There are many important considerations that you should know when you are thinking about orthodontic treatment. Orthodontics can be incredibly beneficial in many different ways. When you learn the important things that you need to know about orthodontics, you will be able to make the best decisions for your smile or the smile of your children. This enables you to maintain a healthy, beautiful smile. Here are a few things that you need to know about orthodontics.

Orthodontics aren’t Only for Straightening Teeth

Many people are under the misapprehension that braces and other orthodontic treatments are only used to help straighten teeth. However, there are many other benefits of obtaining orthodontic treatment. While crooked or misaligned teeth are certainly one of the benefits of orthodontics, these treatments can also help to deal with misalignment with the bite. For example, if you have an overbite, underbite, crossbite, or another issues, orthodontic treatment can help to restore the alignment of the jaw.  

Many Options Available

Another common misapprehension is that braces are the only option for straightening the teeth. This simply isn’t true. There are many options available to provide orthodontic treatment. Invisalign, for example, is one method for straightening the teeth with the use of a series of clear aligners. These aligners help to guide the teeth into place. There are also multiple varieties of braces available, such as self-litigating braces or other options. Our orthodontic professionals can help you to identify the ideal solution for your specific needs.

Treatment Time will Vary

There is not necessarily a set treatment time that will work for every person. Treatment time will fluctuate between each person, depending on their specific situation. For example, teeth that have minimal issues may be corrected more quickly than teeth with more severe issues. It is also important to keep in mind that other aspects can impact your treatment time. For example, if you don’t wear the elastics or aligners as your orthodontist recommends, your treatment time may be longer. This is also likely the case when you don’t see your orthodontist for regular appointments as required. Your orthodontist will be able to provide you with the best information regarding the treatment time to expect from your specific orthodontic services.

You Can and Should Start Early

While braces may not be adhered until later on, such as when all of the permanent teeth have grown in, it is generally most beneficial to begin orthodontic services earlier rather than later. Most experts recommend that you bring your children for orthodontic evaluation as early as the age of 7. This will help to ensure that orthodontic solutions can be provided as early as possible. In some situations, early intervention can substantially improve the health of the teeth and reduce the likelihood of some substantial issues. Consult with your orthodontist to obtain the best possible information regarding the orthodontic treatment for your children, as well as yourself.

Treatment is Available for All Ages

While orthodontic treatment is extremely common for children and teenagers, this treatment is available for individuals of all ages. Orthodontic treatment doesn’t only help to improve the appearance of your smile. It also helps to improve the overall health of your teeth. It can be difficult to remove plaque and food particles from between misaligned teeth. Due to the improvements that can be made through orthodontic treatment, these treatments are recommended for patients of all ages. Even adults can benefit from superior orthodontic treatment that will improve the health and appearance of their smile.

What to Do in Emergencies

Though true orthodontic emergencies are generally uncommon, it is important to know what you need to do when they crop up. With an actual orthodontic emergency, you will need to contact our staff immediately for an appointment. There are other methods for handling orthodontic issues at home. When you learn these methods, you will be prepared for when problems arise with your braces. It is also important to take the various steps to protect your smile from trauma. For example, using sports retainers or other protective gear can help to prevent braces from causing damage to the inside of the mouth during participation in sports.

There are many various things that are important to know about orthodontics. Keeping all of these components in mind can go a long way toward allowing you to make the best decision for the treatment of your smile. At Bailey Orthodontics, we are passionate about providing superior orthodontic treatment to improve your smile. This can help to improve the health of your smile and reduce the likelihood of oral health issues. Teeth straightening solutions can help to prevent particles from being stuck in between the teeth, which will go a long way toward improving your oral health. To learn more about various aspects of orthodontics or how to obtain orthodontic treatment to improve your smile, contact our professional team at Bailey Orthodontics in Bountiful, UT today.

The smile ultimately will change and evolve as anyone ages. There is no time when you are able to completely stop taking care of your teeth, because they will constantly be evolving. Your smile changes as you age. Understanding the ways in which your smile will change will allow you to take the appropriate steps to help care for your teeth and keep them in good condition. It is crucial to ensure that you visit your care provider on a regular basis for examinations and to protect the health of your teeth. It may even become necessary to obtain orthodontic treatment as you age and your teeth change.

