I Brush My Teeth, Therefore, I Don’t Need to Floss?

Almost half the surface area of your teeth are in contact with the adjacent teeth. These are areas where toothbrush can’t reach. Plaque contains acid-producing bacteria which can cause dental decay. Even if you do the best job in brushing your teeth, the plaque trapped between your teeth will stay on your teeth after brushing. Flossing will help remove food particles between teeth that can contribute to plaque build-up.

Are Floss Only For Cleaning Between Teeth?

Flossing is a great way for cleaning in between your teeth. Not only that, it is also great for cleaning the gumlines (the area where your teeth and gums meet). Food particles or plaque are often caught in the space between the teeth and gums, resulting in the development of gum diseases. Therefore, it is important to make sure the gumlines get cleaned properly while flossing.

My Gums Bleed and Hurt Whenever I Floss

There is a misconception that flossing can be painful and it can cause bleeding gums. In most cases, bleeding gums is a sign of gum disease. Healthy gums should not bleed while flossing. Another possible reason for gums to be painful and bleeding while flossing is incorrect flossing technique. If you are experiencing bleeding and painful gums while flossing, you may consult your orthodontist or dentist about gum diseases and how to floss with braces.

Should I Floss After Brushing?

It doesn’t really matter whether your floss before brushing or vice versa. Different orthodontist will have different techniques. It is wise to follow instructions given by your orthodontist.

What Type of Floss Should I Be Using?

There are several types of interdental cleaning tools available in the market. Floss is one of them, and they come in different forms and shapes. The three most common types of interdental brushing tools are Superfloss, conventional floss used with a threader, and interdental brushes.

Superfloss are thicker and stiffer on one end, hence making it easier to thread under the orthodontic wires.

Conventional floss are too soft to thread under the orthodontic wires. By attaching the floss through a floss threader (much like needle and thread in sewing), you may use the threader to guide the floss under the wire. Once the floss is under the wire, you may then floss as normal.

Interdental brushes are shaped like little Christmas trees. These are useful in cleaning between teeth with bigger gaps between them. They are also great for cleaning the space between your teeth and the orthodontic wires.

How To Floss With Braces?

1. Rinse your mouth with water to flush out any big and loose food particles
2. Use a interdental brush under the orthodontic wires
3. Thread floss under the orthodontic wire
4. Slowly slide floss between teeth in a zigzag motion
5. Make a C shape with the floss as you wrap it around the tooth
6. Gently move floss towards the gumline until the floss couldn’t travel any further
7. Clean all food particles out and away from your gumline
8. Repeat on the adjacent tooth
9. As you move from one tooth to the next, use a fresh section of floss
10. Repeat the flossing process until all teeth are cleaned
11. Brush teeth with a soft-bristle tooth brush and fluoridated toothpaste
12. Rinse your mouth with water

Flossing may seem tricky for those who are not used to it. However, practice makes perfect. Start flossing today. Be prepared to spend a longer time on your oral care while you have braces on your teeth. Don’t worry, it’s worth the time. If you don’t pay attention to your oral hygiene during your orthodontic treatment, your risk of having dental decay and gum disease is increased.

Learn more about the importance of flossing.

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The few reasons why adults choose to undertake orthodontic treatments are because they had no access to orthodontic treatment when they were young, or their teeth have shifted as a result of teeth extractions, or most adults simply want to be able to smile confidently with a new set of straight beautiful teeth!

With the advancement in orthodontic technologies, there are now more cosmetic treatment options available that will suit your lifestyle.

Benefits Of Orthodontics For Adults

Adults who completed braces treatment often express dramatic improvement in self-esteem and confidence level. Besides improving your appearance, adult orthodontics can also help you maintain the health of your teeth and gums. Orthodontics for adults is often performed to prevent uneven toothwear, assist in maintaining dental hygiene and redistributing spaces between teeth to accommodate dental implants.

