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3 Things To Know When Your Child Gets Their Braces

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When your child gets braces, there are many things you can do to help your child through the experience. The first step is knowing what to expect. Your child’s orthodontist in Bethesda and Laurel, MD, can help you by teaching you about the process and giving you tips.

At Heller Orthodontics , we help our patients through the entire process of getting braces. Below are some of the things you should know about the braces experience.

1. How to Maintain Braces

Your child will need to take steps to take care of their braces. Here are some steps your child should take every day.

  • Your child should brush their teeth after every meal and snack. Give your child toothpaste and a toothbrush to bring to school.
  • Your child should floss between their teeth with a special tool called a floss threader. Get them a floss threader from the local pharmacy.
  • Your child should continue the habit of brushing their teeth at the beginning of every day and before they go to bed.

2. What Your Child Can Eat

Your child should not eat crunchy, hard foods while they have braces. Hard, crusty breads, hard nuts like almonds, and hard candy are all examples of the types of food your child should avoid.

Get a list of foods that your child should avoid, and keep this in mind when serving meals. Your child should also avoid sticky foods that could stick to your child’s braces, such as caramel.

3. Will Your Child Be Uncomfortable?

Getting braces installed is not uncomfortable, but your child may have some discomfort after the braces are in place. Your child’s orthodontist may recommend over-the-counter pain medications.

The discomfort should go away as your child’s mouth adjusts. Do you have more questions about braces in Bethesda and Laurel MD? Call today to speak to one of our professionals.

What to do When Braces Irritate Inside of Mouth

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If you have traditional braces in Bethesda, MD, you’ll have metal brackets on your teeth, along with wires that thread through the brackets and connect all the teeth on your upper and/or lower arch. Wearing braces can take some getting used to, and each time you come in for an adjustment, there may be yet another “adjustment” period once you get home, since braces adjustments mean the dentist tightens the wires just a smidgen more.

Potential Issue With Metal Braces

Metal braces remain one of the most effective methods for realigning teeth, but they aren’t without their drawbacks. Forgetting the appearance, there are particulars about metal braces that your orthodontist can help with. Potential issues include irritation of the soft tissue inside the mouth, on the inside of the lips. There’s a likely culprit, a stray wire end.

A Stray Wire End

When your orthodontist in Bethesda, MD puts on the braces and makes adjustments, they carefully tuck the end of the wire so it doesn’t “stick out.” Every now and then, the end of a wire doesn’t stay tucked in, and it might poke out, essentially scratching the soft tissue when you move your mouth.

What to do When Braces Irritate Inside of Mouth

What you should do first is to ring up your orthodontist’s office and book an appointment to come in so they can readjust the wire end.

In the meantime, you can tear off a small bit of clean cloth, fold it a couple of times over, and place it between the wire end and the inside of your lip. Don’t use tissue or gum or a piece of bread, as these will get stuck in the brackets. Keep the cloth in place until your appointment.

Having soft tissue irritation isn’t part of the braces experience. We want you to be as comfortable as possible until the day you get your braces off and get to see your new, beautiful smile!

Special Appliances to Maintain Oral Health During Braces

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If you’re getting braces, or you already have them, you need to learn some new skills for taking care of your teeth while you have braces. The horror stories of people’s teeth rotting while they have braces are very much exaggerated, but it is possible to experience tooth decay if you aren’t vigilant about taking care of your teeth while undergoing orthodontic treatment in Laurel, MD. The day you get your braces off, you want to be happily surprised at how awesome your teeth look, not worried about whether they’re still healthy. But don’t worry. Special appliances designed for cleaning around braces make it easier to keep your teeth and gums healthy.

Water Flossers for Hard-to-Reach Areas

A water flosser is an excellent tool for patients with braces. This device uses a pressurized stream of water to remove food particles and plaque from between teeth and around brackets and wires. It’s especially helpful for areas that traditional flossing may not reach easily. Regular use of a water flosser helps prevent plaque buildup, making it a must-have for orthodontic care.

Electric Toothbrushes

Electric toothbrushes can be fun to use, especially if you have braces. These handy gadgets can make quick work of leftover food debris, ensuring you get every little crumb out of the tiny little crevices that braces create.

Interdental Brushes

For tight spaces that are tricky to clean, interdental brushes are highly effective. These teensy, cone-shaped brushes fit pretty well in between wires and brackets, reaching spots where plaque is most likely to form. They’re definitely a convenient addition to your daily oral hygiene routine.

Your Laurel, MD orthodontist at Heller Orthodontics can guide you on the best appliances for your specific needs. Contact us today to learn more.

Orthodontic Services That Help You Smile

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When considering orthodontics, you may think of the usual suspect: traditional braces. While metal and wires are still a great way to fix a smile, they may not be practical or holistic enough for what you need.

