I Just Got Braces...Now What?

Photo provided by ormco.com

At Spannhake Orthodontics we believe you have taken the first step toward a healthier and more beautiful smile but you are probably wondering what comes next. 

The first week is the biggest period of adjustment, and there is a lot to learn in this short time. What to eat?  How to brush?  No worries, in a very short time your braces will feel completely natural. 

On the first day, your braces will probably feel sort of like a mouthful and it may take time to get used to them. By the second day, you may feel some soreness or discomfort.   If you are going to experience any discomfort, the second and third days are when it will happen. If you do experience discomfort it can be dealt with by taking an over-the-counter pain reliever, such as Tylenol. 

Make sure you have an adequate supply of dental wax, special cleaning aids, elastic bands, or other related materials you may need between appointments. If you have any questions or concerns the team at Spannhake Orthodontics is here to help you! We are just a phone call away in Towson at (410) 321-5004 or Westminster at (410) 857-4700.

Eating With Braces

Photo provided by oralb.com

Now that you have your braces, what foods can you still enjoy? While some foods are off limits, don't worry, you'll be eating popcorn and snacking on potato chips again in no time! 

However, before you can start enjoying some of the treats you love, you will need to take special care to avoid any foods that could damage your new appliances. 

Please do not eat hard foods, including nuts, ice, crisp taco shells, whole apples and carrots (cut them into pieces first), hard French bread crust and rolls, spare ribs, corn on the cob (cut the corn off the cob before eating) and popcorn! These foods can cause breakage of the brackets and wires. Also avoid nail-biting and pen- or pencil-chewing habits, since these can damage your braces. Do not eat sticky foods like taffy, caramels, bubblegum or sticky candy of any sort. 

Foods to AVOID with braces

• Chewy foods — bagels, licorice 
• Crunchy foods — popcorn, chips, ice 
• Sticky foods — caramel candies, chewing gum 
• Hard foods — nuts, hard candies 
• Foods that require biting into — corn on the cob, apples, carrots 

Foods you CAN eat with braces

• Dairy — soft cheese, pudding, milk-based drinks 
• Breads — soft tortillas, pancakes, muffins without nuts 
• Grains — pasta, soft cooked rice 
• Meats/poultry — soft cooked chicken, meatballs, lunch meats 
• Seafood — tuna, salmon, crab cakes 

Remember: Excessive broken appliances due to careless eating habits may result in additional charges for repair.

If you have any questions about which foods may be harmful to your braces, please don't hesitate to ask one of our team members at your next appointment with Spannhake Orthodontics.

Loose Bands, Broken Brackets, Poking Wires...Oh My

Spannhake Orthodontics

We know even despite your best efforts, the wires and bands on your braces may come loose. If this happens, please contact Spannhake Orthodontics as soon as possible so that we can check and repair your appliance.  

In the interim, the following are helpful hints to remedy some of the problems you may encounter until you can be seen in our office. 

• Poking Wire: If a tie wire is irritating your mouth, cover it with orthodontic wax or tuck it under the archwire using a blunt object like a pencil eraser or a Q-Tip. 
• Loose Bracket: A loose band or bracket can generally be left in place until seen in our office. Call the office as soon as you notice a loose band or bracket so we can schedule you to be seen to reattach the loose appliance. 
• Broken Archwire: A broken archwire, or one that is irritating the gum or cheek tissue, needs to be seen as soon as possible for replacement or adjustment. 
• Bent Appliance: A bent headgear facebow, or removable appliance that is not fitting well, is not to be worn until it can be properly adjusted in our office. Call the office as soon as possible to schedule an appointment to have the facebow or removable appliance adjusted. 
• Soreness: Several days of soreness and sensitivity are common following an office visit. If you are experiencing abnormal pain or discomfort please contact our office. 

Don't hesitate to reach out to us at (410) 321-5004 in our Towson office or at (410) 857-4700 in our Westminster office immediately if you experience any issue with your braces. 

Our office is generally open Monday through Thursday with occasional Fridays. Should you have an emergency after hours or on the weekends, the office recording will give you instructions and provide you with a number to call.

Spotlight on This Months Check-In 4 Charity: Breast Cancer Research Foundation

This month with your help, we are supporting the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

The mission of the BreastCancer Research Foundation (BCRF) is to prevent and cure breast cancer by advancing the world's most promising research. The only way to achieve this goal is through research. Research is revolutionizing our understanding of cancer. Research is leading us to the core of this insidious disease. Research is transforming lives every day as women and men get the help they need. They believe research—and research alone—has the power to bring an end to cancer. They have more than 275 researchers urgently working on solutions to one of the world’s greatest problems.

Since their founding in 1993 by Evelyn H. Lauder, BCRF has raised more than half a billion dollars for lifesaving research. Through a unique and streamlined grants program, they seek out the brightest minds in science and medicine and give them the necessary resources to pursue their best ideas. As a result, researchers are able to make discoveries and design new approaches to address all aspects of breast cancer—and do so in record time.

Breast cancer knows no age, gender, or race. As the most common cancer in women worldwide and the second most common cancer overall, it remains a fact of life. The thousands of women and men suffering from breast cancer today depend on us. No institution can conquer this disease alone. Together, we can. 

JOIN US IN SUPPORTING THE BREAST CANCER RESEARCH FOUNDATION

Spannhake Orthodontics takes part in the Check-In 4 Charity program. Whenever you check-in at our office on Facebook, a donation will be generated for the charity of the month. Be sure to check-in at your next appointment and together we can give back to this amazing charity during the month of October.