Guidelines To Help Make Your Orthodontic Treatment A Success

Yogi Savania offers our Burton and Ashby patients some essential tips during teeth straightening treatment.

The number of people seeking treatment to straighten their teeth is thought to be increasing and there are likely to be a number of factors contributing to this. The rise of ‘celebrity culture’ and the success of image based social media platforms probably means that people have become more self conscious about their own smile and are prepared to do something to improve it.

Another factor is likely that there are now a wider selection of orthodontic braces treatments available; many of which avoid the worst of the aesthetic aspects of wearing traditional braces.

But even with the highest quality braces and care, there are a number of things that patients of Alexandra Dental Care need to remember for the duration of their teeth straightening treatments to help make it a real success.

Visit your dentist regularly

This should be a given. Especially as orthodontic treatment can sometimes take over a year to correct the positioning of your teeth, there is a lot that can go wrong in that time. Both tooth decay and gum disease are common problems if teeth are not looked after correctly. Wearing braces can present a particular challenge from this perspective (more on that later), and it is essential that you maintain regular appointments to have the general health of your teeth checked. There is little point in having a set of teeth that are beautifully even if you have tooth decay and inflamed gums!

Have your teeth professionally cleaned regularly

Traditional orthodontic systems involve the use of wires and brackets that gently ease the teeth back into their correct position. This is a long standing and successful method, but it does provide opportunities for food and bacteria to collect and become trapped. Failure to remove these bacteria and decaying pieces of food means that it is likely that you will get tooth decay, and possibly gum disease as well.

All of our Alexandra Dental Care patients who receive orthodontic treatment at our practice will receive detailed instructions on how to clean their teeth correctly while wearing braces. Good quality home care is essential, but, especially while wearing braces, you should see a dental hygienist regularly to have your teeth thoroughly cleaned and checked.

This is something that we recommend for all of our patients, whether receiving orthodontic treatment or not and is usually on a six monthly basis for the vast majority of patients, including those who are using the removable Invisalign aligner system. For fixed braces, including the less visible wire and bracket types such as the Six Month Smile, we recommend more regular cleaning, perhaps every three or four months to help keep your teeth and gums in good health.

Keep an eye on your oral health

Problems with our teeth and gums can occur in the period between our dental visits, so it is important for patients to be aware of any issues that they detect, and to act on this promptly. Don’t wait until your next dental appointment if you notice that your gums are feeling sore, for example. Doing so may mean that, by the time you see the dentist, the problem has become quite a major one.  If your gums become too sore and inflamed, it may be necessary to pause your brace treatment in order for them to be treated; this in turn may slow down the results of your treatment. Make sure to make an appointment when you first notice a problem, and not further down the line.

Follow instructions

Dentists are all too aware that some patients may nod their heads and agree with them when being offered advice within a dental environment, but then go home and forget or ignore it. It is, of course, very important to always follow your dentist’s advice when you are wearing braces. For example, there is a good reason why you may be told that you shouldn’t eat certain hard food products as this could cause the wires on your teeth to bend out of place. This will affect the final outcome and you may be disappointed that your teeth are not as straight as they should be.

By following the correct clinical advice, you should have a safe, effective and comfortable journey towards straighter and more attractive teeth.

We are always here for our Burton and Ashby patients should you need any help, so do get in touch if you have any questions or concerns. We also appreciate that sometimes people forget things and may, for example, bite something hard that does bend the wiring of their braces. If anything like this happens, please don’t wait until your next appointment, and make one as soon as possible so that we can correct the problem to get you back on track.

For any advice on teeth straightening and braces in general, or indeed for any other dental advice or appointments, please call Alexandra Dental Care today on 01283 216347.

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