Braces are the most popular and effective way to correct the alignment of your teeth. For some orthodontic patients, minor irritation or other issues can occur. Luckily, these issues are often easily resolved. For your reference, we’ve compiled a guide to understanding how to best handle a few issues you might experience.

Discomfort From the Brackets

Minor discomfort for the first few days after placement or adjustment is normal. We advise sticking to a diet of soft, easy-to-chew foods. You may find it helpful to rinse your mouth with warm salt water. You may take ibuprofen if you feel you need it. If discomfort continues beyond the first week, contact our office for guidance.

Food Stuck in the Brackets 

It may take some time to adjust to eating with your braces. If food gets caught between your teeth, try using ortho flossers or a water flosser. Creating a small knot in the floss might make it more effective at catching the lodged piece of food. Small toothbrushes or interdental cleaners may also be an effective way to clean out the gaps between your teeth and in brackets. A toothpick may also work, but use extra caution when working around the wires of your braces.

Cheek and Lip Discomfort

Wires and brackets can rub against your lips or inner cheeks causing discomfort. In these instances, use non-medicinal relief wax to cover the problematic area. This can make eating and talking more comfortable. The wax is harmless if accidentally swallowed. You can ask our team for some orthodontic wax if you need it. 

Loose Wires 

Though not common, wires can shift and protrude into your mouth. Attempt to push the wire back into place against your teeth using a cotton swab or even a clean pencil eraser. Make sure to let us know about the issue during your next visit. If the wire breaks or pops out completely, call our office for an appointment as soon as possible. 

Loose Brackets or Bands 

Any loosening of your braces should be examined by our team. Loosening may occur from eating hard, crunchy foods or from playing contact sports. Your best defenses are avoiding troublesome foods and wearing a mouthguard if you are playing sports. If any part of your braces comes off, please save it and bring it with you to our office.

Adjusting to braces can take some time. Always have non-medicinal relief wax on hand in case your braces become an irritant. If your braces are loose or parts are falling off, please contact us immediately. The best way to keep your braces secure is to avoid sticky, hard, and crunchy foods. Don’t forget to brush thoroughly after each meal to clean out any food particles that may have become lodged between your teeth. For questions about your braces or tips on how to care for them, please contact our office.

When you first get your retainer it can be easy to forget it or neglect it. Once you get used to having one, it can become second nature to regularly care for it. Your retainer is an important way to maintain the position of your teeth after orthodontic treatment.  We’ve assembled a list of five tips to help you get well-versed in caring for your retainer. 

1. Keep It In, Unless…

Your retainer should be worn for the entire day. Without it, your orthodontic treatment results will suffer. There are only a few exceptions to this rule. Do take out your retainer while you eat, clean it, during sports, and as directed by your dentist and our doctor. Otherwise, wear it regularly. You are also less likely to lose it the more that you wear it. 

2. Use Your Case

Your retainer will come with a case to store it in. When it’s out of your mouth, use the case. We’ve heard many horror stories of patients putting their retainer in a napkin while they eat, only to throw it away by mistake. We’ve seen parents digging through the trash for their child’s retainer.  A replacement retainer can be costly, so treat yours with care.

3. Clean it Regularly

Your retainer needs to be kept clean. Like your teeth, plaque and bacteria can build up on it, which can be harmful to your teeth. We recommend cleaning your retainer every time you brush. Rinse your retainer with water, then use toothpaste and your toothbrush to give a gentle scrubbing. Rinse it off one final time before putting it back in your mouth.

4. Be Careful With Sports

Contact sports pose a risk of damaging your retainer. Even non-contact sports may cause you to experience some degree of facial trauma. While playing sports, your retainer should be removed and placed in its protective case. Ask about a custom

mouthguard to protect your teeth during these activities.

While receiving orthodontic treatment, we will schedule a series of appointments with you to measure your progress.These visits are important for ensuring your results are maintained. They allow our team to make sure your retainer continues to fit properly, as well.

It may take some time to become comfortable with caring for your retainer. Follow our guide to stay on track. Keeping your retainer clean is just as important as keeping your teeth clean. Don’t forget to remove your retainer while eating, and always use the case to store it when it is not in your mouth. For more tips on care of your retainer or to schedule your next visit to our office, please contact our team.

For every athlete, in every sport, there is always the risk of an injury. Mouthguards are an excellent piece of gear for protecting the mouth, face, and jaw from injury. Our team can help you find the right mouthguard for you to protect your teeth in the best way possible.

Reasons To Wear a Mouthguard

In most sports, there is always a risk of getting hit in the face, whether it’s with a ball or not. Injuries to the mouth can cause cracked teeth, or even missing teeth.

The soft tissues in your mouth like your tongue, the inside of your cheeks, and lips can also become injured while playing sports – the mouth, teeth, and face are all at risk.