Wear and Tear

The older your teeth are, the more wear they will ultimately be exposed to. Wear and tear will have a larger impact on your teeth as time goes on. When the enamel layer of your teeth wears down, it will be unable to effectively protect your teeth. You will also be unable to restore the enamel layer after it has worn down. Taking the steps to care appropriately for your teeth will help to minimize wear and tear on your teeth. For example, using fluoride mouthwash can help to remineralize the teeth and prevent the effect of wear and tear on them.

Shifting Teeth

As an individual ages, it is highly likely that their bones will begin to weaken. This is only accelerated when various bones fall out of use. When the upper and lower jaw bones weaken with age, it can cause the teeth to shift. For example, it is extremely common for the bottom teeth to crowd together as the teeth shift. Gaps between the upper teeth are also incredibly common. When the teeth shift, it can lead to an array of additional problems. For example, crooked teeth become much more difficult to clean, which can lead to the accumulation of plaque and bacteria on the teeth. In these situations, it may become necessary to receive high-quality orthodontic treatment to restore your teeth to their previous alignment.

Dry Mouth

As an individual ages, their body will be less capable of efficiently producing saliva. This can lead to an array of problems with the teeth, beyond pure discomfort. When your mouth dries out an excessive amount, it will be less able to flush harmful bacteria and food particles from the surface of the teeth. It will be important to ensure that you drink a lot of water if your body isn’t quite producing enough saliva. This can help to provide the flushing capabilities that your body is no longer capable of doing.

Yellowing of Teeth

The protective enamel layer of the teeth will wear down over time, which will leave the inner dentin layer exposed. This layer is yellow, which means that when it shows through beneath the surface of the enamel layer, the teeth take on a yellow appearance. Teeth whitening procedures are often implemented in order to combat this. However, you should ensure that you regularly visit your dentist to ensure that this is the only problem resulting in the yellowing of your teeth and to devise the ideal solution for this problem. This can go a long way toward protecting your health and the health of your teeth.

Oral Cancer

The risk of oral cancer increases a substantial amount as you age. It is far more likely for an individual to develop oral cancer at this point. Due to this, it is incredibly important to have regular dental visits. This can help to identify the presence of oral cancer in the early stages, when it will be much easier to resolve. It is also important to ensure that you quit smoking or chewing any form of tobacco. These substances will also increase the risk of developing oral cancer. Oral cancer can be incredibly devastating, which is one of the reasons that it is so critical to care for your teeth as you age.

Tooth Loss

Tooth loss is capable of occurring at any point in your life, especially if you aren’t caring appropriately for your teeth. However, the risk of tooth loss tends to be much more common when an individual ages. As the jawbone weakens, it becomes less able to keep the teeth anchored in place. It is crucial to appropriately care for your teeth through any stage in your life. You need to implement a great oral hygiene routine and ensure that you regularly visit your dentist.

Here at Bailey Orthodontics, we offer excellent orthodontic services for individuals of all ages. As an individual ages, it may become necessary to obtain orthodontic treatment, especially if the teeth shift after the jawbone weakens. The appropriate treatment will go a long way toward protecting the health and appearance of the teeth. To learn more about our services and how they can still be implemented for older patients, contact us at Bailey Orthodontics today!

When you have braces, it often becomes much more complicated to clean your teeth. However, it is important to still put the extra effort into keeping your teeth clean and healthy throughout the duration of your orthodontic treatment. Braces are often a process that require around 2 years. 2 years of insufficient oral health care can cause a substantial amount of damage to your teeth. It is important to understand the best methods for cleaning teeth with braces in order to prevent substantial issues with your oral hygiene.

Cleaning Teeth with Braces

It is easy for food particles and plaque to become stuck in the wires and brackets of your braces. Cleaning teeth with braces often requires a bit more work than generally cleaning your teeth. Be prepared to spend extra time on your oral hygiene routine in order to thoroughly remove food particles and protect the health of your smile.  

