Hey there, brace-wearer. Congrats on starting your journey to a better smile! You’re definitely aware that braces treatment in Renton is going to take months or even years, and it’s normal to feel impatient or experience that itch of wanting to have it removed.
Did you know that the average time patients wear their braces ranges between 18-24 months? It may not seem like a long time for some, but to others, it could feel like forever.
If you want to get on with your braces treatment much faster, don’t lose any hope because it’s certainly possible. Here are five helpful tips on getting braces off much faster.
All About the Braces Treatment
Getting braces is a very popular orthodontic treatment for patients who want to fix teeth misalignment issues and achieve their dream smile. Children and adults can avail of this treatment, but orthodontists usually recommend getting braces at an earlier age.
The braces work by slowly shifting the teeth into their desired position through the use of metal wires accompanied by either metal or ceramic brackets.
Patients can opt for traditional metal braces or ceramic braces, depending on the severity of their dental concerns and budget.
As mentioned previously, the average duration of the braces treatment would vary between 18-24 months. But there are some ways to make getting braces off quicker with these tips below.
Be Mindful of What You Eat
Your orthodontist has definitely instructed you to avoid certain food throughout your braces treatment. This is because if you eat those restricted foods, it can cause damage to your brackets, delaying the overall process and even cost.
Sticky, crunchy, and hard foods are a big no-no. Not only can they cause damage to your braces, but the food particles can get stuck in between the brackets, making it difficult to clean. If it gets stuck for a long time, then bacteria can build up, leading to plaque, cavities, or even tooth decay. This is also another costly mistake you want to avoid.
Brush Your Teeth Correctly
Brushing with braces is completely different from brushing normally. You want to make sure you’re following the correct steps in brushing your teeth with braces so that it’s thoroughly cleaned and no food particles get stuck.
You must also be gentle with how you brush your teeth because it can cause damage to your brackets if you brush aggressively. There’s also a technique on brushing with braces that your orthodontist has definitely demonstrated for you.
Clean Your Tongue
Do you also clean your tongue regularly? Yes, cleaning your tongue can help with getting braces off faster. Besides getting rid of stinky breath, cleaning your tongue means eliminating the bacteria sitting on it. It’s only a matter of time until the bacteria stick to the brackets of your braces and damage them later on. So don’t forget to do this step when you do your oral hygiene routine.
Keep the Elastics On
We understand how uncomfortable elastics are when applied, but if your orthodontist tells you to keep them on, you must follow them. The elastics are there for a reason, and if you neglect to put them on, then it will make your braces treatment tread slower than expected, seeing the results a bit later than you’d like.
The only time you can remove the elastics is while you’re eating or brushing your teeth. No exceptions.
Visit Your Orthodontist
Wearing braces requires you to have regular visits to the orthodontist in Renton WA, and it’s due to adjusting and retightening your braces. This step is crucial, especially if you want to be on the right track with your treatment. If you don’t follow the schedule, then this can prolong the treatment. Additionally, orthodontists will be able to check the progress of your teeth and braces and immediately treat concerns like a damaged bracket or a loose wire on the spot.
Other Important Tips You Should Know About Braces Treatment
Those are essentially the five tips every brace wearer should know if they don’t want to prolong their treatment. Here are other important tips to take note of for getting braces off at a much faster rate.
#1 – Avoid chewing gum
If you have a habit of chewing gum, then it’s best to stop that as soon as you get your braces. Chewing gum is going to make your treatment much longer, and it can also damage the brackets of your braces. Not to mention, if it gets stuck in between your braces, it’s going to be extremely tedious to remove the particles.
#2 – Don’t neglect to floss
Flossing is also an important step in one’s oral hygiene routine. And just like brushing with braces, you’re going to have to floss your teeth in a different way, too. Flossing helps get rid of the food particles stuck between your teeth AND braces. Brushing your teeth is not enough, and those stuck food particles can harbor bacteria, damaging both teeth and braces if neglected for too long.
#3 – Have realistic expectations
Achieving your perfect smile is naturally going to take some time. Braces treatment is not something that grants results overnight. Feeling impatient is a natural occurrence every now and then, but by having realistic expectations, you wouldn’t feel annoyed as much with the duration of the treatment.
Try to focus on the end result and continue following your orthodontist’s orders in order to have a great experience with your braces journey.
#4 – Inquire about accelerated treatments
Nowadays, with technology continuously adapting, there’s no doubt that there are newer procedures that warrant a shorter treatment span. The treatment can correct teeth misalignment or spacing at an accelerated rate. You can ask your orthodontist about this, and they’ll recommend what’s suitable for your teeth’s circumstances.
Conclusion
We all wanted great-looking smiles, right? Getting braces treatment is the perfect solution for that! We hope this article has helped you with tips on getting braces off faster.
Feel free to contact Dr. Andrew Lasley and the Lasley Orthodontics Team for any questions and concerns regarding braces and possible accelerated treatments.