How Long Will I Have To Wear Braces?

Braces are appliances that orthodontists use to fix mal-positioned or crowded teeth and correct large gaps in them. They are made out of thin but solid wires that hold your teeth in an aligned position.  Braces help improve your oral health greatly and make biting and chewing easier. Also, they are there for some time to give you a pleasant, confident and bright smile.

The length of time you will have to wear braces depends on the current condition of your teeth. Generally they are worn for about 18 months to 2 years.  Orthodontists have their own set of goals with regards to your dental condition as well. In some severe cases, head gears and retainers are also required in addition to braces.

Procedure

In your first session, you will get your teeth properly examined and your orthodontist will let you know thorough details about your dental situation. He/she will also do an oral exam via x-rays to see whether any tooth extractions are required before the braces. Once that is done and it is time for you to get braces, your orthodontist will carefully fix brackets on your teeth. Then, wires and bands will be added. This whole procedure will take about 30 minutes. Professionally trained staff will give you anesthesia before the procedure starts so you don’t need to worry about feeling pain or discomfort. Your orthodontist will make sure that your mouth is numb before he starts off. However, there will be mild soreness and tightness for a few days. Which you will be mentally prepared for by your orthodontist. You may be prescribed pain relievers.

Usually, orthodontists recommend wax to ease the pain that is caused by wires and is likely to hurt your gums. This dental wax comes in small boxes and it will be provided to you by your orthodontist. For a few days you will be asked to eat soft and light foods such as instant noodles and soups.  On each of your session after that, your orthodontist will monitor the progress of your teeth and change the bands. The cool part is that you can select the color of the bands yourself. You will have a lot of fascinating options to choose from. Neon colors and many other shades of your favorite colors. Good news is that there are glow in the dark ones available too. The unlimited variety of bands is surely something to look forward to.

Proper Care of Oral Hygiene You will have to be extra careful and take your oral hygiene very seriously once you get braces. If you leave everything on your orthodontist and don’t do anything on your own, then I’m afraid there maybe problems coming your way that you should be aware of. For instance, if you don’t brush your teeth everyday then there is a high chance that you can develop a gum disease. To avoid such a risk from happening, use a soft bristled tooth brush and a fluoride tooth paste regularly. In addition to that, your orthodontist will provide you with a thread equipment for flossing. You may use that to get rid of the tiny bits of food stuck between brackets and wires.

Bottom-Line

To conclude, it is very important that you go for regular checkups and get your teeth cleaned by your orthodontist on each visit. If you don’t follow instructions and don’t maintain compliance then it can extend the time needed for completion and may cause complications. The more careful you are, the less time it takes to fix your teeth and get rid of the braces. The feeling is glorious when that happens.

So what are you waiting for? Get solutions to all your braces related concerns by scheduling an appointment with the best orthodontist in NYC today!