For many individuals, braces are the way to go in order to achieve beautiful, straight, and sparkling teeth. There are even many options when it comes to braces, from traditional ones to clear ones, to fit the needs of every individual. Caring for your braces is absolutely necessary while under orthodontic treatment, which includes brushing thoroughly and flossing every day. In addition, there are many habits that should be avoided completely while you have braces in order to protect your teeth and the braces themselves. Failure to care for your teeth while wearing braces may result in cavities, gum disease, etc. In this article, we will discuss five habits you should nix while wearing braces.

Nix Sticky Foods

Perhaps the very most important habit to avoid when you have braces is eating sticky foods. These can wreak havoc in many ways, from sticking all throughout your braces to actually bending wires or even breaking off a bracket. This will definitely warrant an extra trip to the orthodontist for some damage control. In addition, sugars and bits of food can get trapped in the brackets and increase your chance of cavities. Items in the “sticky” category that you should definitely avoid include gum, taffy, caramel, and many other such items.

Nix Hard Foods and Objects

If you have a habit of opening things with your teeth or biting your nails, it is best to stop if you have braces. Actually, even if you don’t have braces, these are damaging habits for your teeth. Chewing on pencils and pens is another habit to avoid. Hard foods such as raw carrots, hard candy, and peanut brittle should be avoided while you have braces. Biting hard objects and foods can break or bend parts of your braces.

Careful with Darkly Colored Beverages

Darkly colored drinks, such as red wine, coffee, cola, and black tea tend to stain the teeth significantly, especially around the brackets. If you have braces with traditional rubber ligatures, these beverages can also stain the ligatures. If you must consume these beverages, it is best to rinse with water or mouthwash immediately afterwards.

Go Light on Soda and Juice

Sodas and fruit juices have acidic properties and lots of sugar, both of which are known to be harmful to the teeth. This is cause for extra concern for those wearing braces because the braces make it more difficult to clean the teeth thoroughly, making the patient more prone to cavities. Again, if you must consume these beverages, it is best to rinse with water or mouthwash immediately afterwards.

Nix Smoking

Smoking, like red wine, can discolor the teeth tremendously, especially in people who have braces. It stains the teeth a yellowish-brown color that can be difficult to get rid of. Smoking can also result in a gum disease called gingivitis. These things are compounded in people who have braces simply because the damaging particles can get trapped more easily and sit on the teeth for long enough to do some serious discoloring.

If you absolutely can’t live with out the sticky candy and popcorn, you may want to check out Invisalign as an option to getting your perfect smile.

Also check out which cartoon characters sported braces. You may never have even noticed!

Orthodontic braces are used for cosmetic and practical reasons to correct the placement of teeth that are misaligned, crooked or unevenly spaced. Unfortunately, many people avoid them due to the notorious visibility of braces and the discomfort associated with treatment. Increasingly, however, these disadvantages are being cast aside by people who opt for clear braces rather than the unsightly metal ones. However, both types of braces have distinct upsides and downsides. Below is more information about the differences between these options.

Basic Differences

In both types of braces, metal wires are used to apply pressure to teeth, causing them to shift over time. These wires are attached to teeth by brackets, but the bracket is different in clear braces versus ones made of metal. Metal brackets are made of stainless steel. While newer, bonded metal brackets are less visible than the old “banded” ones, they are still much more conspicuous than the clear brackets available today. Clear braces can be made of plastic or ceramic. Designed to match the color of teeth, clear braces are not very obvious, but some types can be vulnerable to staining through consumption of coffee, wine and other heavily pigmented foods and drinks.

Cosmetic Value of Each Type

To the casual observer, clear braces blend into the teeth, making them a top choice for people who are mainly concerned about cosmetic qualities of their braces. With metal braces, patients can choose from among different colored “elastomeric ligatures,” which are the tiny rubber bands that hold the arch wires into the braces.

 Cost Considerations

Metal braces are less expensive due to the high cost of fabrication associated with clear braces.

Durability Compared

In general metal braces are slightly more durable than their ceramic counterparts and far more durable than plastic ones. Each patient must weigh the advantages and disadvantages of metal and clear braces to decide which is best for his or her teeth. Many patients will have the option to choose between the two types with help from their orthodontist. With information about lifestyle and expectations from treatment as well as an orthodontic exam, the orthodontist will be able to explain how the characteristics of each type of braces can serve the patient best.

Learn more about our clear braces orthodontic option.

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A young woman in Canada named Alec Stephen recently had some unfortunate orthodontic luck. Wanting to improve the appearance of her teeth, she consulted with an orthodontist. When she later went to visit her dentist, he told her that he would be able to take care of her problems for a lower price than the orthodontist.

After taking her dentist up on the bargain and wearing braces for 18 months, Stephen felt that her teeth looked worse than they did before she had braces. Her teeth had wider gaps and her overbite was more pronounced.

Orthodontists are trained specialists.  Unlike general dentists, they spend two to three more years in residency after dental school receiving specialty training. This higher degree of education allows orthodontists to better identify and treat situations that require tooth movements and some other problems with the teeth and jaws. While dentists take basic orthodontic courses during dental school, they do not have the expertise of orthodontic specialists. Dentists can take continuing education courses on various orthodontic topics, but some organizations that sponsor these courses may grant a “certificate” or other official-sounding document after as little as two days of training.

While some dentists do practice orthodontics, it is still the responsibility of the dentist to make sure that their patients know the level of training and expertise they have in the area. The patients should also make sure to ask questions and do extensive research of orthodontic treatments offered before choosing to let someone alter their smile. They should also inquire of any financial and insurance dental options offered.

See the original article and video here: Global News

While most specialists suggest that a child makes their first visit to the dentist when their teeth begin to erupt, many parents are unsure of when is the correct time to schedule an appointment with the orthodontist. Orthodontic visits can be very important when it comes to a healthy and attractive smile, and all parents should understand a few of the options that these specialists can provide in order to create lifetime of flawless oral health.

When to Schedule an Appointment

Many parents will put off their child’s first orthodontist trip until their kids are 10 or older, but it is ideal to bring children in at a younger age. Orthodontists often suggest that parents make their first appointment at 7 years of age, and this is the official recommendation of the American Association of Orthodontists. Children may not receive any treatments whatsoever during these first few visits, but catching signs of any oral health or cosmetic issues early is beneficial. Unlike dentists that care for the entirety of the mouth, the orthodontist focuses on the child’s teeth and jaws.

What to Expect

A trip to the orthodontist begins much like any other trip to the dentist. The doctor or technician will take x-rays of the teeth and jaws in order to get a close look at how they are developing. They may also use a moldable impression that fits over the teeth. Once the impression is taken off, there will be a perfect imprint of the child’s teeth. After a visual inspection, the orthodontist can then decide if the child needs any treatments and when the best time for the treatment may be. Depending on the positions of the teeth and growth of the jaws, the child may not need any corrective services until their adult teeth have further developed.

Orthodontists and Oral Health

Options such as braces, retainers, and straightening trays are about much more than a straight and balanced smile. Those that suffer from malocclusion or a misaligned smile and do not have it treated could be setting themselves up for severe health issues throughout their lives. Many of these conditions are created by habits developed by the child, such as thumb sucking or grinding their teeth, but they may also be purely genetic. When left untreated, the child could suffer from sleep apnea, an increased risk of oral diseases, impacted teeth, or damage to their jaw.

By scheduling appointments with one’s orthodontist early and regularly, parents could help their children avoid a lifetime of serious oral health conditions and enjoy a naturally beautiful and straight smile.

Read here to learn about the benefits of children and parents receiving orthodontic treatment together.