Brush After Eating

You often need to brush more than twice a day when you have braces. Most experts recommend that you brush after eating to thoroughly remove food particles. The longer food particles remain on the surface of the teeth, the more damage they are likely to cause. When you make a habit of brushing after eating, you will be able to thoroughly remove food particles and prevent damage to your teeth.

Brush Correctly

While it is certainly important to brush your teeth enough, it is also important to ensure that you are brushing them correctly. Use small, gentle circular motions when cleaning teeth with braces. This will help to prevent damage to the appliance while simultaneously removing food particles and plaque from your teeth. Hold your toothbrush at a 45 degree angle in order to reach the spaces of the teeth that aren’t covered by the braces. Brushing your teeth correctly will help to keep them clean and clear of harmful particles.

Floss Daily

It can be tempting to skip flossing when you have braces. After all, how could you possibly floss between your teeth when you have braces on? It is important to carefully thread the strand of floss through the braces before using it to remove food particles from the spaces between the teeth. While it may take longer to floss with braces, it is still incredibly important to ensure that you do so.

Flossing Options

There are many options for flossing that can be particularly useful for individuals with braces. If you are using traditional floss, it will be important to use a long strand of floss. The floss usually has to be around 18 inches in order to sufficiently floss between the teeth. A floss threader is a tool that is often used to reach the spaces beneath the braces. This tool essentially implements small pieces of floss on a small base that enables you to nimbly reach beneath the braces. You may also want to use a water flosser in order to effectively remove food particles from the teeth. A water flosser implements a stream of water to help wash out extra food particles and prevent these particles from causing damage to the teeth.

Visit Us Regularly

It is crucial to visit our office on a regular basis when you have braces. With your regular orthodontic visits, we will be able to identify any problems early on. This will also allow us to identify how effective your oral hygiene routine is for cleaning beneath the braces. We can provide you with excellent guidance regarding the best strategies for cleaning teeth with braces.

Remember to Have Regular Dental Visits

While you have to visit our office for orthodontic visits, it is still incredibly important to visit your dentist regularly. Orthodontic visits are not interchangeable for dental visits. Your dentist will thoroughly clean your teeth and ensure that they remain clean, despite the presence of your braces.

Inspect for Signs of Gingivitis

Gingivitis is incredibly common when you are implementing inadequate oral hygiene. When you notice signs of gingivitis, it is highly likely that you will need to improve your oral hygiene routine. Gingivitis often manifests as red, inflamed gums. They may also bleed whenever you floss. If you notice the signs of gingivitis, you may want to visit your dentist for additional guidance to improve your oral hygiene routine.

Choose the Right Toothbrush

Your prior toothbrush might simply not be up to the task of cleaning teeth with braces. Investing in an electronic toothbrush can go a long way toward more efficiently removing food particles from the surface of the teeth. You can also use a manual toothbrush that has soft bristles and a small head that is capable of reaching spaces between the braces. Certain toothbrushes may have specific heads that are designed primarily for orthodontic purposes.

Gargle with Salt Water

Gargling with salt water can be incredibly useful when you have braces. While this may not need to be a daily addition to your oral hygiene routine, there are certain situations in which it can be particularly beneficial. For example, gargling with salt water immediately after having braces added or following adjustments can help to reduce inflammation and remove bacteria from the mouth. This also is beneficial as it can help to flush out food particles that may become stuck between teeth.

Avoid Sticky Foods

Most individuals need to avoid sticky foods when they have braces. When foods are particularly sticky, they will be more difficult to efficiently remove from the braces and surrounding teeth.

Invisalign

Invisalign is a great option for teeth straightening that provides many additional benefits. For example, the clear aligners are removable, which makes cleaning the teeth a much easier process. It can also be removed when you eat, which eliminates the necessity of avoiding sticky foods.

Our experts at Bailey Orthodontics are dedicated to providing you with the services that you need to improve your oral health while simultaneously straightening your teeth. These tips can help to ensure that your teeth remain clean throughout the duration of your orthodontic treatment. To learn more about how to clean teeth with braces, contact us at Bailey Orthodontics today!