Does Every Athlete Need a Mouthguard?

The sports that pose the greatest risk for mouth and facial injury are the “contact sports” which include hockey, wrestling, football, and boxing. Even in lower impact sports, it does not hurt to be cautious.

In the event of a fall, gymnasts should wear one for protection. Also, those who play baseball and basketball should wear one for protection from the ball hitting their face, collisions with other players, or equipment. No matter what sport you play, a mouthguard is a critical piece of equipment.

What is The Best Mouthguard For Me?

There are so many different mouthguards to choose from, our team is here to help you choose the best fit for you. You can buy one at your local sporting store, get a custom-fitted one at our office, or we may recommend a special kind of mouthguard if you are currently receiving orthodontic treatment.

It is important to find a guard that fits your mouth properly and is as comfortable as possible. Contact our office today to schedule a consultation and find a mouthguard that works best for you.

You could be grinding your teeth at night without even realizing it. Teeth grinding, also known as bruxism, can be damaging for several different reasons.

Are you or your child struggling with teeth grinding? We can assist you in addressing the source of the problem and then assess the damage to your teeth.

Why Do I Grind My Teeth? 

There isn’t just one cause for teeth grinding. There could be several different reasons you are grinding your teeth, including stress, anxiety, an improper bite, or various sleep disorders.

Your teeth can also drag against each other while you bite or chew if they are not aligned properly. You might not even realize you are grinding your teeth because it has become a habit or it happens while you are sleeping.

The Journal of the American Dental Association notes that smoking and drinking alcohol can cause an increase in teeth grinding. In fact, smokers and alcohol drinkers are twice as likely to grind their teeth.

Effects Grinding Has on Your Teeth

The more you grind your teeth, the more worn down and damaged they will become. Grinding causes increased sensitivity and can even loosen your teeth.

Teeth are comparable to bones, which means they can crack or fracture easily from grinding. When teeth are constantly dragging against one another, they can develop flat spots and become shorter in appearance.

Bruxism can also make you susceptible to other complications in the future, including acute jaw pain and chronic headaches.

How can you tell if you have been grinding your teeth at night? If you wake up with sore muscles and tired muscles in your jaw, you are likely dealing with grinding in your sleep.

We Can Help You

When you come in, we will assess the damage you already have from grinding first, and then we will work with you to figure out a game plan to keep your teeth from experiencing any more damage.

In many cases we will recommend wearing a mouthguard at night which will act as a barrier between your teeth to prevent them from grinding together. If your grinding is caused by stress and anxiety, the top priority will be for figuring out ways to reduce these feelings. In adults, stress is the most common cause of grinding, and in children improper alignment is the most common cause.

Please do not wait until your teeth become sensitive and painful to get treatment. Contact us to schedule an evaluation.

Children grow up quick, in what seems like the blink of an eye, they are walking, talking, and starting school. It is for this reason that it’s important we not take the little moments shared with our kids for granted.

Here are seven things to do with your child before they turn seven:

1.   Create a Masterpiece: Arts and crafts are always a fun activity for children, and will help to keep them out of trouble. Some ideas for art you can create together would be finger painting, drawing, or coloring. The works of art your child creates will be mementos of

the time you spent with them.

2.   Play in the Snow: If you live in a coldet climate where it snows, you can go sledding, build a snowman, build a fort or have a snowball fight!

If you live in a warm climate, make a trip somewhere where they can experience the magic of snow – it’s something they will never forget!

3.   Make Your Own Traditions: Start fun traditions that will last forever. Although your child will be too young to remember the earlier years, as they grow up with these new

customs they will remember them and pass them down to their kids.

Sing a special song together, celebrate half birthdays, or share a special surprise on

Valentine’s Day – the more creative and unique, the better.

Don’t make it complicated, sometimes the smallest traditions have the biggest impact.

4.   Have Reading Time: Make it a habit to read a story to your child every night before bed.

It is a great way to relax and wind down for you, while also being a great way to bond with your child.

By reading to your child, it will help them improve their own reading skills, while engaging their emotions and building a bond with you.

5.   Honesty is The Best Policy: It is very important to teach your child to be honest at a young age. White lies are something to be addressed with your child and nipping this in the bud is good to prevent larger lies from being told in the future.

6.   Get Lost in the Clouds: When the weather gets warmer, enjoy an afternoon looking up at the sky. Spark your child’s imagination by asking them what they see in the clouds.

7.   Bring Your Child in for an Orthodontic Evaluation: By the time your child turns 7,

they should be scheduled for an orthodontic evaluation. Most children begin to grow their molars and incisors by then.

The jaw is still at an age where it can be formed and shaped much easier and any adjustments needed will go much quicker.

