Wake Forest Orthodontics

Adult Treatment

Who is a good candidate for orthodontic treatment?

Were you the negligent teenager who refused to wear her retainer after orthodontic treatment or were you the one never allowed that glorious opportunity to sport a mouth full of metal down the school halls? Have you noticed that your teeth have continued to change as you’ve gotten older? Well, now is your time to bring back the healthy, beautiful smile!

Whether or not you’ve had braces before, you could be a good candidate for orthodontic treatment, if you have healthy gums and good bone structure around your teeth. And, the bonus is that these are not the painful, bulky metal braces of the 1960s and 1970s anymore. Today’s braces can be nearly invisible – the color of “ice”- or be completely clear, like Invisalign. You can also sport any color elastics on your braces to match your wardrobe, season, or sporting event. Why not start the road to a healthier, happier, smilier you today?

Orthodontic treatment as an adult can dramatically improve the health of your teeth and gums, as well as personal appearance and self-esteem. Crooked teeth and a bad bite can contribute to gum and bone loss, tooth decay, and abnormal wear of tooth enamel surfaces. Malocclusions, or bad bites, occur as a result of tooth misalignment or jaw discrepancies and can affect the way you smile, chew, clean your teeth or feel about your smile.

Brushing for Oral Health

Follow these tips on how to brush your teeth:

• Brush your teeth at least twice a day and ideally after every meal, using fluoride-containing toothpaste.
• Use a soft-bristled toothbrush — it's gentler on your gums.
• To brush properly, hold your toothbrush at a slight angle against your teeth and use short back-and-forth motions.
• Brush the inside and chewing surfaces of your teeth.
• Brush your teeth for about two minutes each time you brush.
• Brush your tongue.
• Avoid vigorous or harsh scrubbing, which can irritate your gums.
• Replace your toothbrush every three or four months, or sooner if it becomes frayed.
• Consider using an electric toothbrush, especially if you have arthritis or other problems that make it difficult to brush well.

Flossing for Oral Heatlth

A toothbrush can't reach all the tight spaces between your teeth or the areas under your gumline. That can allow plaque to build up, threatening your oral health. Flossing, though, removes those particles and improves oral health.

Follow these tips on how to floss your teeth:

• When you floss, gently ease the floss between your teeth.
• Pull the ends of the floss against the front and back surface of a tooth so that the floss forms a "C" as it wraps around the tooth.
• Gently pull the floss from the gumline to the top of the tooth to scrape off plaque.
• Floss the backs of your teeth.
• Use fresh floss as you progress through your teeth.
• If you have trouble getting floss through your teeth, try waxed floss.
• If it's hard to manipulate the floss, try using a floss holder.

Other Oral Health Care Tips

Brushing and flossing are the mainstays of good dental care and oral health. In addition to those, you may also want to consider these oral health tips:

• Use an interdental cleaner, such as a dental pick or dental stick specially designed to clean between your teeth.
• Use a mouth rinse to help reduce plaque between your teeth.
• Use oral irrigators, or devices that aim a stream of water at your teeth, to remove food particles.
• Don't use toothpicks or other objects that aren't made to clean your teeth.

Oral Health Problems to Report to Your Dentist

Call your dentist promptly if you develop any of the following signs and symptoms that may suggest oral health problems:

• Red, tender or swollen gums
• Gums that bleed when you're regularly brushing and flossing
• Gums that are pulling away from your teeth, which may make your teeth seem longer
• Pus around your teeth and gums when you press on the gums
• A bad taste in your mouth
• Loose teeth
• Changes in the way your top and bottom teeth touch
• Sensitivity to hot and cold

source: Mayo Clinic