|
|
|
Instructions and Care for your Orthodontic Appliances
Toothbrushing Instructions Your Braces Elastic Wear Retainers Forcus Springs Lip Seal Squeeze Lip Strength Exercises Palate Expander HeadGear
Your guide to orthodontic brushing and flossing techniques Brushing… For sparkling clean teeth! On a soft bristled toothbrush, apply toothpaste of your choice. In a small circular motion, brush your teeth back to front all around the brackets (not just the tips of your teeth.) You can angle your toothbrush up and down to get between the wire and braces. Also don’t forget about your gums. Gums are very important too! Where the pink meets the white, also brush in small circular motions. This will keep the gums pink, pointed, and most importantly healthy!
Toothbrushing Techniques Softpik Proxybrush Concentrate on gumline area. Cleans between teeth. Cleans under wire. Flossing… For clean and healthy gums! Using a floss threader ( if helpful) take a piece of floss, pull it through the loop and tie in a knot
Aim the pointed part of the floss threader up under the wire, pull through until you reach the floss. In a rocking, back and forth motion, pull the floss up between the two teeth. Then into the gums so you’re almost forming a letter ‘c’ around one tooth. Then do so to the tooth beside that one.
Teeth with "white" scar marks. One of our orthodontic assistants will go over brushing techniques with you. Clean teeth move faster!!! **We recommend using a soft bristle toothbrush. Any brand is fine. Electric toothbrushes can also be used. The important thing is that you use your toothbrush the proper way to insure that you are getting your teeth and the braces clean. Toothbrush bristles will wear out much faster when you have braces, so don't forget to replace it once the bristles start to "flare out"!!!
Adult Oral Home Care Instructions (for our adult patients) Our adult patients must maintain a very strict regiment of excellent oral hygiene. The soft tissue supporting structures of adult teeth are much more susceptible to disease and damage during orthodontic tooth movement than a child's dentition. Subsequently, the following suggestions are made for our adult patients: 1. Take time to cleanse your braces at least 2 times per day. 2. Alter your routine 6 month tooth cleaning appointment with your family dentist to a 3 month schedule. 3. Brush all surfaces of your teeth twice. The first time you can use toothpaste. For the second time, dip the head of the toothbrush in Listerine mouthwash. A multi tufted soft toothbrush should be used. The new mechanical toothbrushes (Sonicare, Interplak, Braun) are excellent for adults. Please consider investing in one. 4. If you wish additional cleansing of the teeth, utilize a Water Pik irrigating device with 1 shot of Listerine in the solution. Adding 1 squirt of antimicrobial soap (Dial, Softsoap, etc.) to the solution will help cleanse the teeth. Nearby retail locations that have Water Pik in stock are CVS, Kmart, Target and Walgreen's. 5. Please let your general dentist or us know of any areas of your gum tissue that bleed. Following the above suggestions will help maintain your gum tissue in a healthy state during orthodontic care. Even with good home care, it frequently becomes necessary to have gum tissue treatment by your dentist or periodontist
Getting familiar with your braces! Archwire- Removable wires that fit into the slots of the braces and move your teeth into position. Archwires are made from stainless steel, although many of the new high tech wires are made from a material that has "memory". When the archwire is distorted from its natural shape ∩, the "memory" in the wire restores itself and allows the wire to return to that natural state, of course moving your teeth with it!Self Ligating bracket (sl)- The actual bracket holds the wire in place. There is a trap door on the bracket that can be easily opened and closed for wire changes. The doors are spring-loaded which keeps contant gentle pressure on the wire. It is the archwires that move teeth.
Hooks- Some brackets have hooks built into them for elastic wear.
Hooks can also be attached to the archwire. (Elastics help to correct how the
upper and lower teeth bite together. Everyone at some point during treatment
will wear elastics.)
Elastic Ligature- Placed on the four front teeth. Strictly for show of color if
desired by patients. Some elastic ligatures are connected like a "chain", these
will help to slide teeth together to close space.
