Good Luck Readers!

Hello Readers,

We really appreciate all your support for our blog. It has been a good time for us and we really enjoy it.

This year, we have a packed schedule and will not be able to regularly post every week as we have been doing. This doesn't mean we are done forever necessarily. If we have any new updates or experiences we go through, we will make the time to submit a post about it.

We hope our blog helped make things easier for you and given you helpful information regarding braces and orthodontics in general. Thanks again for all your support!

Until next time,

-Amanda and Erik

First Day with HeadGear

Now both of us had head gear over a year and a half ago. We remember feeling excited, anxious and in pain for most of that day. Looking back, it really wasn’t a very big deal, but we know that it is when it’s happening. If your first day is coming up, here are some tips.

1. Be excited! It’s a good thing! It is exciting getting something new, starting a new experience. It will all go well.


2. Take Tylenol before your appointment. That way the pain will not set in immediately. Trust us, it hurts even around 15 minutes after you put them in the first time.

3. Be prepared for some remarks. Even family probably can’t resist making a few metalmouth cracks the first day. Don’t worry though, chances are your parents had head gear when they were little too, ours did!


If you have any questions on the first day and what happens, please leave a comment!

-Amanda and Erik

Facts About Frenectomy 2

Recovery from the Procedure:
After doing some research, it seems the recovery time varies with age. Younger kids who had a frenectomy done healed much faster and with less complications than adults. This might have something to do with the fact that kids are still growing so the frenulum might not be entirely grown in, thus easier to cut. Also it seems that the people who received the procedure via laser had less problems and a shorter recovery time. The average recovery seems to be around 5 days to be fully recovered. Depending on your pain level, the number might be smaller. Similar to when you get your wisdom teeth out, you will receive painkillers after your procedure.


In this links, we found the comments from people who have received the procedure very informational:
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-frenectomy.htm

Complications:
There are also complications that can arise from the surgery. In any procedure where there will be an open wound essentially (wisdom teeth removal, fiberotomy) there is risk of infection. Other risks include speech impediments, tooth sensitivity, scar tissue development, and lack of facial control due to lack of strength in the tongue/or cheek muscles. Another thing that should be considered are the risks from anesthesia. It all depends on what kind you get, general or just Novocain. With Novocain the side effects are the usual prolonged numbness. If you choose general anesthesia, side effects such as nausea, bleeding and bruising can occur. It seems encouraged for younger children to get the general anesthesia done because, especially if done with a laser, the patient must stay very still.

One tip we found for the aftercare of your mouth is warm salt water rinse (this doesn’t mean swishing or gurgling because this can aggravate the site). This helps to remove dried blood build up and can reduce swelling along with keeping the area clean.

http://www.dentalfind.com/info/frenectomy


Here is an example of a consent form for the procedure which includes side effects and risks involved.

http://www.southoms.com/consent%20forms/Consent%20for%20Frenectomy%20Surgery.pdf

We hope this gives you more information on this procedure. Please leave a comment if you have any questions and we will do our best to research and answer them!


-Amanda and Erik

Pain in a Frenectomy

Now this is considered a relatively non invasive surgery. Once you receive the stitches, it should take around the same time as wisdom teeth removal to heal up. Similiaryly, you should stay away from hard foods and such. We have found a few links on people’♠ experiences of the pain involved with this procedure.

http://www.identalhub.com/forum_pain-after-one-month-of-frenectomy-1885.aspx


http://www.waynesthisandthat.com/frenectomy.htm

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110610005312AABzbnb


http://www.airmailchemist.com/product_info.php?products_id=2072


Hope these answer some questions you might have if you are going to have this procedure!

-Amanda and Erik

Facts about Frenectomy

*Warning! The pictures and videos linked to in this video are pretty gross so do not view if you have a weak stomach!*


Another procedure that is being implemented is called a frenectomy. Like its brother the fiberotomy procedure, a frenectomy also severs tissue in your mouth called your frenulum. A frenulum is a fold of tissue that either lets parts of your body move or restricts movement. There are 5 different areas of oral frenulum: the tissue connecting your upper lip, connecting your lower lip, connecting your tongue to the base of your mouth, and the two connecting your cheeks to your gums. The most common frenulum being severed in a frenectomy is the one connecting your upper lip to the gum above your front teeth. This is specifically called a labial frenectomy, to get the terms straight (the one removing the frenulum under your tongue is called a lingual frenectomy and is sometimes used to correct speech impediments that developed due to too much tissue around the tongue).

