Groesch and Longos Orthodontics

Frequently Asked Questions… How will having braces affect what I eat? My teeth hurt. Will they be like this every time after I come in? Why are my teeth feeling loose? How do my new braces effect brushing? Do I need to continue seeing my general dentist while wearing braces? How can I care for my retainer? What special instructions are required for a removable expander? What special instructions are required for a fixed expander? How will braces affect playing sports? What do I do when a wire is poking out? What do I do when a bracket or band becomes loose? What constitutes emergency care? Hints and Tips Helpful hints about wearing rubber bands Helpful hints about headgear Glossary of Orthodontic Terms Orthodontic Terms Diagram Official “No No” List
Frequently Asked Questions… How will having braces affect what I eat? What can you eat? Let's talk about what you shouldn't eat! If you want to drop a few pounds, the first week of wearing braces is just your chance! For the first day or so, stick to soft foods. Avoid tough meats, hard breads, and raw vegetables. Before long, you'll be able to bite a cucumber again. When you eat you'll need to protect your orthodontic appliances for as long as you're wearing braces. Avoid: Chewy foods: bagels, hard rolls, and licorice Crunchy foods: popcorn, ice, and hard chips Sticky foods: caramels and gum Hard foods: nuts and candy Foods you have to bite into: corn on the cob, whole apples, and raw carrots Soda and fruity drinks Chewing on hard things (for example, pens, pencils or fingernails) can damage the braces. Damaged braces will cause treatment to take longer. My teeth hurt. Will they be like this every time after I come in? When you get your braces on, you may feel general soreness in your mouth and your teeth may be tender to biting pressures for three to five days. If the tenderness is severe, take Tylenol or ibuprofen every 4-6 hours as needed. Following 2 or 3 appointments throughout the entire time in orthodontic appliances your teeth will be sore for 3-5 days. After half the appointments they won't be sore at all. After the other half you'll experience some soreness for 2-3 days. The lips, cheeks and tongue may also become irritated for one or two weeks as they toughen and become accustomed to the surface of the braces. This only happens after the first time the braces are placed. You can put wax on the braces to lessen this. Why are my teeth feeling loose? This is to be expected throughout treatment. Don't worry! It's normal. Teeth must loosen first so they can be moved. The teeth will again become rigidly fixed in their new--corrected--positions. How do my new braces effect brushing? It's more important than ever to brush and floss regularly when you have braces so the teeth and gums are healthy after orthodontic treatment. Patients who do not keep their teeth clean may require more frequent visits to the dentist for a professional cleaning. Adults who have a history of gum disease should also see a periodontist during orthodontic treatment. Do I need to continue seeing my general dentist while wearing braces? We require that the patient's teeth are clean and all cavities filled before starting orthodontic treatment. We recommend that the patient continue seeing their family dentist at least every 6 months (sometimes every 3 or 4 months) for cleanings and cavity checks during the entire orthodontic treatment. How can I care for my retainer? Wear your retainers full time, until Dr. Groesch and Dr. Longos instruct otherwise. Take your retainers out when eating... and always put them in their case! (Most appliances are lost in school lunchrooms or restaurants.) Clean retainers thoroughly once a day with a toothbrush and toothpaste. Use warm, but not hot, water. Brushing retainers removes the plaque and eliminates odors. Efferdent, or other denture cleaners, can be used, but they don't take the place of brushing. When retainers are not in your mouth they should ALWAYS be in a retainer case. Pets love to chew on them! Initially, you may find it difficult to speak. Practice speaking, reading, or singing out loud to get used to them faster. Retainers are breakable, so treat them with care. If retainers are lost or broken, call us to schedule an appointment to replace them. If you have any questions or concerns about your retainers, or your retainers need adjusting, call us. Do not try to adjust them yourself. Always bring your retainers to your appointments. Retainer replacement is expensive... with proper care they will last for years! Remove retainers when swimming. Keep retainers away from hot water, hot car dashboards, pockets, the washing machine, and napkins. What special instructions are required for a removable expander? Wear your expander all the time. That means all day, during meals away from home, and