Bite Blocks- are small mounds of blue or tooth colored cement. They are usually placed on the back bottom teeth or on the back side of your top front teeth. Bite blocks are used to open a bite temporarily while teeth are moving. This way, the top teeth aren’t biting off the bottom braces. It gives your teeth a place to rest.
Emergency? Keep comfortable using wax.Please contact our office (623-8003) if you have any problems or concerns regarding your braces. We will schedule an appointment for you to be seen as soon as possible. Loose Bracket Wax Broken Archwire
Soreness of teeth is to be expected for a few days, even up to a week is not unusual. Tylenol, Advil or any other pain medicine used for your discomfort is helpful. Peroxyl or warm salt-water rinses will help the inside of your lips and cheeks become used to the braces. Also, use wax as necessary. Give your mouth some time and your lips and cheeks will soon adjust to your new braces.
Rubber Bands What are rubber bands? Rubber bands are small elastics that create a continuous force causing the upper and lower jaws to align together properly.When should you wear them? Unless advised by the Doctor, you need to wear your elastics 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You may remove the elastics only when eating or brushing but they must be replaced immediately afterwards. Remember, elastics only work when they are worn full time. Part-time wear will not work in correcting the way upper and lower teeth come together. Part-time wear is like not wearing the elastics at all and will only hold the teeth as they are now.How do you wear the elastics? You should always wear the elastics the way the assistant has shown you. If you forget how to wear them, please call the office so we can explain proper placement.When do you change your elastics? You should replace your elastics with new ones at least once a day. After a while, elastics lose their strength. Always carry extra elastics on you in case they break or get lost.
Retainer Instructions
Congratulations!!! You have made it through treatment and now you have a beautiful smile. In order to keep your great smile, you must wear your retainers or else your teeth will move back. The teeth will not stay exactly where we have placed them. They will make adaptive changes to function in the most efficient manner. This readjustment is not a failure of correction, but rather a natural change that we have learned to accept. You will need to follow these directions to take care of your retainers and your brand new smile.
If you miss a night, wear your retainer FULL TIME. Make sure your retainer is completely in, this may cause your teeth to be sore but they should realign. If they don’t, call our office immediately. Good luck and thank you for choosing our office to give you your amazing smile!!!
Hawley Retainer Lower Aligner
*Hawley Retainers and Lower Aligners can be designed to move teeth if needed. Full time wear is important for the changes to occur. Teeth may be tender from wearing this active retainer (just like when you had braces!). Tylenol, Advil or whatever you prefer for discomfort will help. Please call our office if you have any difficulty wearing you retainer. *Wear the appliance at all times including mealtime and during sleep unless you have been specifically instructed otherwise. *As soon as you have finished eating, take the appliance out and carefully brush your teeth. If at school, you may leave it in but remove it once you are home for cleaning. Make sure that you clean the inside, outside and all surfaces of your teeth. *After you have finished brushing your teeth, clean the appliance in the manner: Hold it in the palm of you hand and never from the wires. Use a toothbrush and toothpaste Carefully brush the inside and outside surfaces Rinse the appliance well with water. *Replace the appliance as soon as you have cleaned it. *Be gentle when removing and replacing the appliance. *Don't put your retainer in your pocket (you may break it!). *Be careful, dogs like retainers too!
" FORCUS SPRINGS "
How Forcus Springs Work: Forcus Springs are "Bite Jumpers". That is, they encourage the lower jaw to reposition forward into the correct bite. They need to act for at least 4 to 6 months. Patient Instruction and Care: Initially eat very soft foods, chewing on your front teeth until you become adjusted to the springs. Do not try to close the springs in between your teeth. This will cause them to break. Try to avoid opening your mouth too wide (yawning). If in doing so, the spring separates from the rod-just open wide and re-insert the two ends.
