Orthodontic Patient Education Tips By Orthodontic Specialist

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Orthodontic care
Orthodontic Patient Education Tips By Orthodontic
Specialist
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Patient Education

• Brushing and Flossing

• Early Treatment

• Eating with Braces

• Orthodontic
• Treatment Phases

• In Case of Emergency

When you visit Hiremath Orthodontics your smile
is our top priority. Our entire team is dedicated
to providing you with the personalized, quality
orthodontic care that you deserve. With office
locations in Watauga and Keller, Texas
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Brushing and Flossing
All orthodontic patients must get cleanings prior
to getting braces and follow up cleanings every 3
to 6 months. Dont forget to keep your smile
healthy, white, and shiny!!!
The best way to ensure a clean and healthy smile
is by brushing you teeth and flossing your teeth.
Food particles and plaque can accumulate on teeth
and in-between braces, and over time cause the
teeth to decay. The bacteria present in our mouth
breakdown the sugars/carbohydrates into acids
which demineralize the tooth structure, which in
turn leads to cavity formation. In addition to
causing cavities, these bacterial organisms
promote gum disease and eventual loss of teeth.
To avoid these problems during and after
Orthodontic treatment, take special care of your
teeth, gums and braces to ensure a beautiful
smile and healthy mouth.
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• Brushing
• Always use a toothbrush with soft bristles and a
  pea-sized amount of fluoride containing
  toothpaste. When you brush your teeth, move the
  brush in small, circular motions to reach food
  particles that may be under your gum line. Hold
  the toothbrush at an angle and brush slowly and
  carefully, covering all areas between teeth,
  between braces and the surface of each tooth. It
  will take you several minutes to thoroughly brush
  your teeth. Brush upwards for the lower teeth,
  downwards on the upper teeth and the outside,
  inside of each tooth and chewing surface of your
  front and back teeth. Also brush your gums,
  tongue and the roof of your mouth before you
  rinse.
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  Mornings after breakfast
• 
  After lunch or right after
  school
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  After supper
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  At bedtime

Especially during orthodontic treatment, brush
your teeth after every meal to prevent the
accumulation of food particles in between your
teeth and braces
You will need to replace your toothbrush more
often due to your appliances. As soon as the
bristles start to wear down or fray, replace your
toothbrush with a new one. It may be difficult
for your toothbrush to reach some areas under
your archwire. Do not swallow any toothpaste
rinse your mouth thoroughly with water after you
finish brushing. It is important to floss and use
an antibacterial mouthwash and fluoride treatment
throughout your orthodontic treatment and beyond
for optimal oral hygiene.
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Flossing For areas between the teeth that a
toothbrush cant reach, use dental floss to
remove food particles and plaque. Flossing takes
more time and patience when you are wearing
braces, but it is important to floss your teeth
every day. Use the reusable floss threader
provided by our office to floss under your
archwire daily (you can also find floss picks at
your local grocery store and most pharmacys for
convenience of flossing). Pull a small length of
floss from the dispenser through the threader and
slide it up and down along the front of each
tooth.. Use care around your archwire and do not
floss too forcefully around it or put too much
pressure on it. After you floss between your
archwire and braces, floss between your other
teeth and gums. Floss at night to make sure your
teeth are clean before you go to bed. When you
first begin flossing around your braces, your
gums may bleed a little.
A water pick is like a pressure water sprayer for
your teeth and gums. Water picks can also be
found at your local grocery stores and most
pharmacys. Water picks help cleans your teeth
thoroughly and makes it a lot easier, and faster
to get to hard to reach spots when used along
with brushing. All while massaging your gums to
help prevent and ease sore, swollen, and bleeding
gums.
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Early Treatment
What are the benefits of early orthodontic
evaluation? Early evaluation provides both timely
detection of problems and greater opportunity for
more effective treatment. Prudent intervention
guides growth and development, preventing serious
problems later. When orthodontic intervention is
not necessary, an orthodontist can carefully
monitor growth and development and begin
treatment when it is ideal.
When is the best time to begin orthodontics? Thoug
h an orthodontist can enhance a smile at any age,
there is an optimal time period to begin
treatment. Beginning treatment at this time
ensures the greatest result and the least amount
of time and expense. The American Association of
Orthodontists recommends that the initial
orthodontic evaluation should occur at the first
sign of orthodontic problems or no later than age
7. At this early age, orthodontic treatment may
not be necessary, but vigilant examination can
anticipate the best time to begin treatment.
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In Case of Emergency
What To Do in Case of an Orthodontic
Emergency? Most orthodontic concerns can wait
until the office re-opens. However, in case of an
emergency you can always reach us after hours.
Please review the suggestions below. If you are
still in need of after hour assistance, please
call our office and you will be instructed on how
to reach Dr.Hiremath or the on-call orthodontic
clinician.
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Eating with Braces
What can you eat?
Let's talk about what you shouldn't eat! If
you've been wanting to drop a few pounds, the
first week wearing braces is just your chance!
For the first day or so, stick to soft foods.
Avoid tough meats, hard breads, and raw
vegetables.
Examples of Sticky Foods to Avoid Regular bubble
gum (sugar-free only) Licorice Sugar
Daddies Toffee Tootsie Rolls Caramels Starburst
Minimize Sugary Foods like Cake Ice
Cream Cookies Pie Candy
Only Once a Day Soda Sweetened
tea Gatorade Kool-Aid Drinks with sugar
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Orthodontic Treatment Phases
Orthodontic Treatment Phases
Orthodontic Treatment Phases Orthodontic
treatment is highly predictable and immensely
successful. Depending on the severity of the
malocclusion (bad bite) or irregularity,
orthodontic treatments may occur in either two or
three distinct phases. There are many benefits of
correcting misaligned teeth. Straight teeth are
pleasing to look at and greatly boost confidence
and self-esteem. More importantly, properly
aligned teeth enhance the biting, chewing and
speaking functions of the jaw. There are several
types of irregularities, including Overbite
The upper teeth protrude further than or
completely cover the lower teeth. Underbite The
lower teeth protrude further than the upper teeth
causing the chin to look prominent. Crossbite
Some of the upper teeth may close inside the
lower teeth rather than on the outside. Overcrowdi
ng Insufficient room on the arch causes some
adult teeth to erupt incorrectly and become
rotated.
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Here is a general overview of the three major
stages of treatment
Phase 1 The Planning Stage
Phase 2 The Active Phase
Phase 3 The Active Phase
If you have any questions, concerns, or would
like to schedule an appointment, please
contact us today. We look forward to providing
you with the personal care you deserve.
Sincerely, Dr. Hiremath
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For more information, please visit us online at
www.hiremathortho.com
Hiremath Orthodontics 151 Ridgepoint Parkway
Suite 100Keller, Texas 762487748 Denton
HwyWatauga, Texas 76148Phone [phone]