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Life with Braces

Dental Braces
Many of our patients are very enthusiastic after receiving their braces as they are finally on the road to having a straighter and brighter smile. After our patients come to Brooklyn Orthodontics for braces, we like to provide them with some common information about life with braces and what you should expect.

Common Concerns about Braces

Adjusting to life with braces may seem overwhelming. While there may be some discomfort and restrictions on what new patients can eat, Dr. Aljanabi and the staff at Brooklyn Orthodontics is here to alleviate any stress you may be feeling.

Discomfort 

The most common issue for patients who are new to braces is mouth soreness. Braces and other orthodontic appliances cause initial soreness because they are not only new to the mouth, but also because they apply pressure to the teeth. However, this pain is a normal part of the treatment process and will subside as patients become accustomed to the their new life with braces.

Here are some tips though to manage the pain:

You can dissolve one teaspoon of salt in eight ounces of lukewarm water. Swish and gargle for a couple of minutes. You can feel immediate pain relief after doing this. However, if the discomfort continues, you may take pain reliever medications. You can ask us for a prescription for this.

Lip, cheek, and tongue red ulcers may also appear. Nevertheless, allow your oral tissues about two weeks to become familiar to the new orthodontic appliance. We will gladly give you some wax to apply on the brackets of your braces in order to lessen the friction between your oral tissues and brace brackets.

What to Eat

For the first few days, we advise soft yet non-sticky food. Remember that its very important we to maintain the cleanliness of your braces and some foods can make that quite difficult. In addition to causing discomfort, especially during the first few days of new braces, some foods also interfere with the strength and durability of the brackets, which can lead to extended treatment time. While there can be some food choice sacrifices at first  our team at Brooklyn Orthodontics will help you adapt.

The following is a basic list of some of the food to AVOID with braces:
● Chewy and Sticky foods — bagels, licorice, caramel candies, chewing gum
● Crunchy and Hard foods — popcorn, chips, ice, nuts, hard candies
● Foods that require biting into — corn on the cob, apples, carrots

Just remember to eat food that you think you can tolerate. For precautions, here are some foods you CAN eat with braces:

● Dairy — soft cheese, pudding, milk-based drinks
● Soft 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, fruits sliced into small pieces
● Treats — ice cream w/o nuts, milkshakes, Jell-O, soft cake

Animation of: Foods to Avoid


Food rich in calcium and Vitamin C will be good for your bones and gums. Do not forget to have
some of those.

Induced Salivation

Patients often notice an increase in saliva during the first few days with an orthodontic appliance; however, this will subside after your mouth becomes accustomed to the appliance.

Temporary Tooth Loosening

It is typical that your teeth may feel mobile during the first few days of braces as  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.

Maintenance

The secret to a successful orthodontic treatment is faithful patient compliance. Your braces can be difficult to uphold if you are not willing to follow the maintenance instructions. Damaged appliances can significantly alter the length of treatment time.  At Brooklyn Orthodontics, we are happy to teach you how to clean your teeth and braces; we can assist you in choosing the right toothbrush, toothpaste, and dental floss to lower the chances of this occurring for our patients.

Taking Care of Your Braces

There may be some instances in which your bands, wires, or brackets become wobbly or loose: don’t panic! If you notice a loose wire, you may gently push the wire to its position with the eraser
end of a pencil.

Put some wax or a moist cotton ball on that wire to prevent any sores. This can temporarily fix the problem. Ideally, if this emergency arises, you can always call us to have
your bands or wires reattached like new. Make sure that you bring the part of the appliance that went off as well.

If you love playing sports here in Brooklyn, NY, accidents may take place. Mouth guards perfectly made for you can be your best protection. Dr AlJanabi will make it accustomed to your teeth and gums. Even if you are under orthodontic treatment, you can still enjoy your favorite sports with mouth guards.

Regular Orthodontic Consultations

Orthodontic visits and consultations do not stop after the fitting of the braces. Regular check-ups are necessary to monitor the status of your teeth, teeth movement and gums. Our team will try to make a schedule comfortable with your Brooklyn, NY lifestyle.

Now that you have a detailed description of what life will be like with braces, are you still up for the challenge? Are you still keen to go through all the regulations? You should be! For every
is the key effort on moving through the orthodontic process, a bright smile awaits! Contact our team in Brooklyn Orthodontics and discover your orthodontic options!