5 Questions To Ask Your Orthodontist About Braces

Getting braces can help you achieve better dental health and appearance. This can then affect your self-esteem and quality of life. Before consulting your orthodontist, knowing what to ask can clear up many questions that you may have about the treatment. Here are five questions that you can ask your orthodontist during your braces consultation.

1. What lifestyle changes are necessary before getting braces?

Committing to healthy dental practices before getting braces is necessary. This will help give the patient a healthy smile after the treatment. Brushing with the right tools can help make teeth cleaning more effective. There will be limitations to what a person with braces can eat.

Sticky and hard foods can dislodge the brackets or bend the wires. These foods could also get stuck on the wires and brackets. Food particles can also stay longer between brackets and teeth because of poor brushing and flossing. This can cause gum inflammation and cavities.

Seeing the dentist every month will give the patient a professional dental cleaning. A monthly adjustment of the archwires is necessary. This will tighten the braces. The gradual pressure will force the teeth into their correct positions.

Playing contact sports will put the braces at high risk of dislodging. This may injure the soft tissues of the mouth or even knock out teeth. The patient must avoid this activity. Otherwise, the patient must talk to the dentist about wearing a custom-fit mouthguard.

2. What are the advantages of braces?

Re-aligning the teeth can improve the way one looks. Wearing braces can bring balance to the patient’s face. This can then bolster one’s self-esteem. Aligning the teeth can relieve the pain from bite problems. Speaking, eating, and smiling can become more comfortable. Teeth cleaning will become easier and more effective with straightened teeth.

One’s digestion can also improve after wearing braces. Aligned teeth can make one chew food better. This will make nutrient absorption easier. It can also prevent digestive discomfort as well. Bite issues can improve with braces. This can prevent jaw pain, dental damage, or tooth loss.

3. What types of braces can help?

Different types of braces are available. The patient and the orthodontist can work together in deciding which of them can meet the patient’s needs. Traditional metal braces can deal with severe misalignment. Ceramic braces work like metal braces, but the brackets and wires are tooth-colored. Clear aligners are modified braces. The adjustment involves changing the aligners every two weeks.

4. How long will the treatment take?

Part of the preparation is to set one’s mind about the changes that will happen during the treatment. The length of time for wearing braces depends on the patient’s case and age. It does not take a very long time to straighten teeth, especially if the patient follows instructions and reminders. But the basic treatment period is about two years. The patient must also prepare to wear retainers after the treatment. This device will help the teeth stay aligned while the jawbone heals.

5. How often will the dental visits be?

It will not take long for people with malleable teeth to wear braces. Seeing the orthodontist once a month is enough to tighten the wires and change the elastics. Other people will have a longer treatment period. Patients who travel most of the time will often skip archwire tightening each month. This can also lengthen the treatment period.