Oral Care For Braces

Dr. Cynthia Wong wants you to have the best results possible when it comes to your orthodontic care. Because thorough oral hygiene is more difficult with braces, braces wearers are more prone to gingivitis, tartar, and demineralization than non-braces wearers. While you are wearing braces, it is essential that you take care of your teeth and gums properly.

Braces have countless tiny spaces to trap food, and this trapped food causes plaque, which can lead to many other dental problems. Because of this, it's very important to brush your teeth after every meal (snacks count, too), to rinse with mouthwash, and to floss at least once a day. This may seem tedious or excessive, but neglecting your oral hygiene can lead to serious oral health problems, force you to spend additional time in braces, or cause unsightly staining on your teeth.

If you have questions about how to maintain proper oral hygiene while wearing braces, give us a call. To learn more about the different types of braces available, visit www.drcynthiawong.com for more information. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Cynthia Wong in Orland Park, IL, call 708-444-8341.

What Do Rubber Bands Do For Braces?

In some cases, when a patient is wearing dental braces, Dr. Cynthia Wong may need to supply the patient with rubber bands. While brackets, archwires, and ligatures are responsible for moving teeth along the gum line and the angle at which they point away from the gums, rubber bands pull the jaw forward or backward in order to line up your top and bottom rows of teeth to improve your smile and make your teeth fit together comfortably when you bite down.

Rubber bands attach to the braces in specific ways to apply proper pressure on your teeth. The constant, steady pressure moves teeth. Elastics must be worn consistently, usually 24 hours a day. Leaving your elastics off for as little as a day can allow teeth to move back and erase the progress you had made. The way in which the elastics attach to the braces dictates the direction of the tension, so the specific configuration of the rubber bands is customized for each patient. The rubber bands typically hook over loops on the brackets of upper and lower teeth and may be placed vertically, diagonally or in a zigzag pattern.

If you have questions about using rubber bands while wearing braces, give us a call. To learn more about the different types of braces available, visit www.drcynthiawong.com for more information. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Cynthia Wong in Orland Park, IL, call 708-444-8341.

How are Braces Removed from Teeth?

It’s official. You have undergone months, or perhaps years, of orthodontic treatment in the form of dental braces and now the glorious moment has come to finally have them removed. Understanding the process that Dr. Cynthia Wong will follow to remove your braces will help you better know what to expect when the time comes.

The removal of braces is a relatively quick and painless procedure and they must be removed in the reverse order from how they were applied. Therefore, the small elastic bands that are placed around each bracket to hold the wiring system in place must be taken off first. To do this, Dr. Cynthia Wong will use a small dental instrument with a hook to carefully remove each band.

After the elastic bands are removed, Dr. Cynthia Wong will use small pliers to gently detach the wire from the groove on top of each bracket and from the anchor bands that may be located on the back molars. Dr. Wong will then use special pliers to squeeze and remove each bracket individually. Because the separation of the bracket and tooth occurs at the point where the bracket met the adhesive keeping it in place, residue will remain on the tooth until it is polished and cleaned.

After the removal of your braces, Dr. Cynthia Wong will discuss the need for you to continue orthodontic treatment in the form of permanent or temporary retainers. To learn more about the different types of braces available, visit www.drcynthiawong.com for more information. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Cynthia Wong in Orland Park, IL, call 708-444-8341.