By doing some of these activities with your child, you will share a smile with them. You’ll appreciate every moment you spend bonding with your child – we promise!

If your child is seven, or approaching that age, contact our office about an orthodontic evaluation today.

Your bite may need some work, and that’s okay. It may come to a surprise to you, but our doctor is skilled in examining your bite and may be able to see things you can’t.

Your View

When looking in the mirror, you can see your front teeth. In our office, what we look for is to see whether your teeth are too long. If your top teeth are covering more than half of your bottom teeth, this is called a deep bite.

We will also check to see how your teeth line up in relation to your lip.

Locking Down

When visiting our office, the orthodontist will have you open your mouth wide to check the alignment of your teeth from the top looking down. When viewed from above, an ideal bite will form the shape of an arch.

This view is also a great way to see any gaps that may be in between the teeth.

Side View

Viewing your mouth from the side may be difficult for you, but it is another angle of your mouth we must look at. From this perspective, we will find out if your mouth structure needs to be adjusted from an overbite or an underbite.

Steps To Take Next

After we have inspected all the different angles of your bite, we can decide the next steps in helping you achieve the results you want. Treatment options to consider if you have gaps or spaces would be braces or aligners.

Another option to treat and under or overbite is an expander.

The Importance of a Good Bite

If your teeth are not aligned it can cause difficulties with eating and speaking. An improper bite can lead to extensive jaw discomfort and even tooth decay. Your oral health and having a good bite go hand and hand.

If you have questions or concerns about your bite, or the alignment of your teeth, contact our office to schedule a consultation and learn more about achieving the perfect bite.

There are many conditions can cause teeth to become sensitive. Receding gums, tooth decay, exposed roots, and thinning tooth enamel are just a few. All these factors can cause teeth to become extremely sensitive to temperature changes, or sweet and acidic flavors.

Even worse, If you have sensitive teeth and are undergoing orthodontic treatment, you are at risk of developing even sensitivity.

One in eight people with braces will experience some tooth sensitivity. The level of discomfort varies from patient to patient, and each level of discomfort is due to the pressure that is placed on the teeth by braces. This sensitivity is not permanent and will usually only last a few days.

Factors Impacting Sensitivity

What causes teeth to become sensitive? The most common reason is over brushing your teeth. You can brush away your gum line exposing the sensitive root area by brushing your teeth too aggressively.

Teeth will become extremely sensitive if the gum line recedes, as it exposes porous root surfaces. Brush your teeth in soft and even circles (especially if you use a battery-powered brush) to protect your gums and avoid pain and discomfort.

Another reason for sensitive teeth resulting from braces is not brushing regularly or taking care of your oral hygiene properly. When you are not practicing correct dental hygiene, plaque and buildup are likely to form on your teeth, weakening the teeth and raising the chance for sensitivity.

Patients with braces are prone to plaque and buildup because debris gets trapped in between the teeth and braces. In the long run this will make it more likely to develop sensitive teeth.

Steps To Be Taken

There are several things you can do to help stop pain and sensitivity. Start with a good dental hygiene routine by brushing with a soft toothbrush in a small up and down motion while making little circles. Our orthodontist in 71201 suggests to add flossing to your daily routine. Last, combine all this with an over-the-counter anti-sensitivity toothpaste.

If your sensitivity is caused by scheduled orthodontic adjustments, you can take over the counter pain relievers like ibuprofen.

If these things do not provide you relief, our dentist can offer other treatment options. Contact our Monroe, LA orthodontics office today to schedule a consultation and we will be glad to discuss what’s right for you.

Since the beginning of recorded history, people have yearned for straighter teeth. Over the centuries, dental care has evolved exponentially. Traditional braces have become more comfortable and efficient than ever before.

Follow along for six things you might not know about braces:

1.   The Ancient Egyptians Wanted Straighter Teeth Too

Some Egyptian mummies have been found by archaeologists with cords wound through their teeth, possibly in order to straighten them. What were these ancient braces made from? Animal intestines.

You will be thrilled to know that our Monroe orthodontist uses far more modern and sanitary materials.

2.   Many People Have Them

Did you know that an estimated 4 million people in the US are currently wearing some form of braces or aligners to straighten their teeth? If braces are recommended to straighten your teeth, you can feel confident knowing that you are definitely not alone.

3.   Getting Braces is Like Rocket Science

Nitinol 60 is the flexible material used in braces. Believe it or not, NASA scientists use this material on the International Space Station. The heat from your mouth makes nitinol return to its original shape, gently guiding your teeth to where they need to be.

4.   Don’t Forget Your Retainer

An estimated 25 percent of those who wear braces don’t wear their retainer. Don’t be one of the people that ends up needing a second set of braces.

