How To Make Sure Your New Braces Are Not Highly Visible
If you are a teenager who has recently started meeting with an orthodontist who is going to secure braces on your teeth, then you likely have many concerns about the orthodontic process. One of these concerns may be the highly visible natural of the braces. If aesthetics are something that you worry about, then there are a few things that can be done to make the braces appear a bit less visible.
Ask For Clear Brackets
Braces have many parts and pieces that include the brackets, ligature wires, archwires, coils, hooks, and elastics. Most of the parts and pieces that make up the braces are formed from stainless steel. This helps to provide the orthodontic hardware with strength while also minimizing allergy concerns. However, the metal is quite visible. If this is not something you like, then you can inquire about braces that use ceramic brackets instead.
Ceramic brackets are made from a composite crystalline silicon material or a glass fiber compound. This means that the braces are not made from a true clay ceramic material like your dishes or the figurines in your house. The crystalline materials are typically stronger than fired ceramics and much more translucent.
The coloring of the ceramic brackets makes them virtually invisible when placed in the mouth. This is ideal if you want your braces to appear more hidden. The brackets are best placed if your teeth are a lighter shade of white. However, you should know that the ceramic will not be as strong as stainless steel. If you choose the ceramic brackets over a metal option, then it may take longer to straighten your teeth. Specifically, your orthodontist may not be able to tighten archwires as much, and your teeth may move more slowly. If your teeth are extremely crooked and need extensive straightening, then this should be considered when you pick out the brackets.
Invest In Your Oral Health
While braces themsevles are visible, you may unintentionally draw more negative attention to your teeth if you slack off when it comes to your oral care routine. Teeth that are covered in plaque and tartar will be yellow and noticeable. So will teeth that are covered in bits of food and gums that are swollen and red.
To make sure your teeth and gums are clean, invest in the right cleaning tools. End tufted brushes are meant to clean around crowded teeth, bridges, and tight spots in the mouth. They are also ideal for cleaning around braces. Interdental brushes can be worked underneath the archwires as well to make sure the teeth are cleaned. To floss the teeth, purchase floss picks or rounded flossers that can easily be slipped underneath the braces. Irrigators or water flossers are good tools to use as well.
Not only do you need special tools to clean the teeth, but you also need the right toothpaste. A good toothpaste is one that will kill a great deal of bacteria in the mouth. This will keep microorganisms from hiding in the crevices around the brackets where they can turn plaque into hardened tartar. Also, a paste that reduces sensitivity is a good option, because the teeth can be quite sensitive when braces are added. Fluoride is a good ingredient as well, so cavities are unable to form around the brackets.
Pastes that clean and harden the teeth and also reduce sensitivity and bacterial issues are best. You should also stay away from toothpastes that have whitening ingredients. These pastes can whiten the free dental enamel you see, but they may not whiten very well around the dental brackets. This can leave a round yellow halo around each tooth, and this will be far more visible than normal dental staining. For more information, contact a business such as Cobbe Dental & Orthodontics.
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