Once your orthodontic treatment has started, you become part of our team. We are working for you so that you have fantastic treatment results. But we need your help…
Successful treatment requires that you actively participate in your care by following our instructions regarding to oral hygiene, foods to be avoided, wearing elastics as prescribed and attending appointments. The information contained in this section will help you during your dental treatments.
Brushing and flossing were important before you got braces. It is even more critical that you remain dedicated to excellent oral hygiene with braces. Orthodontic appliances can easily trap food and plaque. Routine brushing and flossing will keep your teeth clean and healthy. Neglect can lead to cavities, discoloration of the teeth, gum disease and other teeth problems that are completely avoidable.
Every patient will receive proper instruction on techniques for brushing and flossing when appliances are placed. Samples of products that aid excellent hygiene are given to every patient, including a soft bristled tooth brush with a compact head and dental floss that works well with braces.
Brushing with good fluoride toothpaste should be completed at least three times a day, ideally after you have eaten. If you cannot brush after a meal, be sure to rinse your mouth thoroughly with water. Take some extra time to do an excellent job before bedtime.
Flossing should be completed at least once a day. We recommend a prescribed antibacterial rinse be used daily to help kill bacteria. This rinse is available through our office. Many rinses are now made alcohol-free for children to use.
To ensure your best dental health, we advise visiting your dentist for a professional cleaning every three to four months while in treatment. Our office staff would be happy to assist in making these appointments at the time they are recommended by Dr. Twohig.
After you have completed orthodontic treatment, it is critical that you maintain the placement of your teeth by wearing retainers. Your retainers will be custom-made for you after your appliances are removed. Dr. Twohig and his staff will instruct you on the proper wear of these removable appliances as well as how to care for them.
You will be given a special case to store your retainers when you are not wearing them. This will help protect them from getting lost or broken. The retainers should be placed in a safe place, away from where pets or very young children may reach them.
There is a replacement fee for lost or broken retainers.
Retainer Wear Instructions
- Use both hands to place and remove retainers to avoid stress fractures in the material.
- Wear for 8-10 hours nightly. Retainers should feel “snug” but not tight. If they feel tight then additional retainer wear is needed.
- After removing the retainers they should be brushed with toothpaste or liquid soap and then returned to their case in a safe place. Rinse with cool water only. Avoid hot water as this may distort or melt the retainer. (Never rinse retainers with boiling water to disinfect them.)
- Soak in clear distilled vinegar once a week during the day to keep them fresh and clean. The retainer case can be used for soaking or they may be placed in a container of adequate size to submerge them in the liquid.
- Parents should do their own periodic retainer checks to insure that they are being worn correctly. Retainers should appear to be “painted on”. Retainers should be stored in their case at all times when not being worn.
- Keep retainers away from pets. Retainers are often safest when stored in their case in a bathroom drawer.
- Bring retainers to all retainer check appointments with Dr. Twohig.
- Call if retainers are uncomfortable so that Dr. Twohig may attempt to adjust them.
- Retainers are to be worn nightly after braces have been removed.
- There is a replacement fee for lost or broken retainers.
An elastic is a small rubber band that Dr. Twohig may tell you to attach to your braces in a certain configuration/shape. It is critical that you wear elastics as instructed so that your orthodontic treatment is a success. The purpose of these small latex or non-latex bands is to assist in the movement of your teeth and the alignment of your bite.
Normally, you will wear the elastics all the time except for while eating or brushing. You should replace your elastics with new ones regularly. This is best done right after you have eaten and brushed your teeth. Elastics lose strength over time, so it is important to change them regularly in order to maintain a more constant force on the teeth.
Hard, sticky or crunchy foods can cause orthodontic appliances to come loose. When the appliances are not attached properly, teeth are not being moved into their correct positions. Broken appliances typically cause treatment to take longer.
There is no comprehensive list of foods to be avoided when wearing orthodontic appliances. Rather, common sense should aid your decision on what is improper to eat during orthodontic treatment. Consider anything hard, sticky or chewy as off limits. Gum, caramel, taffy, ice, hard candy and beef jerky are all examples of these types of foods. Crunchy foods such as tortilla chips and popcorn may be eaten very carefully.
True orthodontic emergencies are rare, but when they occur we are available are here for you. You might be surprised to learn that you may be able to solve many problems yourself temporarily until you can get to our office. If there is a loose piece that you can remove, put it in a plastic bag or envelope and bring it with you to your next appointment. If your braces are poking you, put soft wax on the piece that’s sticking out. If the wire has slid to one side, you can pull it back to the other side with needle-nosed pliers, replacing it in the tube on the back tooth.
After alleviating your discomfort, it is very important that you still call our office as soon as possible to schedule a time to repair the problem. Allowing your appliance to remain damaged for an extended period of time may result in disruptions to your treatment plan.
Please call the office after having resolved your discomfort, and we will schedule a repair appointment for you.
