Long gone are the bulky braces of the past that were uncomfortable and unstylish. We now have appliances that have been refined for ultimate patient comfort with a sleeker appearance. While there may be a short adjustment while you get used to the feeling of an appliance in your mouth and the sensation of shifting teeth, most patients quickly adapt to their braces. If you feel uncomfortable at first, we suggest taking over-the-counter pain medicine or putting braces wax on any areas of the appliance that bother your soft tissue. If you feel pain or discomfort for a prolonged period, we encourage you to reach out to our office so we can give you advice or make adjustments to your appliances.

Braces are a life-changing treatment that will permanently alter your smile for the better. There are a few foods you should cut from your diet to achieve extraordinary results with braces. Hard, sticky, and chewy foods are known for pulling at brackets and wires and causing them to poke your mouth or break. We don’t want anything to lengthen your treatment or make you uncomfortable, so we encourage you to avoid these foods while in braces.

To have a smooth and comfortable treatment, our patients must maintain excellent oral health. Adults are much more likely to suffer from periodontal disease, also known as gum disease, leading to bone loss and tooth loss. To prevent this disease and maintain your oral health, you should take special care to work your toothbrush and floss around your brackets and wires to rid your appliance of food debris and harmful bacteria. We encourage you to continue getting your regularly scheduled teeth cleaning from your general dentist. By protecting your teeth, you can preserve success of your treatment in braces.