Sitting down and researching this as a family can be a fun way for your child or teen to feel involved and have some control over the process. Lots of kids are enthusiastic about using colored rubber bands. These are used with metal and porcelain braces to adhere the brackets to the adjustment wire and are changed out at every visit. They can be customized to be as colorful and flamboyant as your child desires. Clear or white bands are also available to create a less obvious “braces” look.
Our state of the art offices provide lots of fun things for your kids including a 25 seat HD movie theater. This can free you up to spend some time with Dr. Taylor going over some of the things that kids may find boring. There are also rewards programs and contests for the kiddos to participate in!
The Adjustment Period
Having braces applied doesn’t hurt. In fact, there’s no need for a numbing shot. They may feel some pressure on their teeth, but that’s about it.
A big part of preparing your child for braces is to go over what to expect during the adjustment period. It may take about a week before they’re comfortable “in their teeth” again. The important thing to remember is that this only lasts about a week.
There may be some mild irritation to the inside of the mouth. This is caused by the hardware rubbing or chafing against the mouth or lips. Fortunately, orthodontic wax (also called dental wax) can solve this problem immediately. All they will need to do is pinch off a piece of wax and place it right over the bracket causing the irritation. The wax will stick. It’s always a good idea to send some extra wax with your child when they leave the house so they’ll always have it when needed. Warm, wet tea bags can also be soothing to sore spots in the mouth.
The teeth may be a little sore in the beginning too. (This also can occur after braces are adjusted each month). Ibuprofen helps a lot but it’s a good idea to have plenty of soft foods on hand. Things like rice, pasta and soup are all good choices while the mouth adapts to braces. Chilled foods such as ice cream or popsicles can be soothing as well.
Food Cautions
When preparing your child for braces it’s very important that they understand they may need to change the way they eat some foods. Things like apples, carrots, hard breads, hard crackers, etc., should be cut up before eating rather than biting into them. The reason for this is because taking a bite can cause breakage of the braces on the front teeth. Corn that’s on the cob should be sliced off first as well.
A few types of food should be avoided altogether so as not to cause breakage:
- Toffee
- Caramel
- Popcorn
- Gum
- Ice
- Hard candies
- Chewy or sticky candy
Your child will also want to avoid foods or drinks that have strong colors such as berries or grape juice. These can permanently stain rubber bands or clear, porcelain braces and wires.
It’s a good idea to avoid or reduce consumption of sugary foods and drinks. Fructose and other forms of sugar can cause cavities and with braces on teeth, there are more nooks and crannies for bacteria to form.
Dr. Taylor is a Board-Certified Orthodontist and the only licensed Invisalign® provider in the valley. He and our staff are committed to making each experience easy, fun, and exceptional! We are happy to help prepare you and your child for braces.
Crooked teeth aren’t the only reason to see an orthodontist. There are other issues that can affect the bite, jaw and tooth health which can have adverse effects on overall long-term wellness. If left untreated, some conditions can lead to increased tooth decay, gum disease, headaches, earaches, biting and chewing problems, and can even cause trouble speaking.
They put this purple or grey colored gooey goop in your mouth that makes you almost gag. It tastes bitter and you have to leave it in your mouth until it sets and then it is pried off of your teeth? Well, if you have had that experience you won’t forget it. It’s not pleasant. 
Improving our patients’ experience is very important to us and we are excited to share that we are now have a 3D printer! We are able to generate an exact 3D replica of your teeth and your bite which means less messy dental trays to get impressions! The conventional model of obtaining plaster-like molds involves putting goopy trays in your mouth to get a “model” of your teeth. It takes a few minutes and requires the patient to wait until the product “sets.”
Dr. Taylor is a Board Certified Orthodontist and he will take measurements, several x-rays and photos and a 3D scan of how the jaw and teeth fit together in order to properly diagnose malocclusion. He will also closely monitor progression and identify and correct potential problems throughout treatment. Poorly done orthodontics can be disastrous and potentially cause permanent damage such as TMJ (where the jaw is not properly aligned), and serous occlusal issues later in life. Periodontal disease and even tooth loss can occur as a result of unmonitored or poorly diagnosed orthodontics.
With braces there are many options to choose from, depending on your lifestyle and budget. 
If you lack discipline, you may want to consider Clear Braces for adults. They are similar to traditional braces but, rather than using metal, clear braces are made of incredibly strong clear material, making them less noticeable. Our clear braces perform beautifully for our patients. The material stays crystal clear throughout the treatment and does not yellow or stain.
In addition to the aesthetic reasons for straightening your teeth, there are important health reasons for treatment with braces. It shouldn’t be considered a luxury or “just cosmetic” — not that that’s not important for one’s self-esteem and confidence.
Dr. Taylor would like to warn people in need of orthodontic care about the dangers in the recent trend of at-home teeth straightening techniques. In some cases these do-it-yourself braces can cause irreparable damage to your teeth and gums.
You should never consider yourself “too old” for braces. Braces for adults has become quite common. In fact, approximately one out of every four orthodontic patients is an adult. And this really only represents a small portion of adults who could actually benefit from orthodontic treatment. The increase of adult braces is mostly due to the availability of more subtle, less visible options like clear braces and Invisalign. As an adult, considering braces can be daunting in many ways. However today there are many options to accommodate most lifestyles. 
Invisalign