This procedure can be prescribed while you have braces, long after you have braces or before you have braces. The overall cost is around $3,000 as it is also a cosmetic surgery (see fiberotomy) and is not covered by insurance. So one should consider carefully whether to go through with this procedure!

Here are a few links about the specific details of a frenectomy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labial_frenectomy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frenectomy

http://nyp.org/health/frenectomy.html


The necessity of a labial frenectomy is that the frenulum attached to your upper lip can sometimes pull the gums away from your front teeth and make it so your front two teeth never close the gap. For this procedure it is generally recommended to wait till you have your permanent canines and permanent incisors (around 11 years old or so). This is to make sure that the gap in your front teeth don’t close naturally since if they did you wouldn’t need the procedure!


Now there are two different methods of snipping those frenulum out there. One method is using a scalpel. The other is using a CO2 laser. In 2006, there was a study comparing the two methods and it found that the laser method, when done correctly had a shorter recovery and less pain for the patient (http://www.joponline.org/doi/abs/10.1902/jop.2006.060043). In both cases it is necessary for your surgeon to put in a few stitches to close up the tear.

Here is a video of the procedure using a laser and it is not for the faint of stomachs. We could not find a video of the procedure using a scalpel but we assume its similar.

We warned you!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q68fuAELcJA&feature=related


Next post we will discuss the pain level, recovery, setbacks, and risks of the frenectomy procedure along with our opinions so look for it next Wednesday!


-Amanda and Erik

Fiberotomy Informational Links 2

After some more web searching, we have found more information on how the Fiberotomy procedure works, as well as many videos of it being done. Hope these help!

Here is a video link, though be warned it is not for the faint of heart:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgGFF5lrF3c\

Also, this channel has many good videos. We also recommend reading through the comments on any videos you watch, there might be some good insights.

http://ezinearticles.com/?What-Are-Frenectomies,-Fiberotomies,-Gingivoplasties-and-How-They-Relate-to-Orthodontic-Treatment&id=6301223


http://www.enotes.com/topic/Fiberotomy

The fact that there is a very small amount of information available online shows that the procedure is still in its developmental stage. We think that because it is so new, if your orthodontist suggests you get it done, it is our opinion that you hold off until there is more information on the procedure. There is next to no information on the long term effects of this surgery. Neither of us has gotten this done, none of our friends have gotten it done, and neither of our parents got it done. Yet all of us still have straight teeth. This proves the validity of wearing a retainer.

-Erik and Amanda

Wisdom Teeth Amanda: Recovery

For the next 3 days, I was basically fine to move around unlike Erik who has basically bed ridden for a week. My jaw and mouth were still sore but I took my 600mg ibuprofen every six hours so they weren’t very painful. Over all I was pretty much back to normal. I just ate jello (lots of jello), eggs, ice cream, milkshakes. Anything such as milkshakes and smoothies I had to eat with a spoon because you are not supposed to suck and spit until the sockets are healed.

Compared to Erik’s surgery, mine had a very quick recovery period.

-Amanda and Erik

Wisdom Teeth Removal: Amanda Part Two

So the other Tuesday, after not eating before midnight the night before, I went to the orthodontist office dressed in comfortable clothing and got ready for the procedure. I went into the office then took a mix of Versed and Tylenol that is used to calm down the patient before the procedure. The assistant had me sit in the chair for 10 minutes to let it kick in. By the end of the 10 minutes I was a little bit worried because I didn’t feel any different! She led me into the chair that they were going to do the procedure in. I was still pretty with it. But I must have been slowly drifting off because although I vaguely remember the oral surgeon strapping on the tourniquet to give me the I.V. the next thing I know I am on my couch at home!

Almost immediately after waking up (although apparently I had woken up before…I just don’t remember it!), my dad had to clean my mouth because I had drooled blood all over myself. But this was normal. And then after that, the pain set in IMMEDIATELY. It hurt a lot! But I just iced for a while and took some ibuprofen and slept. And that was day one of my procedure!


-Amanda and Erik

Teeth Whitening

Some people try to get whiter smiles by whitening or bleaching their teeth. There are many different types:

Whitening Toothpastes: These are essentially polishers. They are more gritty.


Strips: These you apply to your teeth and leave them on. These basically bleach your teeth because they contain peroxide based solution.

