What Are The Common Mistakes To Avoid While Using Braces?
Dental imperfections like misalignments and improper teeth gaps can cause difficulty speaking and chewing. It can also make brushing and flossing harder, increasing your risk of oral infections. That said, it’s always best to improve the alignment of your teeth.
Typically, straighter teeth provide a perfect bite, essential for your oral function and health. They also give you a beautiful smile and boost your self-confidence. Your dentist might recommend orthodontic treatments like braces if you have moderate to severe teeth misalignments.
Braces effectively correct dental imperfections like misalignments, overcrowding, and improper teeth gaps. To ensure maximum effectiveness with your treatment, you need to be diligent about handling and caring for your braces. Contact our New Providence dentist for orthodontic treatment near you.
Mistakes to Avoid when Using Braces
Certain habits can delay or affect the effectiveness of your treatment. To ensure that doesn’t happen to you, below are key mistakes you must avoid when using braces to straighten your smile.
- Eating Restricted Food
Most patients may want to ignore their dentist’s instructions about eating certain foods. But you should know that it’s for your good that our Plainfield dentist might advise against eating hard, sticky, crunchy, and chewy foods.
Eating such items can dislodge or break your braces, causing the need for repairs and possibly delaying your treatment. Consult your nutritionist about healthy soft food diets that you can eat when using braces.
When using clear braces like Invisalign, you should always remove them before eating or drinking anything other than water. Be sure to brush your mouth before wearing the aligners back.
- Skipping Your Appointments
You’ll need to visit your dentist or orthodontist every 4 – 8 weeks during your treatment. Skipping your appointments will likely set back your treatment schedule and delay results. Always set reminders and notifications to remind you of upcoming appointments.
- Ignoring Oral Hygiene
Even without braces, poor dental hygiene often leads to oral conditions like gum disease, tooth decay, bad breath, teeth discoloration, oral thrust, and more. Using braces puts you at a greater risk of suffering from these symptoms.
That’s why it’s highly essential to keep up with excellent oral hygiene during your orthodontic treatment. With clear braces like Invisalign, you should always brush and clean them daily. You must also clean your mouth every morning, night, and after meals before wearing the aligners.
Since traditional braces aren’t removable, brush and floss thoroughly. Use a dental floss tool to remove food debris trapped under the wires and brackets. Rinse your mouth with an antibacterial mouth wash if you can’t brush after every meal.
- Not Protecting Your Braces
One of the greatest mistakes is not caring for your braces. If they get damaged, you’ll need repairs and replacements, leading to extra costs and delayed treatment. If you play sports or bruxism, use a custom-made mouthguard to protect your braces from damage. With clear braces like Invisalign, safely store them in their container when you’re not wearing them.
- Not Getting Braces From an Orthodontist
While a general dentist can help you with orthodontic treatments, it’s always best to work with a specialist, especially with moderate to severe dental flaws. Unlike a general dentist, an orthodontist has 2 – 3 more years of extra training about malocclusions and how to treat them. An orthodontist will have better skills and expertise to correct your misalignments.
- Restricting Yourself to Traditional Braces
Thanks to modern dentistry, you can now use clear aligners like Invisalign. They are made from clear or invisible plastic, making them virtually invisible. Similarly, they are removable to make eating and brushing effortless.
Final Verdict
With proper care and habits, braces will help you attain straighter teeth. Avoiding the mistakes discussed above will ensure a smooth and quick treatment. For more information about orthodontic treatments, contact Jersey Smile to book an appointment with our cosmetic dentist in Berkeypile.