Table of Contents
Orthodontic treatment involves straightening of the teeth by improving their appearance and their working. Moreover, it assists in maintaining healthy teeth, jaw joints and gums by spreading the pressure of biting equally on your teeth. The treatment also involves full check and examination of your teeth by taking of x-rays and having your teeth models made. After this, the orthodontist will discuss with you on how to fix them.
It can be done applying several appliances that are called braces.
There are various types of braces that include:
• Removal brace
• Fixed brace
• Functional brace
• Invisible braces
Maintaining the orthodontic treatment
During this treatment you should maintain proper hygiene of your teeth or else this will damage your gums and teeth. Lack of proper care makes a plaque to accumulate around the braces and if the plaque isn’t removed, an acid is created that will corrode your teeth and cause cavities.
Here is a list of the things you should do to maintain your orthodontic treatment:
• The use of an electric toothbrush will be advisable. This toothbrush will assist you in cleaning the teeth and the braces properly. At least brush twice in a day.
• Consider flossing daily. You can use either super floss or floss threads.
• Also, use of a mouth rinse is important. Gums may get inflamed due to your body reaction to the metal braces or due to plaque accumulating on the braces. Having a mouth rinse will improve the health of the gums.
• Consider using toothpaste that is strong in fluoride if the risk of having cavities is high.
• You should wear mouth guards if you do sports.
• Have a regular rinse off your teeth with clean water.
• A regular check by the dental team will be essential so that they can examine how the braces are.
• Avoid sugary foods.
After the braces are removed they are replaced with retainers. Retainers help in maintaining the teeth in position.
You should do the following to maintain the retainers:
• Go for a proper cleaning and examination of your teeth.
• Avoid breaking the retainers and if they break they should be replaced sooner not later.
• Retainers have time frames which should be changed eventually.
• Most of the times the orthodontist advise that you should wear the retainers 24 hours in a day for the first three months for them to work properly.
• Brush your teeth with a lot of care. Consider brushing gently.