Cosmetic Treatment Options For Adult Orthodontics

Clear Braces

Made of high quality translucent sapphire, clear braces are designed to blend seamlessly with your natural tooth color. And with it’s small, low-profile design, clear braces are virtually unnoticeable, making them a perfect orthodontic solution for adults and children.

For more information about clear braces, please visit our page on Clear Ceramic Braces.

Invisalign

Invisalign is one of the most popular aesthetic orthodontic treatment available. Invisalign straightens your teeth with a series of invisible, removable and comfortable aligners. As you change your aligner every one to two weeks, your teeth gradually move and straighten.

When you wear your Invisalign aligner, most people around you won’t even notice it. Your friends often start to wonder why your teeth have become straighter without braces.

For more information about Invisalign, please visit our page on Invisalign.

Incognito – Lingual Braces

The Incognito system is a highly advanced generation of braces that is hidden discreetly on the back of the teeth, not on the front like conventional ‘train tacks’.  With the braces hidden behind your teeth, you could basically continue your daily routine without feeling self-conscious because no one could really tell you are having braces.

For more information about Incognito, please visit our page on Incognito – Lingual Braces.

It is never too late to for a beautiful smile. To find out more about adult orthodontic treatment, see one of our specialist orthodontists for an assessment. Contact Specialists in Orthodontics for a FREE CONSULT.

The post Orthodontics for Adults first appeared on Specialists In Orthodontics.

Congratulations! It is one of the most important days in your life. A day you and your partner will remember forever. And, you may be thinking you want that perfect smile and straight teeth for your wedding.

Our team at Specialists in Orthodontics will be thrilled to be part of your journey by giving you the perfect smile and straight teeth for your wedding day!

Having crooked teeth can make brides and grooms being self-conscious when they smile for photos on their big day. Many brides/grooms-to-be are now adding orthodontic treatment to their wedding checklist. We recommend brides/grooms-to-be to have a consult a specialist orthodontists as soon as possible. Even if the date is fast approaching, with modern orthodontic technologies, and vast options available, there is always an option that will suit you.

Clear Braces

With the newly improved clear ceramic braces you can now smile confidently for photos. This could be the most cost-efficient method to have your teeth straightened for your wedding day. If your treatment is not completed before your wedding day, you may discuss with our orthodontist about having the braces removed just for the wedding and continue with the treatment after your wedding.

For more information, please visit our page on Clear Ceramic Braces.

Invisalign

The most popular treatment of choice is Invisalign clear aligners. Not only it is virtually invisible to others, it is removable for eating and drinking. This means you may remove the aligners on your wedding day, or for photography.

For more information, please visit our page on Invisalign.

Incognito – Lingual Braces

Incognito hidden braces are placed behind your teeth to let you smile freely and confidently on your special day. No one will know you are wearing braces, unless you tell them! Even if your braces are not ready to be removed, you can keep them on for your wedding day.

For more information, please visit our page on Incognito – Lingual Braces.

With all these cosmetic orthodontic treatment options, having straight teeth for you wedding is no longer a dream. Contact Specialists in Orthodontics or your local orthodontist to find out what are your options.

The post Straight Teeth For Your Wedding first appeared on Specialists In Orthodontics.

Here are some tips to help you ease the discomfort:

1. Take pain relief medications

When force is applied to teeth by braces, an inflammatory response around your teeth is initiated during the first few days. It is this inflammatory response that results in the discomfort you experience. Taking pain relief medications, such as ibuprofen or paracetamol, can help relief the pain in your jaws and gums. However, pain relievers are not the best solution as they can be addictive. Take pain relief medications only if you need to.

2. Cold or frozen foods/drinks

Consuming cold foods/drinks helps numb the teeth and gums, and any areas on the inner cheeks that are ulcerated from the braces. Remember to brush your teeth after any sweet treats!

3. Using orthodontic wax

Most patients will be given orthodontic wax once they started orthodontic treatment. Orthodontic wax can be applied onto areas that are poking or sticking out. It acts as a barrier between the soft tissues and the braces. Applying orthodontic wax to braces provides great relief to the discomfort caused by your braces.