GENERAL SORENESS
When you get your braces on, you may feel general soreness in your mouth, and teeth may be tender to biting pressures for three to seven days. Stick to a soft diet until your teeth do not hurt to chewing. If needed, take Acetaminophen (Tylenol) or whatever you normally take for headache or similar pain. Aspirin, Ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) and Naproxen Sodium (Naprosyn, Anaprox) actually slow the tooth movement, so it is not advisable to use them frequently while wearing braces.
The lips, cheeks, and tongue may become irritated from rubbing on the appliances for a few weeks. You can put wax on the braces to lessen this. Sore spots can also be relieved by rinsing your mouth with a warm salt-water mouthwash. Dissolve one teaspoonful of salt in eight ounces of warm water, and rinse your mouth vigorously.
LOOSE APPLIANCE
If your appliance is poking you, place wax on the offending part.
LOOSE BRACKET
If your bracket or band is still attached to the wire, you should leave it in place and put wax on it if needed for comfort. If the bracket or band can be removed easily, place it in an envelope and save it to bring to your next appointment.
LOOSE WIRE
Using a pair of tweezers or needle-nosed pliers, try to put your wire back into place If you cannot put the wire into a comfortable position, and covering the end with wax doesn’t help, as a last resort use a small fingernail clipper to clip the wire behind the last tooth to which it is securely fastened. If the end of the wire is still sharp place wax on it.
POKING WIRE
Using a pencil eraser, push the poking wire down or place wax on it so that it is no longer poking.
Ways to Make Orthodontic Treatment More Affordable
Flexible Financing:
Our office offers flexible financing. We will discuss several options to pay for your treatment. Typically, you can pay for treatment in full and save a percentage on your treatment. Some people choose this option for tax purposes or to take advantage of mileage points on their credit cards. Alternatively, you can put a down payment and break payments into several monthly payments. Your payments are made to our office, and we don’t charge interest or penalties on accounts that are paid on time. Dr. Twohig and his treatment coordinators, Lucy and Tracy, will help you decide which option is best for you and your situation. We want to build a bridge between you and the smile of your dreams.
Health Care Flexible Spending Accounts:
Using health care flexible spending accounts (HCFSA) to pay for treatment allows you to use pre-tax dollars for treatment. Many flexible spending accounts let you put up to a pre-determined amount per year toward qualified health care expenses-including orthodontics. With HCFSA accounts, you may be able to pay for the entire treatment using pre-tax dollars. Using these accounts creates a significant tax advantage and can be the most powerful way to save money on your orthodontic treatment. Make sure you pay attention to your company deadlines if you can plan to use flex spending dollars. Most employers require you to let them know ahead of time that plan to use flex dollars and how much you would like to save into an account. Most employers have a specific enrollment period. Failing to sign up in time could cost you significantly more out of pocket dollars to pay for your treatment.
Insurance:
Many dental policies have orthodontic coverage. If you have orthodontic insurance, congratulations! Orthodontic coverage varies from plan to plan. Make sure to check with your employer to find out what type of dental/orthodontic coverage is available to you. Some insurance companies require a waiting period, so don’t’ wait! You may have to sign up now for benefits to be available to you. Also, a common misconception is you can only see an in-network orthodontist. FALSE! For almost all orthodontic insurances, you can still get the same benefit regardless of if you see an in-network doctor or not. Dr. Twohig and our insurance coordinator, Jessica, will work hard to make sure you get the maximum allowable benefit available to you through your policy. We make it easy and will do all the billing and collecting of the benefits from your insurance company.
Watch for Hidden Fees:
When comparing prices for orthodontists, look closely at the quoted fee. Many offices offer low fees up front but hit you with fees later in treatment, making the total cost for treatment much higher. Broken brackets fees missed appointment fees, cancellation fees, and not including a fee for retainer in the initial quote can dramatically increase the total cost of treatment. BEWARE of any office that charges additional monthly fees after a certain point. This creates an incentive to keep your braces on longer so that the office can charge more. Also, lower fee offices typically use lower cost materials. Braces can be bought from third world manufacturers for a fraction of the cost of American made ones. All braces are NOT created equal. Shopping for the cheapest orthodontic treatment in town may come with a significant cost; in dollars, time, comfort and in a compromised orthodontic result.
The palatal expander “expands” (or widens) your upper jaw by putting gentle pressure on your upper molars each time an adjustment is made. The animation below will instruct you about when and how to adjust your expander. When you achieve the desired expansion, you will wear the appliance for about four months to solidify the expansion.
Step 1
In a well-lit area, tip the patient’s head back.
Step 2
Place the key in the hole until it is firmly in place.
Step 3
Push the key towards the back of the mouth, you will notice the fender will rotate and the new hole will appear. The rotation stops when the key meets the back of the expander.
Step 4
By pushing back and down towards the tongue, remove the key. The next hole for insertion of the key should now be visible.
What Our Patients Say