With solutions such as clear aligners and mouthguards becoming increasingly effective, considering your options’s always a good idea.

The talented team at Heller Orthodontics in Bethesda, MD, is proud to serve the local community with quality dental care services, including state-of-the-art orthodontic services. You can rest assured that you have a professional team backing up the health and shine of your new smile.

What is Orthodontics?

Orthodontics involves using braces or clear aligners to move teeth into their proper positions.

This can improve a smile’s appearance and have functional benefits, such as improving a bite and making it easier to chew and speak.

How Can Orthodontics Help Me?

Here are just some of the ways professional orthodontic solutions can help you:

  1. Straighter Teeth: Orthodontics can help straighten your teeth, giving you a more attractive smile.
  2. Improved Bite: A misaligned bite can lead to jaw pain, difficulty chewing, and even wear and tear on your teeth. Orthodontics can help correct your bite.
  3. Enhanced Confidence: A straighter smile can boost your self-esteem and make you feel more confident.
  4. Better Oral Health: Straight teeth are easier to clean, which can help prevent cavities and gum disease.

Your Trusted Dental Experts

It’s time to invest in the health of your smile today and see what we can do for you. Just because you may not have had braces as a child doesn’t mean you don’t deserve a healthy and beautiful smile.

We look forward to helping you on your journey towards immaculate oral health in a warm and welcoming environment.

During your next appointment with the trained team at Heller Orthodontics in Bethesda, MD, you can be sure you are receiving the utmost care and quality that you and your family deserve.

adult braces

4 Easy Ways to Maintain Your Braces

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Your braces don’t require much maintenance, but it’s still important to take care of them. Your orthodontist in Bethesda and Laurel, MD, will give you tips for maintaining your braces once they’re installed. You should also perform the small tasks below to ensure that your braces will be as effective as possible and that your teeth will be healthy and straight when your braces are removed.

1. Brush your teeth twice each day.

Brush your braces twice daily with non-abrasive toothpaste. Food can easily get caught in your braces, so brushing is more important than ever when you have them. Your orthodontist will show you how to brush your teeth when your braces are installed.

2. Floss once daily.

Floss once daily. Flossing is different when you have braces, but you can use a dental floss threader to get the floss through your teeth. If possible, use waxed floss because the non-waxed floss may break or shred more easily around your braces.

3. Eat the right foods.

Some foods aren’t good for braces. Avoid crunchy, sticky, extra chewy, or hard foods that could damage your braces. Pizza crusts, crusty bread, hard candies, caramel, crunchy vegetables, and nuts are all types of food that can cause problems with your braces. Soft foods like cooked vegetables, yogurt, and oatmeal are all better for your braces.

4. Keep up with your appointments at the orthodontist.

Your orthodontist will have you return for regular check-ins and adjustments. Keep up with your appointments, as they will help identify problems with your braces before they become serious.

Have questions about maintaining braces in Bethesda and Laurel, MD? Call your orthodontist at Heller Orthodontics.

Comparing Different Types of Braces

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Whether you’re a teenager or an adult, braces can improve your life. If you’re tired of having a crooked smile, consider giving braces a try! Orthodontic treatment can straighten teeth, boost your confidence, and improve your well-being.

In this post, we’ll discuss the different brace varieties that are available today.

Metal Braces

Metal braces consist of steel brackets, wires, and bands. The brackets are attached to your teeth, while the wires and bands connect to those brackets. Over time, the oral appliance creates constant pressure to move teeth to the correct position.

Ceramic Braces

These braces work much like their metal counterpart, but they’re only made of ceramic. This makes them much less noticeable than metal braces. In fact, the brackets, wires, and bands are all tooth-colored, allowing them to blend in with your smile.

If you’re ready to try orthodontic treatment, contact Heller Orthodontics today! We’re happy to offer the leading braces in Laurel, MD!

Lingual Braces

Lingual braces also work similarly to metal and ceramic braces. However, they’re placed on the back side of your teeth instead of the front surface, so you can hardly see them!

Self-Ligating Braces

This device also works to move teeth periodically, but instead of using tiny elastic bands, self-ligating braces utilize a special system to keep the archwire connected.

Clear Aligners

Clear aligners may be one of the biggest breakthroughs in the orthodontic industry. These devices don’t use any metal or ceramic at all. Instead, clear aligners consist of plastic trays that snap over your teeth. During treatment, you’ll receive a set of personalized clear aligners to wear for the duration of your treatment plan.

Whether you want clear aligners, metal braces, or something else, Heller Orthodontics has you covered. Call us today to work with the leading orthodontist in Laurel, MD!