Dr. Cynthia Wong’s potential patients are often reluctant to get braces because they are afraid they would look and feel awkward. We offer invisible braces and Invisalign partly for this reason, but these still require retainers to be worn afterward, and when people spit out their retainers while they are dining with friends, feeling awkward is quite natural. There are a few pitfalls which you might want to know to watch out for before you get orthodontics.
While you are wearing traditional (or clear, or ceramic) braces, you will want to keep the proxabrush on you at all times. This will allow you to dislodge food from the front of your mouth any time you duck out to the bathroom. Of course, food can still get stuck in between your teeth, but if you are concerned enough about this to carry floss, you can also carry a floss threader. Braces are likely to trap much bigger food chunks than you are used to dealing with, and carrying the proxabrush will provide you with peace of mind so you aren’t tempted to push at your braces with the tip of your tongue (or thumb).
Likewise, if you wear a retainer or aligner, keep the case close at hand, even if out of sight. In terms of etiquette, the retainer is ideally removed and replaced in private, but sometimes, you will get offered food unexpectedly. Never leave the retainer in while eating; it is much better to explain the need to remove it and do so as discreetly as possible than to attempt to eat while wearing it, possibly damaging it, and creating a great deal of difficulty for yourself with every bite and swallow.
Cynthia Wong, DMD, operates at 15614 S Harlem #B, Orland Park, Illinois, 60462. To contact her office, call 708-444-8341 or visit DrCynthiaWong.com and send a message.
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