In the initial stages of alignment, you may feel the wires poke as your teeth start to move. Ortho wax can be used temporarily, but call the office to have the wires trimmed if it bothers you.
It takes 48 hours for the adhesive to fully set. If any part of the braces become loose, contact the office to set an appointment to have it fixed.
Missed appointments, broken brackets and poor hygiene may extend treatment time.
Cooperation in wearing elastics, headgear, removable appliances, and retainers is most essential to treatment success.
Cleaning the teeth with braces will be more difficult than cleaning your teeth without braces, so work hard at it. Remember, teeth move faster through healthy tissues and there is no substitute for a fresh, clean mouth. Parents…do not hesitate to inspect your child’s mouth and urge them on to better brushing if hygiene is not where it should be.
Oral Hygiene
Brush your teeth thoroughly for 2-3 minutes three times a day. We also recommend brushing after each meal or snack.
Brush your teeth up and down and crosswise, one tooth at a time.
If toothpaste is unavailable, brush without.
If you are unable to brush, rinse mouth vigorously.
After brushing, check teeth with a handheld mirror in good lighting to ensure cleanliness.
Be sure to brush your tongue as well.
Floss one time daily. Oral irrigation devices such as a Water Pik can be a useful addition to your routine but NOT a replacement to brushing and flossing.
Flossing
Brushing
Managing Discomfort
When movement first starts, the teeth can become very sore. This soreness may last for 3-4 days. Eating softer foods and taking what you take for headaches may help with the discomfort. For irritated gums, rinse mouth with warm salt water (one teaspoon per glass).
Adventures in eating
Please avoid sticky, chewy, crunchy foods. For example: ice cubes, bubble gum, popcorn, nuts, caramels etc. Before eating apples, carrots, celery, etc., slice them thinly.
The braces are not as strong as your own teeth, so be kind to them and take care of them. They will in turn, do a great service for you.
SEE WHY PATIENTS LOVE OUR AWARD-WINNING SACRAMENTO ORTHODONTIST FOR BRACES & INVISALIGN
"My orthodontic treatment was great at Dr. DeLurgio's office. The staff is great and Dr. DeLurgio is very kind and informative. Her work speaks for itself. I appreciate her attention to detail and most of all, the quality of her work. I can't stop looking at my teeth. I didn't know they look that good."*- Rachaad H.
"I am a local dental hygienist and I only wanted the best for my daughter. Dr DeLurgio and Dr Blom are the BEST. The care that they took was incredible and her teeth are perfect. I would highly recommend them to everyone...in fact I do to all of my patients in need of ortho care. Thank you Dr DeLurgio and Dr Blom!!"*- Keri O.
"I wasn’t very excited when I found out I had to get braces for what was estimated to be two years. Thankfully Dr. Delurgio introduced me to the Acceledent device which saved me an entire year. My braces are off earlier than I expected and my teeth and bite are perfect. I couldn’t be happier with the results."*- Catie M.
"My younger son's braces were off earlier than expected and he loved the result of how his teeth were aligned. It's really worth to see these Drs Blom and Delurgio. They're so nice they made my son comfortable and really professional including their staff. Sadly, Dr Blom already retired from his practice but with Dr Delurgio now in-charge I'm so confident with her that my other son who just started his braces late last year is getting improvement with his teeth."*- Gem R.
*The reviews on this page are from actual patients of DeLurgio. Individual results may vary. Reviews are not claimed to represent results for everyone.