It will take a few days to adjust to the forward position of the lower jaw. After that, you should be comfortable. Please call our office if you have any questions. Dr. William Mehan 623-8003
Lip Seal Squeeze Instructions
LIP SEAL SQUEEZE is a very important part of your orthodontic treatment. This exercise, in order to do its job, needs to be done faithfully. Lip Seal Squeeze is extremely easy; the hardest part is to remember to do it. Making this exercise a part of your daily routine will help you to perform it regularly. Why? This exercise is designed to "close down" the bite of your front teeth. When you do this exercise correctly and consistently, your upper front teeth will meet your lower front teeth. How? Start by squeezing your back teeth firmly together. Next, bring your lips together gently over your teeth. Your tongue will sit just behind your front teeth. Hold this bite for about 20-30 seconds. You should be breathing through your nose and swallowing. Rest. Repeat exercise in groups of 10 making that one set. Throughout the day a minimum of 3 sets are needed. When? Do this exercise whenever you are not doing a lot of speaking. Good times would be when you are watching TV, riding the school bus, sitting in class or doing your homework. Assign the same times during the day to make this a habit. Remember that practice makes perfect. This exercise will help have your braces removed on schedule. No one can tell when your doing it.
Lip Strength Exercises
LIP STRENGTH is a very important part of your orthodontic treatment. This exercise, in order to do its job, needs to be done faithfully. Lip strength is extremely easy; the hardest part is to remember to do it. Making this exercise a part of your daily routine will help you to perform it regularly. Why? Lip Strength is designed to "work out" your lip muscles. The stronger your lip muscle gets, the more pressure it will put on your teeth. The pressure will pull your upper teeth back and it will minimize your overbite. How? Bring your lips together gently in front of you teeth. We recommend putting a paper clip between your lips to help remind you to do the exercise. You do not need to press your lips hard together, just enough to keep the paper clip in place. Hold your lips together for about 2 minutes then rest. You will need to repeat this step 5 times throughout the day When? Do this exercise whenever you are not doing a lot of speaking. Good times would be when you are watching TV, riding the school bus, sitting in class or doing your homework. Assign the same times during the day to make this a habit. Remember that practice makes perfect. This exercise will help have your braces removed on schedule. No one can tell when your doing it.
Understanding Your Palatal Expander A Palatal Expander is an appliance that is custom made for you. It fits in the roof of your mouth and is cemented in place. This appliance will widen the roof of your mouth (palate), to help improve and correct the way your upper and lower jaws fit/bite together. Although the expansion will occur within the first few weeks of having the expander, the expander will remain in your mouth for about 3 to 6 months stabilizing. Expect… Talking, swallowing and chewing to sound and feel awkward for the first few days Pressure over the bridge of the nose Spend more time brushing to insure a clean expander Space in between your teeth Soreness of your tongue Activating Your Palatal Expander Your expander will be activated ________ turns a night for ________ weeks. If you miss a night of turning, do not try to turn double the next night.
Always turn key from front to back of patients mouth Never pull forward on key to remove as this may cause the expansion to reverse
Headgear Instructions
The use of this special and extremely important appliance you are to wear, is one of the most important phases of orthodontic correction. It requires your utmost cooperation in wearing it as instructed. It is worn while sleeping, doing homework, watching TV and during quiet time. Once headgear treatment is started, it must be adhered to continuously. Leaving it off just one night may necessitate your wearing it many additional hours. We will provide you with a scorecard to keep track of your hours. Dr. Mehan will let you know exactly how many hour you will need to wear your headgear.
|
|
|
If
you run out of elastics or lose them, please stop by the office to pick up more.
If it is not convenient to do so then call us and we will be more than happy to
send them to you. 
ESSIX RETAINERS
Wear your retainers
FULL TIME for one week (unless otherwise told by the Doctor). You may remove
your retainers while eating and brushing but you must replace them
as soon as you are finished..jpg)
There is a hole at the
front of the expander that the blue key will fit into
Insert key and begin to
push so that the hole begins to turn toward the back of the patient’s mouth
.jpg)
