Traditional Braces
Temecula, CA
Traditional Braces provided by Dr. Vinh Le
and Dr. Quang Le
in Temecula, CA at Picasso Dental Care
 Dental braces are not uncommon in today's world. Most everyone knows someone who has had braces, whether a friend or a family member. Even with that, most people do not fully grasp how braces truly work. Braces have been used for years to correct teeth alignment and numerous oral health issues. These can include crooked teeth, underbites, as well as patients suffering from overbites or jaw misalignment. Though typically reserved for teens, an increasing number of adults are now getting braces as well. If anyone has questions regarding the use of braces or how they work, please contact our orthodontist, Quang Le, D.D.S today at Picasso Dental Care.
How are Teeth Moved?
Sometimes braces alone cannot adjust the teeth properly. Sometimes they need a little help. One item which is used to help them is called spacers. These can help maintain spacing between the teeth as they are slowly moved to their final positions. Bands are also used to provide added pressure when the wire is simply not enough on its own. While rare, springs have been employed as well. Springs help to focus on just a single tooth.
Patients who are interested in braces should find out everything they can before entering treatment. Why not come to the source and schedule an appointment at our Picasso Dental Care office. Patients can also call our number at (951) 383-2021 in order to schedule their initial office visit to discuss the possible orthodontic treatment options.
Braces and Dental Hygiene
One difficulty while wearing traditional braces is maintaining a good level of oral hygiene. It is hard to brush and floss with brackets and wires covering the teeth. Many times, getting braces can induce a great deal of anxiety. They take a bit of time to get used to. Most people are not used to having things sticking to their teeth all day. They can be uncomfortable, the brackets and wires poking the soft inside of the cheek could cause pain. Food can easily get stuck in the braces too and lead to embarrassment. While getting used to your braces, we can offer some tips regarding techniques and everyday items that can alleviate some of those situations.
Helpful Tips for Oral Hygiene and Comfort
The electric toothbrush is a patient's best option to properly brush while wearing braces. They are greatly beneficial for overall oral health. While wearing metal braces especially, brushing needs to occur at all angles in order to bypass the metal wire which makes it difficult to maintain the proper pressure. Using electric toothbrushes is not a problem. It is an incredibly efficient way to brush the teeth and gums while wearing braces.
Using an orthopick flosser is another way oral hygiene can be maintained while wearing braces. Most patients probably think it is impossible to floss with traditional braces, but they would be wrong. Orthopick flossers are designed specifically to bypass the braces. It can slip neatly between teeth even with the wires to help take care of excess food particles and dangerous bacteria.
Another concern is the general discomfort of wearing braces. If patients are experiencing too much discomfort or even significant pain, they will likely avoid flossing. Patients should consider a gum soft pick which is very soft but can still get between teeth.
A wisp is a perfect solution when worried about having leftover food hanging in a patient's braces. It is a single-use toothbrush which is smaller to a normal one. It has a small amount of breath freshener applied to the bristles and can be easily concealed while at work or school.
Fluoride is a good tool for maintaining oral health. It is especially so for those patients wearing braces. Instead of simply rinsing with water, patients can rinse with fluoride-treated mouthwash. It is another way to help protect against tooth decay.
Dental wax might seem like an odd item to mention when talking about ways to help patients with braces and their dental hygiene, but it is a great tool. For any patient with aching teeth or sore gums, wax can be applied to the irritated areas for relief. It can also be used across the brackets in the place of a mouth guard or for those patients who play musical instruments. Put onto the sections with sharp edges it will no longer agitate the soft tissues of the mouth.
Braces for Kids and Teens
Braces straighten teeth for both cosmetic and health benefits. By wearing braces as youngsters, this not only helps make treatment faster and more efficient, but it also means that your child has more years of great smiles to look forward to than if they waited. While many children can be self-conscious about having braces, it is easier to have braces when young, when many of their peers will also be undergoing orthodontic treatment, than as adults when it is more rare to see braces.
We also can help you with athletic mouth guards for braces. Many kids play sports, and having a mouth guard that can fit over their braces can be the difference between a successful orthodontic treatment and one that needs to start over again because of damage sustained to the wires and brackets. We recommend athletic mouth guards that are custom-fitted to your child's mouth and braces, as these are not only the most comfortable, but also offer the best protection.
Braces for Adults
Interestingly enough, more and more patients over the age of 18 are wearing braces nowadays. Some adults might consider it vain to want a smile with straight teeth, however, there are many benefits that help overall health with having straight teeth. Getting straight teeth is not just considered a cosmetic procedure. Having a nice smile can make patients appear younger and even healthier but that is just a side benefit. Braces and the impact they have on the patient's life are more far-reaching than that.
Having a symmetrical smile filled with straight teeth is much easier to brush and floss. There are no odd areas that are hard to reach which all decreases the amounts of bacteria which can find a hiding place. Due to gum disease being attributed to the build-up of these bacteria, having straight teeth can help to stymie the development of gum disease.
There are more choices than ever when it comes to braces. While traditional or metal braces involve gluing brackets to teeth and feeding a wire through them, there are now clear aligners which are clear plastic trays that are used to shift the patient's teeth. Self-ligating braces are ones that use a clip on the bracket to hold properly in place. The last type of braces is called lingual braces. These use the same principle as traditional braces except they are affixed to the tongue or lingual side of the teeth.
Braces in Temecula
To find out more about getting braces at Picasso Dental Care, give us a call to schedule a consultation! |