Mouthwashes: These are supposed to whiten your teeth and you take them like mouthwash. Similar to strips they contain peroxide based solution that basically slowly bleaches your teeth!


More info
http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/teeth-whitening


But be careful if you decide to whiten your teeth. The peroxide will strip away the enamel on your teeth and remember enamel doesn’t grow back! The safest of these would be the toothpastes but if possible try to find natural ones without peroxide.

-Amanda and Erik

Away from Home Summer Camps and Retainers

Last week we went to a week long summer camp far away from home. Both of us obviously still wear retainers so we brought them along. Some of you might be worried that you shouldn’t bring them to camps. But in my cabin (Amanda) almost all the girls had brought them so I wasn’t alone. And both of us just kept the plastic cases in our suitcases so we wouldn’t forget to bring them home. We just wore them at night. We would recommend doing this rather then leaving them at home, aslong as you are really careful to make sure you bring them back! If you are going away for only a couple days it probably isn’t worth it to bring them and risk losing them. But a week and over definitely bring them!


Same goes for orthodontic bands and head gear!

-Amanda and Erik

Facts about Clindamycin

We talked about this drug last post. It is commonly offered to be taken before your wisdom teeth get removed. The reason they give it to you is because it is an antibiotic and is supposed to prevent infection from your teeth being removed. But there are some serious side effects. One side effect that is almost guaranteed is diarrhea. Almost everyone who has used this has experienced that. Some people also have very negative reactions to it. And it is not always offered just for wisdom teeth. We suggest that if you are offered it you read up on some of these articles before deciding to take it. Erik and our dad both went through the procedure without problems and did not take it.

Basic information

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clindamycin

http://www.livestrong.com/article/93028-clindamycin-side-effects/


People’s experience

http://www.topix.com/forum/drug/clindamycin/T7D1VG2KK8GUQ4M7S

-Amanda and Erik

Wisdom Teeth-Amanda: Preliminary Visit

Around a year ago, Erik got his wisdom teeth out. Now it is time for Amanda to get hers out.

I went to my first appointment at the oral surgeon’s office. I am going to the same doctor as Erik went to and am getting the same procedure: all four wisdom teeth out. When I got there, first I went into a room and watched an informative video on the procedure and different levels of anesthesia.

General: This choice is where you get put totally under.

Local: This is similar to Novocain for fillings. This is for the more stoic patients!

Light Sedation: In this choice, you receive a “happy juice” (usually midazolam, a light hypnotic) to calm you down and so you are barely aware, although not totally under. Then you receive local anesthesia. This is the option both Erik and I chose.


After my video, I talked to my doctor about the procedure briefly and we looked at my X-rays. It appears that my wisdom teeth aren’t deeply rooted which means they will be easier to get out! Then my mom made an appointment for the procedure.


Another thing that happened in this preliminary visit, is I got my prescription. The usual medicines you will get are ibuprofen (usually a high dose). I also got a prescription for Clindamycin, which I was told to take the day before the procedure. There are some serious side effects with this drug though, so we recommend doing some research before you decide to take this as it is not required.


So now all I have to do it wait till my appointment! We will keep you updated on the days before the procedure and the post-procedure.

-Amanda and Erik

Fiberotomy Informational Links

We know that the Fiberotomy procedure is still relatively new and there is not a lot of information about it online. We have searched and found these helpful links. Hope they help!


http://blog.fiberotomy.com/2011_03_01_archive.html

some more details

http://www.bukisa.com/articles/146350_fiberotomy-procedure

and more

http://blog.fiberotomy.com/2011/03/fiberotomy-and-serious-oral-diseases.html

-Amanda and Erik

Wisdom Teeth Round Two

Last time we made a post on wisdom teeth removal, Erik was getting his removed. Today, I (Amanda) went to the dentist. As we were looking at my x-rays, it was obvious that all four of my wisdom teeth were growing in at an almost 90 degree angle to my back teeth. They obviously need to be removed. As you can see from the picture in the link below, this is called impacted wisdom teeth, which all four of mine are.

http://freecosmeticdentistry.net/wisdom-teeth-symptoms-problems-removal-and-recovery/

Although one sign of your wisdom teeth needing to be removed is pain, I have not felt any discomfort at all proving that you should always check to see if they will be growing in early that way you can catch them before they start to hit your teeth and cause you lots of pain. Other signs of wisdom teeth impaction include bad breath, a swelling of the mouth around those teeth, and pain when opening your mouth. Check out this article on symptoms.

http://dental-care.speakasp.net/index.php/tooth-extraction/wisdom-teeth-symptoms/

This article has a lot of good information on symptoms, the pros and cons of getting your teeth removed, and potential risks involved.

http://www.cincinnati-oralsurgery.com/wisdom.htm

We will keep you posted on my procedure and any differences between mine and Erik's removal which was done last year.

