Whether you wear braces or Invisalign, you must see your Woodinville orthodontist regularly to ensure that your alignment stays on track. These visits become a natural part of your routine. However, the last thing you want to do is have to make a last-minute or emergency appointment because of a preventable problem or damaged appliance. There are best practices for all orthodontic patients to follow so you can avoid unnecessary or extra trips to the orthodontist.
Beef Up the Cleaning
Whatever your normal brushing and flossing routine with your braces or Invisalign, double down on it now. At your check-ups, your orthodontist checks to see how well you’re cleaning your teeth. If you allow plaque and bacteria to build up, unsightly white spots will develop and remain on the tooth enamel, even after the removal of braces. Poor cleaning can also lead to inflamed and irritated gums.
Brush even more meticulously than you already do, clean those aligners more often, brush your teeth morning and night and a few more times in between. It’s in your best interest to keep your teeth and braces as clean and healthy as possible.
Know How to Troubleshoot
When you first get your conventional braces, you’ll be given instructions on how to troubleshoot discomfort that can develop from wearing brackets and wires. Maybe you were listening, maybe you weren’t. Maybe you haven’t had to worry too much about irritating poking wires – yet. It’s time to know how to help yourself.
Carefully placed wax can temporarily fix a pesky wire that’s jabbing into your gum or cheek. Wax can also hold a broken bracket in place in a pinch. If you have a problem that you can’t solve on your own, or that can’t wait weeks, your orthodontist very likely has a solution to help you get through it and save you an unnecessary office visit.
Follow the Rules
Invisalign wearers have just as many rules as wearers of metal braces. And it’s especially important to adhere to the instructions you’ve been given by your Woodinville Invisalign provider. Wear those aligners 20 to 22 hours a day. Don’t eat with the aligners in your mouth. Change them as instructed to ensure that the treatment continues as planned. Follow the rules and you should be a-ok.
Watch What You Eat
We all crave comfort foods from time to time, and there is nothing wrong with indulging – within reason. If you’re an orthodontic patient, you have plenty of no-nos when it comes to food. Now is not the time to slack on what’s permitted and what’s not.
If you dig into that pizza crust or hard candy, you can break a bracket or wire. If you sip on coffee all day you will stain your Invisalign aligners. If you eat while wearing Invisalign, you could break your aligner. The bottom line is: Don’t do anything that could potentially create a problem that makes you have to see the orthodontist.
Whether you wear braces or Invisalign, if you have questions about your orthodontic treatment, contact your Woodinville orthodontist, Dr. Soleil, to discuss your concerns, or schedule an emergency appointment.