4. Warm salty water rinses

Another simple and quick home remedy to relief discomfort from braces is regular warm salty water rinses. Salt is a natural curing ingredient. Simply gurgles salty water a few times a day can help ease the pain from ulcerations and swelling on your gums and inner cheeks.

5. Practice good oral hygiene

Infection in the gums can be a source of pain in the mouth. During your orthodontic treatment, it is important that you practice meticulous oral hygiene. This is because food particles can easily get caught under your braces and wires, and in between your teeth. These in turn becomes plaque on your teeth, which can cause tooth decay and gum infection.

Use a floss designed to work around braces, and brush gently around your teeth and gums with soft bristles toothbrush. Don’t forget to brush around your braces too, as food can be trapped under the braces and wires.

6. Contact your orthodontist

Some pain and discomfort is expected after you had your braces put on and after your orthodontist tightened your braces. If, however, after you have tried all home remedies and the pain persists, you may contact your orthodontist and have your braces checked. Sometimes, it is a poking wire that needs to be trimmed.

Contact Specialists in Orthodontics to organize a FREE consultation appointment with our specialist orthodontists.

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Placement of Braces

Just before the orthodontist place the braces on your teeth, a cheek retractor will be placed to retract your cheek slightly away from your teeth. You may feel a slight pull on your cheek during the process. You should not feel any pain while the orthodontist is giving your teeth a rinse and dry. Same applies, when you have the braces positioned onto each individual tooth nor when the assistant applies a blue LED light to set the braces on your teeth. Once the braces are in place, the orthodontist will engage the wires to the braces. Discomfort on your teeth don’t usually start at this stage.

First Few Days After Placement of Braces

During these first few days, you teeth may start to feel uncomfortable. Not only because your teeth are starting to move and align themselves, you are probably still getting used to having braces and wires on your teeth. All these factors, may contribute to the initial discomfort that you will experience.

When force is applied to teeth by braces, an inflammatory response around your teeth is initiated during the first few days. It is this inflammatory response that results in the discomfort you experience. The degree of discomfort experienced varies between patients. Some patients describe it as ‘tightness’ on the teeth. Others reported they felt no discomfort at all. In most cases, over-the-counter pain relief medications will help ease the discomfort.

Regular Orthodontic Appointments

As the orthodontist adjusts and tightens your braces during regular review appointments, the teeth are gradually moved into proper alignment. You may feel the same discomfort on the first day or two after you had your braces adjusted. The degree of discomfort should reduce overtime as the teeth are getting more aligned, hence, less ‘tooth movement’ required.

Does Invisalign hurt? Or, Does Orthodontic Plates Hurts Less?

Just like braces, Invisalign, or any other types of orthodontic appliances, moves teeth by applying force onto your teeth. Teeth do not differentiate what appliance is being used to apply force onto them. As long as there is a force placed on teeth, and there is movement involved, the same inflammatory response will be initiated and discomfort will be felt.

Discomfort from braces should not deterred you from getting braces or any orthodontic treatment. Most of the time, your orthodontist and his/her assistants should be able to offer you helpful tips to relief discomfort from braces.

If you have more questions about getting braces or orthodontic treatment, contact our friendly team to organise a FREE CONSULT to speak with our experience orthodontist.

The post Do Braces Hurt? first appeared on Specialists In Orthodontics.

Fortunately, the good news is that new research by Australian Society of Orthodontists (ASO) have revealed that children’s attitude towards braces have changed significantly in recent years, with 7 in 10 children reacting with happiness and excitement when they knew they are getting braces.

The study also reported the following:

• 94% of orthodontists have experienced parents bringing their child in for a consultation because the child wants braces.
• 9 in 10 orthodontists have witnessed a child became visibly upset when told they didn’t need braces.

