About Braces
Getting Used to Braces
Every orthodontic patient will experience a period of adjustment when his or her appliances are initially placed. The first few days of wearing braces are typically the most challenging. During this time you may feel a general soreness in your mouth and your teeth may be tender to biting pressure for a few days. Depending on the type of braces you have been given, it may also take a week or two for the lips, cheek, and tongue to get accustom to the presence of the appliances. It is important that you keep in mind that these sensations will pass.
To help you cope with this initial short-term discomfort our office will recommend a number of remedies and tips. These techniques can also be utilized during any brief “achy” episodes that may follow future adjustment visits. If you are wearing conventional braces, a supply of orthodontic wax and instructions as to how to apply it to a wire or a brace that has become irritating will be provided.
Guide to Eating
During the time that you are wearing braces it is very important to be careful about what you are eating as well as more diligent in keeping your teeth and orthodontic appliances very clean. Eating certain foods (especially hard, sticky, crunchy, or tough foods) and certain oral habits (like chewing ice, biting pens, or nail biting) can be very damaging to braces. Risky oral behaviors can lead to frequent breakage of orthodontic appliances, which may significantly prolong your treatment time and compromise your treatment outcome.
Although, there may be some foods to avoid during treatment, there are still many delicious and satisfying things that you can eat. It is important to remember the key to good health is maintaining a nutritious and well-balanced diet.
Oral Hygiene
Keeping your teeth, gums, and orthodontic appliances clean over the course of care is of the utmost importance. Food and plaque are easily trapped in the tiny spaces between your braces as well as underneath your removable appliances or aligners. In the absence of good oral hygiene you are at an increased risk of developing dental decay, areas of decalcification or stains on your teeth. Furthermore, your gums can become irritated and inflamed and you may even develop a dental infection.
Brushing after every meal, and flossing at least once a day, is the best way to insure that your teeth and gums remain healthy throughout your orthodontic treatment. It is also recommended that you brush your teeth after eating snacks. However, if you don’t have a toothbrush on hand at this time, you can clean occasionally clean your mouth by rinsing vigorously with water. You may also consider adding other useful items like a floss threader, a small interdental toothbrush (proxabrush), or an oral irrigator (water pick) to your dental care toolkit to assist you in keeping your appliances, as well as all of the small spaces around your braces, clean.
Make sure to see your general dentist regularly for routine care and to have a thorough dental cleaning.
Patient Stories
Tomo L. Very good managment. I don't need to wait for so long compare to other ortho clinic. Dr Robert is really kid friendly, efficient and detail oriented that patiently explained to me what the suituation is. I am really impressed as it is only the first visit. I didn't expect my daughter can able to do the model right away. He already knows what to do and shows me the picture and explained to me in my understanding knowledge. And Dr Robert is a funny man that made my daughter not scare it at all. Super recommended!!!
Hannah D. When I came to Dr Shpuntoff for treatment I was really desperate for help as my TMJ disorder had become severe. The pain was unbearable, making it hard to eat most foods and also making it hard to even talk without pain. You don’t realize how much you need your jaw for so many things until you can’t use it without horrible pain. I was also having terrible migraine headaches almost every day, and even earaches. When I lived in Florida, my dentist had told me they could not fix my jaw problems and “it’ll only get worse as you get... Read More
Ms 222 Excellent service! About two years ago I transferred orthodontists, since my old one told me I was done, even though I had gaps everywhere in my mouth. Upon my consultation, Dr.Shpuntoff made models of my teeth and explained all the issues that I had. During my treatment, he took the time to fix all the spaces and other issues, meanwhile my previous orthodontist told me it was not possible to fix it. The end result along with the steps and time that he took to correct everything was worth the wait and is why I would highly recommend Dr.Shpuntoff.
Debbie D. Dr Shpuntoff is my favorite dentist! I used to have horrible pain with tmj and under his care I don't have pain anymore! Highly recommend!!
Fabiola M. Excellent orthodontist. The best. My patients are happy with his services and so am I.
Joy S. My daughter Jillian C. had her braces done here and the whole experience was wonderful from the start to finally getting them all off. The staffs are great and what a beautiful clinic!
Matt L. Dr. Shpuntoff is an amazing orthodontist. I'm a mediocre patient who didn't wear their retainer after wearing braces in my early adolescence. I've been seeing Dr. Shpuntoff since I was about 12 years old. Treatment ended with perfect teeth. I went to college, got lazy with my retainers and ended coming back to get invisalign as an adult. The wait times have always been minimal during non-peak hours, and the receptionists are always friendly. The office is clean, the equipment is new and the office is aesthetically kid and adult friendly. Dr. Shpuntoff is knowledgeable of the field and accommodating in every sense, truly a 5 star orthodontist.
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