-Amanda and Erik

Apology

We are very sorry for having not posted last week. We needed to do studying for the three AP Tests we did last week and did not have time to spare in writing a post!

-Erik and Amanda

Fighting With Braces

NOTE: This post is not saying fighting is good or bad. We are only trying to give some basic tips in case you do get into a fight. As teenagers we hear about many fights at our local high school, and they are not that uncommon. This is just meant to help you avoid ruining your mouth.

One thing to keep in mind is, if you get into a fight you might get punched in the mouth. With braces, this will be very painful. If you get hit with your mouth closed, the inside of your mouth will get pretty cut up. There is basically nothing you can do to prevent this except not get hit in the mouth! On the up side, if you get hit with your mouth open, the other persons hand will get hurt. Our dad told us a story from back in 1976 when he was in 7th grade. He got into a fight with another boy from his grade, while he had the old school type of braces, the ones that go all the way around each tooth. The other boy punched him in the mouth while he had his mouth open. Our dad said that although he didn’t feel anything, the other guy’s knuckles were cut up really badly! So although those were with the old braces, the new ones would probably do the same thing to someone’s hand!

One thing you can do is bite your back teeth. This will prevent your teeth from clacking together and it will help to prevent getting a broken jaw if you get hit there. After all the work of getting braces this would definitely be a setback!

Apart from constantly wearing a mouth guard (which if it is fight that was set up, as in you know when and where it will be, we would recommend wearing), there is really nothing you can do to protect your braces and mouth if you get into a fight. Keep all the work and effort you have put into your mouth/smile, and try to avoid any fights while you are still wearing your braces.

-Amanda and Erik

Update: A Year and A Half after Braces

For those of you wondering, for me (Amanda) it has been a year and a half without braces. I wear my retainer only at night and just clean my teeth now. I visit the orthodontist every six months and he just checks the retainers. And my teeth are still very straight and perfect! So those of you considering new procedures that are out there, have faith in the time tested metal braces. They lasted for me and all the work was worth it because my smile is nice and straight and I have no more overbite!


-Amanda and Erik

Sleeping with Head Gear 2

Here are a few more tips on sleeping with head gear, a difficult thing to get used to!

1. Put chapstick on before you go to sleep. Your lips will get pretty chapped during the night. There is almost nothing worst then waking up with chapped lips.


2. Buy a memory foam pillow. This allows you to sleep on your back easier, which will avoid pushing your headgear in any painful places. If you try to lie on your side it will push your already hurting head gear into a weird position and put more pressure on one side of your jaw. This can possibly screw up your whole procedure so try to lie on your back!


3. Try to breathe out of your nose, that way you won’t wake up with a sore throat. You can even buy those nasal strips to help this.

Hope these new tips help!

-Amanda and Erik

Orthodontic Emergency Kits

To survive everyday life with…

Braces:
1. A small toothbrush
2. A small tube of toothpaste
3. Floss
4. Gum can be helpful to dislodge food after you have eaten if it isn’t convenient to brush your teeth.
5. Wax for those times when your cheeks hurt a lot.

Bands: And if you have bands,
1. Extra bands in case they break.

Head Gear, if you have to wear it 24/7
1. Toothbrush to brush off dried spit and food that gets on it before you put it back in if you take out your headgear to eat.
2. A case to put your head gear in when you take it out.

Retainers:
1. A small hard plastic case to put them in.
2. A small toothbrush to clean your teeth after you eat.


You should be covered if you have these things, we suggest buying a small bag and putting these things in it. Or worst case bring gum. Its a good idea after you have eaten to freshen your breath and dislodge food.


-Amanda and Erik

Weird Uses for Toothpaste, Toothbrushes, and Mouthwash

Here are some weird/random uses for your oral hygiene tools!

