you take care of them?
It’s important for you to know how to properly take care of your braces throughout your entire orthodontic treatment.
Eating with Braces
Don’t worry; you’ll be eating popcorn and snacking on potato chips again in no time! However, before you can start enjoying some of the treats you love, you will need to take special care to avoid any foods that could damage your new appliances.
Foods to AVOID with braces:
- Chewy foods - bagels, licorice
- Crunchy foods - popcorn, chips, ice
- Sticky foods - caramel candies, chewing gum
- Hard foods - nuts, hard candies
- Foods that require biting into - corn on the cob, apples, carrots
Foods you CAN eat with braces:
- Dairy - soft cheese, pudding, milk-based drinks
- Breads - soft tortillas, pancakes, muffins w/o nuts
- Grains - pasta, soft cooked rice
- Meats/poultry - soft cooked chicken, meatballs, lunch meats
- Seafood - tuna, salmon, crab cakes
- Vegetables - mashed potatoes, steamed spinach, beans
- Fruits - applesauce, bananas, fruit juice
- Treats - ice cream w/o nuts, milkshakes, Jell-O, soft cake
Soreness caused from braces and appliances
When you first get your braces, you may notice that your teeth and mouth feel a little tender or sore. This is perfectly normal for patients who have just gotten their braces put on, and we promise your mouth will not be sore forever! To relieve the pain, we recommend dissolving one teaspoon of salt in eight ounces of lukewarm water. Swish and gargle this solution in your mouth for just a couple of minutes (do not swallow the saltwater).
If the pain is more severe and does not go away after rinsing, you can also try taking a pain reliever. It is also not uncommon for your lips, cheeks, and tongue to become irritated for one to two weeks as they toughen and become used to the braces. We would be happy to give you some wax that you can put over the braces to lessen the tenderness. If you need some wax, please let us know!
Loose Teeth
If your teeth begin feeling a little loose, don’t worry; this is normal! Your braces must first loosen your teeth in order to move them into the right position. Once your teeth have been repositioned, they will no longer be loose.
Loose Wires and Bands
The wires and bands on your braces may come loose. If this happens, please contact us as soon as possible so that we can check and repair your appliance. If any piece of your appliance comes off, be sure to save it and bring it to the office with you.
You can temporarily fix the loose wire by using the back of a spoon or the eraser end of a pencil to carefully and gently push the wire back into place. If the loose wire is causing irritation to your lips or cheeks, put wax or a wet cotton ball over the broken wire to relieve the pain.
Take Care of your Appliances
Chewing pens, pencils and nails are habits that need to be broken. Damaged appliances can increase the length of your treatment process, so be sure to take care of all your appliances. Your teeth and jaw can only move into their correct positions if you consistently wear the rubber bands, headgear, retainer, or other appliances prescribed by your doctor.
Playing Sports with Braces
Game, Set, Match – we have great news for athletes! You can still play sports even while undergoing orthodontic treatment! If you do play sports, it’s recommended that you wear a mouthguard in order to protect your teeth and your appliance. Let your doctor know if you need help finding the right mouthguard for the best protection.
In case of a sports emergency, be sure to immediately check your mouth and your appliance for any damage that may have occurred. If you notice any loose teeth, or if your appliance has been damaged, please contact our office right away. You can temporarily relieve the discomfort with wax or by rinsing your mouth with warm saltwater.
Brushing Your Teeth with Braces
When you have braces it’s very important to brush and floss after every meal in order to keep your teeth and gums healthy throughout your treatment. If you need help choosing the right toothbrush, toothpaste, and dental floss, please ask us and we can help you choose the right products for your teeth and your appliance
Brushing: Step 1
Place your toothbrush at a 45 degree angle to your gum.
Flossing: Step 1
Wind about 18 inches of floss around your fingers as shown. Most of it should be wrapped around one finger, and as the floss is used, the other finger takes it up.
Brushing: Step 2
Brush in a circular motion.
Flossing: Step 2
Use your thumbs and forefingers to guide about one inch of floss between your teeth.
Brushing: Step 3
Brush the inner, outer and chewing surface of each tooth.
Flossing: Step 3
Holding the floss tightly, gently saw the floss between your teeth. Then curve the floss into a C-shape against one tooth and gently slide it beneath your gums.
Brushing: Step 4
Use the tip of your toothbrush for the inner surface of your front teeth.
Flossing: Step 4
Slide the floss up and down, repeating for each tooth.
Online Dental Education Library
Our team of dental specialists and staff strive to improve the overall health of our patients by focusing on preventing, diagnosing and treating conditions associated with your teeth and gums. Please use our dental library to learn more about dental problems and treatments available. If you have questions or need to schedule an appointment, contact us.
Malocclusions are fairly common in children (as well as adults). While some malocclusions are so minor that no treatment would provide a demonstrable benefit, serious malocclusions may require intervention in the form of appliances such as braces.For this reason, regular dental checkups are critical because they provide an opportunity for a dental professional to spot small problems before they become big ones. During a routine exam, your dentist may be able to determine if the child's jaws are growing properly and at the same rate.
If your child has any of the following symptoms, a more detailed orthodontic exam may be called for:
- "Loose" jaws that can be easily shifted around or make popping noises when opening or closing
- Abnormal bite relationship (teeth that don?t match up well when biting)
- Baby teeth that are lost too early or too late
- Biting the cheek or roof of the mouth
- Breathing through the mouth excessively (instead of through the nose)
- Disproportionate teeth or jaws
- Problems with biting down or chewing food
- Teeth that have become crowded, knocked out or in the wrong place
- Thumb-sucking or finger-sucking
Here are just some of the benefits of catching problems early:
- Avoiding impacted teeth
- Avoiding more costly and lengthy orthodontic treatments in later life
- Avoiding soft tissue and palate injuries from protruding teeth
- Bad habits like thumb- or finger- sucking can be corrected
- Correcting breathing, speaking, swallowing or eating problems
- Creating space for newly erupting or future erupting teeth
- Erupting teeth and jaws can be gently glided into their correct positions
Extracting a tooth (either primary of permanent) before its time can sometimes do more harm than good.
There are reasonable instances, and good cause, however, for extracting teeth early in a child.
Common justifications for an early tooth extraction include preserving space for other incoming teeth to avoid crowding and possible impacted teeth later on, or to clear an obstructed tooth that is preventing a jaw from forming correctly.
As your child grows
Orthodontists employ a wide variety of "growth modification" techniques to help nature correct problems as your child grows.
Orthodontic appliances can do wonders as your child develops. For example, an appliance may stave off problems with an upper or lower jaw that isn't growing at the same rate as the other, or correct problems that are creating difficulties with chewing or swallowing.
Whatever the cause, orthodontic treatment during your child's development will reap substantial dividends in adult life, including avoidance of possible surgery, improved oral health and improved self-esteem.
Typically, children between the ages of 10 (usually girls) and 12 (usually boys) benefit greatly from procedures designed to correct jaw length and width problems.
Keep in mind that orthodontic treatment involves a firm commitment from the child, as well as the parent. The kinds of changes such treatment is designed for sometimes take years to fully realize their benefit. Also bear in mind that even the most dedicated commitment is no guarantee of permanent results. Nature sometimes has a way of taking over, and in limited cases, relapses can occur later on.
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