while sleeping. Remove your expander only to brush your teeth and while eating at home. Brush your expander at least twice a day with a toothbrush and toothpaste. What special instructions are required for a fixed expander? Turn your expansion screw as instructed. Insert the key into the hole and turn toward the arrow. Hint: always push the upper expander key as far back as possible, which will make the next turn easier. If you are unable to keep your scheduled appointment, stop turning the expander. How will braces affect playing sports? If you play sports, it's important that you consult us for special precautions. A protective mouth guard is advised for playing contact sports. Please ask us for a mouth guard. In case of any accident involving the face, immediately check your mouth for any loose appliances. If teeth are loose or the appliances are damaged, phone at once for an appointment. In the meantime, treat your discomfort as you would treat any general soreness. What do I do when a wire is poking out? Don't be alarmed if a wire becomes loose. This happens occasionally. If a wire protrudes and is irritating, use a blunt instrument (the back of a spoon or the eraser end of a pencil) and carefully push the irritating wire away back toward the teeth. Simply get it out of the way. If irritation to your mouth continues, place wax or wet cotton on the wire to reduce the annoyance. Call our office as soon as possible for an appointment to check and repair the appliances. If any piece comes off, save it and bring it to your appointment. What do I do when a bracket or band becomes loose? In the unlikely event that a bracket or band comes loose from a tooth, it is important to call our office immediately. Do not wait until your next appointment to see if we can fix it then. There is a considerable amount of time needed to repair a breakage, and we need to schedule accordingly. At your last appointment, Dr. Groesch and Dr. Longos recorded what we plan to do at your next appointment. They know how long it takes to perform each procedure and our office schedules accordingly to stay on time. That is why we will often reschedule to repair loose braces. Please notify us in advance if you have a loose brace, even if the breakage occurs earlier in the day of your appointment. Remember, when braces are broken, treatment completion is often delayed. Help us give you the smile you want -- on time. Please bring the loose brace in to your appointment. What constitutes emergency care? As a general rule, an emergency appointment may be made when there is severe pain, a loose band, a broken wire or something sticking out that you can't take care of. It's important to know the names of the parts of your appliances. When you phone the office, it will help to be able to identify what part is broken or out of place. See our glossary of terms.
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Hints and Tips Helpful hints about wearing rubber bands Dr. Groesch and Dr. Longos have prescribed rubber bands to be worn as part of your orthodontic treatment. Rubber bands are a very important part of your treatment if you would like to have braces removed on schedule. Rubber bands move teeth in ways Dr. Groesch and Dr. Longos are not able to do with different wires. Without proper rubber band wear, it is unlikely we will obtain the results that everyone wants. At your appointment, we demonstrated how to hook up the rubber bands. If you have any uncertainty, please call our office immediately. Do not wait until your next appointment to find out that the rubber bands may have been moving the teeth in the wrong direction. Rubber bands will likely make your teeth sore. If necessary, gradually build up time over the first week until you're wearing them 24 hours per day, seven days per week. If you take them out before eating be sure to replace them right away after your meals. Rubber bands need to be changed approximately three times each day. This is because they lose their stretch as they are left in your mouth during the day. It's a good idea to change your rubber bands after each meal. Continuous wear is a must. Remember to always have an extra pack with you at school, work, or anywhere else away from home. If you run out of rubber bands, call our office right away. We will be glad to mail them off today. Waiting until your next appointment can significantly delay treatment. You have been given a specific type of rubber band to use. Do not use any other type of rubber band unless otherwise instructed. Also, do not "double up" the rubber bands unless instructed. This will not accelerate your treatment. Many times when our patients have worn their rubber bands as requested, their treatment time has been significantly reduced. Help us achieve our number one goal, which is to give you the best possible smile. Helpful