With the continuous improvement and development in the industry, modern braces are a lot smaller in size as compared to those used years ago, making them a lot more comfortable to wear. In addition, compared to the old days, now, there are more cosmetic treatment options available, such as clear braces and Invisalign Teen.

With more school aged children getting braces in recent years, it has almost become a norm to wear braces. Peers are excited to see their classmates getting braces and the type of braces they are getting.

If you like to find out more about braces for your child, ASO has launched a free online educational e-book to guide families through their orthodontic journey. You may download the e-book here.

The post What do children think about braces? first appeared on Specialists In Orthodontics.

How can I tell if my child needs braces?

You probably will not know for sure if your child will need braces until he or she had a consultation with the orthodontist. However, here are a few signs you may look out for, indicating your child is likely to benefit from visiting the orthodontist:

• Early, late, or irregular loss of baby teeth
• Delayed eruption of adult teeth
• Difficulty in chewing or biting
• Teeth are crowded, blocked out, or misplaced
• Teeth are too far forward or sticking out
• Thumb- or finger-sucking
• Small or large lower jaw
• Missing teeth
• Upper teeth that are biting on the inside of lower teeth

These are just a few rather obvious signs that braces may benefit your child. However, a lot of other bite issues may not be picked up until a radiograph and a thorough assessment by your orthodontist is performed.

When should my child see an orthodontist?

Although orthodontic treatment can be carried out at practically any age, there is an optimal timing of treatment for each individual. Sometimes, early orthodontic treatment can significantly reduce the complexity of future comprehensive treatment, as well as, possibly achieving a much more desirable final result.

It is recommended that an initial orthodontic assessment be performed at the first sign of orthodontic problems or around age 7. At this age, the adult molars would have erupted and changing between milk teeth and adult teeth begins. Not everyone is suitable to receive orthodontic treatment at this stage, but a thorough examination can help the orthodontist determine the best time to begin orthodontic treatment for your child.

What are the benefits of early orthodontic examination?

Early detection of orthodontic problems can allow timely intervention which allows guidance of jaw growth and development of dentition. Even if orthodontic treatment is not indicated at this stage, our orthodontists can monitor your child’s growth and development and start treatment at the most suitable timing.

The benefits of early interceptive treatments are:

• Preserving or creating spaces to allow eruption of adult teeth
• Reducing the need for teeth extraction
• Reducing risk of trauma of protruding front teeth
• Stop uneven toothwear and gum recession as a result of an underbite
• Shorten treatment time in braces
• Balancing facial profile by influencing jaw growth

What causes the need for braces?

Crooked teeth, or more correctly known as malocclusion, can be caused by a number of things. Crooked teeth can be an inherited trait. Parents with crooked teeth are more likely to have children with irregularly aligned teeth. Others develop over time due to thumb- or finger-sucking, mouth breathing, dental decay, accidents, or poor nutrition. Or there is not enough room in the jaws for the teeth so they become crowed or crooked, or the jaws don’t line up properly.

To learn more about causes of crooked teeth, please visit our blog post Why Do I Have Crooked Teeth?

What type of braces will be best for my child?

So, your child had a consultation with the orthodontist. You were probably given a few choices of appliances that may be suitable for your child. But, which one will suit your child best?

Since your child will be the one wearing the braces, it is important to engage him or her into the decision making process. Here are some features of different appliances that are commonly used in current orthodontic treatments:

• Metal Braces – Most cost effective
• Clear Braces – Aesthetic appearance
• Invisalign – Highly aesthetic appearance, good compliance required
• Lingual Braces – Highly aesthetic appearance

Most parents will also be considering the cost factor for each option. The generally rule is, the cost of treatment increased from metal and clear braces to Invisalign, followed by lingual braces.

Want to find out more about whether your child needs braces? Call Specialists in Orthodontics today to make a FREE consultation appointment with our specialist orthodontist.

The post How To Tell If My Child Needs Braces? first appeared on Specialists In Orthodontics.