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DON’T WORRY

Life With Braces Is Easier Than You Think

A beautiful, healthy smile can enhance your quality of life no matter your age. In fact, we have patients as young as 5 and as old as 85! As your teeth, jaws, and lips become properly aligned with braces, you’ll find your self-esteem increase as you become more confident in your smile. In post-treatment photographs, we notice our patients with braces sit up straighter, are eager to smile and are more confident in their overall appearance.

Alleviating and preventing oral health problems is another important reason to get braces. Without orthodontic treatment, an individual may be more susceptible to tooth decay, gum disease, uneven and excessive tooth wear, bone destruction, chewing difficulties, jaw joint issues, speech impairments, airway issues, and dental injuries. Come see us for a FREE INITIAL EXAM!

FOOD & BRACES

Some Do’s and Dont’s

Foods to Avoid with Braces

  • Chewy foods — bagels, licorice
  • Crunchy foods — popcorn, chips, ice
  • Sticky foods — caramel candies, taffy
  • Hard foods — nuts, hard candies
  • Foods you have to bite into — corn on the cob, apples, carrots
Life With Braces - What to avoid

FOODS YOU CAN EAT WITH BRACES

  • Dairy — soft cheese, pudding, milk-based drinks
  • Breads — soft tortillas, pancakes, muffins without nuts
  • Grains — pasta, soft cooked rice
  • Meats/poultry — soft cooked chicken, meatballs, lunch meats
  • Seafood — tuna, salmon, crab cakes
  • Vegetables — mashed potatoes, steamed spinach, beans
  • Fruits — applesauce, bananas, sliced fruit, most berries (but watch out for seeds)
  • Treats — ice cream without nuts, milkshakes, Jell-O, cake
Life With Braces - What's ok to Eat

HELPFUL TIPS

  • We recommend you use a soft bristled tooth brush with a small head. Electric and sonic toothbrushes are also acceptable.
  • Brush your teeth after meals and snacks.
  • If you have eaten while away from home, use your interdental brush to dislodge any food that may get caught around your braces.
  • Rinsing with water is another way to dislodge food from your braces, and to keep sugar from sitting on your teeth.
  • Floss your teeth at least once a day.
  • We recommend that you have a check up with your dentist every 6 months.

EMERGENCIES

What We Can Do To Help

UMASD Emergencies

While we do our best to minimize unexpected discomforts with orthodontic treatment, they still happen and can be disruptive to everyone’s schedule. We have created a unique partnership with the UMASD that allows our staff to go to schools and handle orthodontic emergencies such as poking wires, expander fit issues, and loose brackets that are causing discomfort. Our assistants will be on call for the UMASD during our OFF-PATIENT hours. Certainly, not all issues can be handled in a school setting. Our hope is to simply minimize missed work and/or school time due to an unplanned orthodontic emergency.

If your child attends a school in the UMASD and you would like to take advantage of this benefit, simply fill out a permission form at your child’s next orthodontic visit. We will send a copy of this form to the school nurse to be kept on file.

The number for OFF hours and only in a TRUE orthodontic emergency, is (484) 532-3725. Callers MUST unblock their number in order to get a return call!