hints about headgear As part of your orthodontic treatment, Dr. Groesch and Dr. Longos has prescribed headgear be worn. Dr. Groesch and Dr. Longos usually recommend headgear when the top jaw is too far in front of the lower jaw. Headgear is used for two purposes. First, headgear can slow down the growth of the top jaw so that the lower jaw can "catch up" in growth. Second, headgear can move the top teeth back so they will fit better with the lower teeth. When hooking up your headgear, slide one side into the molar tube then slightly pinch the headgear bow before placing the other side in the other molar tube. While holding the face bow with one hand, hook up your strap to the hole indicated by the doctor. When removing your headgear face bow, remember not to pull both sides out at once. This will usually bend the face bow and make it difficult to place in the molar tube the next day. Also, do not rock the face bow up and down when removing it. This can loosen bands. Headgear should be worn 12-14 hours per day! This is often difficult to achieve but necessary for the headgear to work properly. At first "build up" time wearing the headgear by using shorter intervals. When you first begin wearing headgear, your molar teeth may become sore. This is normal. As you get used to your headgear, you'll notice your teeth will not be nearly as sore as they were at first. Dr. Groesch and Dr. Longos recommend that headgear not be worn to school (unless specifically instructed). Headgear can be worn in the late afternoon, removed for meals and always worn when sleeping. Most importantly, headgear should be worn every day! Inconsistent headgear wear is like not wearing headgear at all. Never attempt adjusting headgear yourself. If you have trouble fitting your headgear, please call our office for an appointment. Always bring your headgear to your orthodontic appointment for adjustment!
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Glossary of Orthodontic Terms
Archwire:	Wire running between braces which exerts a force to direct teeth to move in a desired direction.
Headgear tube:	The tube on the upper molar band where the headgear is attached to the teeth.
Ball hook:	A part of the bracket used for attachment of the rubber bands.
Rubber tie:	A grey, colored, or clear tie used to secure the arch wire to the bracket.
Steel tie:	A small steel wire tied to the bracket to secure the arch wire to the bracket.
Coil spring:	A small spring placed around the arch wire to either maintain or increase space between teeth.
Elastics:	A rubber band used to move teeth in a prescribed direction.
Gingiva:	The soft tissue around and between the teeth.
Orthodontic band:	A stainless steel ring placed around back teeth to hold the arch wire.
Bracket:	A small stainless steel brace glued to the teeth to hold the arch wire.
Overjet:	The amount the upper front teeth protrude out in front of the lower front teeth.
Overbite:	The amount the upper front teeth overlap the lower front teeth in a vertical direction.
Crossbite:	When the upper teeth are positioned inside of the lower teeth. Ideally all the teeth of the upper arch should be positioned slightly outside of the lower arch.
Expansion appliance:	An appliance used to widen the top jaw.
Headgear strap:	A strap used on the back of the neck or around the crown of the head, which is attached with hooks to the upper molars, to help move the top teeth.
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Official “No No” List Avoid all hard, sticky or chewy food (In other words, the things that you like the most). Ice: You've got to be kidding. Don't even think of it. Pizza Crust: Not a good idea. It is probably fattening and a non-pizza crust diet would probably do us all good. Hard Pretzels: You might as well be eating rocks. Rocks: You might as well be eating hard pretzels. Doritos, Tacos, Tostitos, Cheetos, Fritos, etc.: All are some of my favorites but for now, should be avoided. Hard Rolls or Bagels: The last patient who ate these stayed in braces for 8 1/2 years (or close to it). Beef Jerky, Slim Jims: Does anybody really eat these anymore? Suckers and Tootsie Pops: I will bet that the temptation will be too great and you will bite. Nuts: What do you think? Pencils and Pens: A deadly delicacy during test time. Think twice. Popcorn: Only if soaked in a soft drink for 20 minutes first and then each and every kernel dissected out. Raw Carrots: These are fine -- after they have been placed in a blender on high for about three minutes. Caramel: Give me a break! Soda & Fruit Drinks: These contain sugar and acid, two things that turn your teeth into something you can eat…mush! All of these foods will break brackets and loosen bands. Sometimes you may not discover something is broken until hours later. Just say no! And walk away.
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