Today we will talk about orthodontics. Oral hygiene with braces, such as basic brushing, flossing, and proper care techniques can help your time in braces go as efficient and easy as possible.
Brushing
Note the plaque buildup around the bands and brackets and along the gumline. Our objective is to thoroughly remove all of it with the brush bristles angled approximately 45 degrees downward. Make small circular motions while moving the brush forward. Angle the brush bristles approximately 45 degrees upward and again make small circular motions while moving the brush forward. Using the same brush head angles in motion clean the remaining teeth until all buildup is removed.
Flossing
Pass the floss and threader up between two teeth. Slide the floss back and forth several times cleaning the surfaces of these teeth. Be sure to clean below the gum line for the lower. Pass the floss and threader upwards from inside and below the archwire again. Be sure to clean below the gum line. Remove the floss and threader.
The proxy brush is a nylon bristle brush intended to clean in between the teeth. Place it under the archwire in between two teeth. Then move it up and down cleaning the edge of the bracket toward the back in between the two teeth. Then the edge of the bracket toward the front.
Avoiding hard and chewy food is important as loosening a bracket will lengthen treatment time. Hard or chewy food can loosen a bracket and there are several steps to repair the damage:
- The archwire and loosened bracket are removed
- The enamel surface is cleaned
- Then the prepared sealant is applied and a new bracket with adhesive is placed
- Then light-cured to harden the adhesive and finally, the archwire is replaced
- Hard or chewy food can bend the archwire moving the teeth and since it is a spring, it can move teeth in the wrong direction.
When front teeth spacing starts to close, sometimes the archwire moves backward and begins protruding out of the molar tube which can irritate your cheek temporarily. Relieve irritation by placing wax over the protruding wire. Then call your orthodontist and explain the problem. a special pair of pliers is used to trim the archwire. Roll a piece of wax into a ball about the size of a pea. Press it onto the bracket which is irritating the cheek. Be sure to include the pokey wire as well as the bracket. If a bracket toward the front is irritating the lip, follow the same procedure in either case be sure to call the office to arrange an appointment to get the problem resolved.
Letโs take a look at the benefits of orthodontic treatment.
Most people think of orthodontics as improving the appearance of teeth. But orthodontic treatment is about more than just how teeth look. Orthodontic treatment leads to better overall dental health by straightening crooked and overlapping teeth and correcting bites that are unhealthy for your teeth and jaw joints. An incorrect bite can lead to premature wear damage or loss of teeth. A correct bite is important for chewing, eating, and speaking.
Your orthodontist will make sure you have a beautiful smile and a great bite. In a healthy bite, the back teeth meshed together properly. For this to occur, the upper teeth need to be slightly wider than the lower teeth. The upper front teeth should be slightly in front of and slightly overlap the lower front teeth. When this occurs the bite can function in a healthy manner.
Letโs take a look at some bytes that would benefit from orthodontic treatment.
- Cross fight. In a crossbite, the upper teeth are not wide enough to fit on the outside of the lower teeth. This makes it difficult to bring the teeth together. The lower jaw or teeth may have to shift to one side to make the teeth fit together.
- Excessive overjet. in an excessive overjet, the upper teeth are too far in front of the lower teeth. If the amount of the overjet is severe, the front teeth may be subject to injury and speech may be affected.
- Underbite. An underbite is when the upper teeth are inside or not in front of the lower teeth which makes it difficult to cut food and causes premature wear of the back teeth.
- Deep bite. Sometimes referred to as an overbite, a deep bite is when the upper front teeth cover the lower teeth and the lower teeth bite into the roof of the mouth. This type of bite causes difficulty in the movement of the lower jaw and makes us prematurely aware of the front teeth.
- Open bite. Open bite is when the front teeth do not touch this makes cutting or incising food difficult or impossible. The back teeth are always touching and subject to premature wear. This type of bite also causes speech problems and tongue thrusting problems during swallowing.
Since unhealthy bites are often the result of improper jaw size, orthodontic problems may also be associated with facial appearance and may require surgery to correct. A balanced face is appealing in appearance when the jaws or face develop incorrectly. It causes the misalignment of teeth. These development issues not only affect the bite but also the facial appearance.
With orthodontic correction, each of these facial development issues has been corrected.
The face balance and a healthy bite were achieved. Each person is a unique blend of these various characteristics. I know this is a lot of information about teeth. But the important thing to remember is that all of the problems we have shown you today and many others are routinely treated and corrected in the orthodontistโs office.
Your orthodontist is a dentist that is specially trained in correcting facial and dental irregularities. Armed with diagnostic information, your orthodontist will develop a specialized treatment plan based on your specific needs. Once you have completed orthodontic treatment your orthodontist will have given you a smile for a lifetime.