5.   Braces Are Older Than You Think

Braces have been around since the year 1728, when Pierre Fauchard developed them by using flat metal brackets and connected them to the teeth using thread. That means braces are 48 years older than the United States of America.

6.   Myths About Braces Debunked

Is there a greater chance of getting struck by lightning when wearing braces? The answer is a huge no. Also, there is no way your braces will interfere with any radio signals. As time and technology have progressed, braces have become more efficient and far more comfortable than ever before. If you are ready for that perfect smile, our experienced Monroe, LA orthodontic team is ready to work with you to achieve the results you are looking for.

If you have any questions about braces, contact our orthodontics office in Monroe, LA today and schedule an orthodontic consultation.

For some, the idea of DIY braces and mail-order aligners is attractive because they cost less than dentist-guided orthodontics. However, some solutions can damage both your teeth and your bank account. Before taking matters into your own hands, schedule an appointment with our orthodontic office to discuss your options. 

What are DIY Braces? 
The internet is filled with videos and “tutorials” on alternatives to traditional braces. Small rubber bands are the most common DIY orthodontics advice. Please understand this does not work and is, in fact, dangerous. It does not provide you with a safe, long-lasting solution for misaligned teeth. 

Why are Rubber Band Braces Dangerous? 
Moving your teeth without professional guidance can cause a blockage of blood supply to teeth, resulting in discolored and infected gums, root damage, and even tooth loss. Obviously, missing teeth, bleeding gums, and serious infections are not the results you want to see from braces, but these risks are inherent in DIY orthodontics. 

Another danger is that your teeth can shift back if you move them too quickly. The amount of damage you can do to your teeth will require further professional help, likely in the form of costly restoration. 

The Risks of Mail-Order Aligners 
The American Dental Association (ADA) and the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) have issued consumer warnings against mail-order braces. Without a proper diagnosis and direct supervision by a dentist in an office, you risk tooth loss, infection, and permanent bite problems using at-home aligners. Many patients have underlying problems such as tooth decay, gum infections, or abscessed teeth that can be aggravated by orthodontic treatment. 

Furthermore, some conditions call for treatment with traditional braces instead of aligners. A salesperson in an office can’t make that call; only an in-person examination by an orthodontist can. 

The Case for In-Office Treatment with an Orthodontist 
The AAO explicitly states that moving teeth is a healthcare procedure that requires the professional experience of an orthodontist. It must be done very gradually so teeth and gums will not be damaged. 

Our office is staffed with a knowledgeable,  experienced  orthodontic  team  devoted to improving smiles in a proper, hands-on manner. We pride ourselves on working with each patient in a safe, professional environment. 

DIY braces pose a significant danger, especially to children and young adults who, surveys show, take healthcare advice they find on the internet seriously. However, the pain, irreparable damage, and costly fixes are not worth it. When it comes to dental care, leave it to the professionals. 

For more information about braces or to schedule an appointment, please contact our 
orthodontic  office.  

If you or your child is getting braces, you know how important it is to step up your oral hygiene game. Of course, this can be tricky, especially for kids, so we have compiled some of the best tips to make it easier. 

Practice Patience 
Allow extra time to brush and floss. Taking extra care with oral hygiene is important to avoid tooth decay and gum inflammation. Adopt the mindset that these normal routines will just take longer for a while. For children, consider adding a reward system for using proper oral care techniques.     

Begin Your Routine with Rinsing 
Before you begin brushing, vigorously rinse your mouth with water. This will help loosen food and debris stuck between teeth, in bands and brackets, and in other nooks and crannies.   

Brush in Stages 
Use the standard brushing technique but divide it into two stages: Above brackets and below. Angle your brush head at 45 degrees and brush gently at the gumline. After that, move from the gums to the edge of the brackets, making certain to reach all the way around each bracket. Repeat the process for the other half of the teeth, angling the brush from the bracket edges toward your lips. While it might be more difficult to thoroughly brush the interior surfaces (facing the tongue), take extra time with this step. Finally, focus on chewing surfaces.  

Master Flossing with Braces 
Flossing can be a bit trickier with traditional braces, since the arch wires bisect the teeth. Many patients find that using a floss threader makes this process easier. In a short time, you will get used to placing the pointed threader end between both “halves” of the teeth. Always angle floss up into the gumline to thoroughly remove debris.    

 Swish Again 
Follow your brushing and flossing with a second rinse of water or mouthwash. This step will help sweep away any remaining food particles. Mouthwash will make your mouth feel fresher and cleaner. Children can use water or special alcohol-free rinses. Our orthodontist can recommend specific rinses.  

The rewards of orthodontics include a more attractive smile and better functioning teeth. Ensuring proper oral hygiene during treatment is worth the extra effort. Contact our orthodontic office to discuss any questions or concerns about oral care, or to schedule your next visit. In the meantime, keep up your good hygiene habits.