Toothpaste:
1. Quick acne treatment. Strangely enough, you can use a dab of toothpaste on a blemish and it will dry it out and take the red away. Works well in an “emergency situation” but only use the classic white kind.
2. Spread some toothpaste on scratched DVDs and CDs and let it sit for a few minutes. Then you can simply wipe it off and the toothpaste will have helped alleviate some of the scratch damage.
3. If you have white walls, you can use white paste to patch up small holes in you walls. It dries to a hard smooth finish.
4. Use it to remove stains from your carpet. Just put some on the desired area and give it a stiff brushing to help remove any stains!

Toothbrush:
1. Cleaning the rims of your tires. You can easily get into those tough to reach places that get all black and. Electric toothbrushes work well too.
2. Know when you take a sticker off of a plastic surface and it leaves behind the adhesive? Just soak it in warm water and brush it off (be careful though this can ruin the finish)!
3. Use it as a scrubber for your fingernails when working with oils, grease, or dirt.


Mouthwash:
1. Because mouthwash is mostly alcohol, soaking retainers, headgear, etc. will get rid of dried spit and bacteria that has developed on the appliance.
2. Mouthwash can ease the itching from poison ivy. Just soak a cotton ball with the stuff and gently pat down the affected area.
3. You’ve just chopped up some garlic to make some delicious garlic bread. But wait! Now you’re hands reek of garlic and you have garlic breath. No problem. Rinse your mouth with mouthwash then rinse your hands in it to get rid of the smell.

See, all those oral hygiene tools have many money saving uses! So stock up that way you will have them when you need them. And along with all these cool uses, be sure to use them to keep your mouth clean.

-Amanda and Erik

Dental Sealants

Cavities are pieces of rotten tooth cause d by your enamel wearing away and letting bacteria inside your tooth. But say you were to put a plastic covering over the weak spots in your enamel? That’s the idea behind dental sealants. Basically, wherever your enamel is worn away or your teeth grind against each other the most, your dentist will paint on a plastic coating. The goal is to prevent cavities and save you the money and the hassle of fillings.

The Process:
1. The very first step is to get the desired tooth cleaned. Your dentist will be sure to floss and polish the tooth.
2. Next, they will put a tooth colored gel over the area wanted to be sealed. The point is to fill in the hard to reach little cracks and crevices in the top of your teeth.
3. Now they will put the actual sealant over the gel. It is generally an off white and is meant to match your teeth to be virtually invisible.
4. Lastly, your dentist will “set” the sealant, similarly to how you would get a filling hardened, with a special light.

The Cost: From what we have read, the cost is around $40 to $45 per tooth. This seems slightly expensive but compare to a filling which can cost you around $90 per tooth.

More about Dental Sealants: Usually they will be put on your permanent teeth since your baby teeth will just be falling out anyway. Also this procedure can be done with almost any age person, from child to adult. It is a very quick process and there is little to no difference in your bite after you have the procedure. These sealants can last up to 10 years but you should realistically expect them to last maybe four years. The only downside is your teeth feeling different when you run your tongue along them! Here is an informative video on dental sealants.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jP9NoU1NHE0

Sealants are an effective way to stop cavities before they happen or prevent cavities from even occurring. Both of us have had them and the process is quick and painless!

-Erik and Amanda

Citric Acid and What It Does To Enamel

We mentioned in a previous post to stay away from foods with citric acid such as limes, lemons, and oranges. We did some more research and there are actually a lot of foods that have a lot of citric acid in them such as wine, soda, sports drinks, and pickles. Here are a couple things to help keep your enamel intact.

1. Wait around 30 minutes after you have eaten something with citric acid in it, to brush your teeth. When you have eaten something with citric acid, it softens the outer layer of enamel and if you brush vigorously when it is soft you will scrub away your tooth enamel.
2. Use toothpaste specifically for helping strengthen your enamel when you brush.
3. Drink lots of water when you are eating these types of foods because it helps to neutralize the acid.
4. Try to cut back on the amount of soda you drink. If you must drink soda try to drink it during dinner because your body naturally produces more saliva which will help to neutralize the effects of the citric acid. Also try drinking root beer specifically, since it has less citric acid than most other sodas. Bubbly water is also a good option, although it still contains citric acid.


Try using these tips next time you find yourself eating a ton of citric acid. Enamel doesn’t come back and it protects against cavities so in effect makes it so you get less fillings! Very important.

-Amanda and Erik

Pictures with Braces Update: Driver License

If you are going to get your permit or driver license soon, you will need to have your picture taken. Here is something to be aware of. Since you will be getting your braces off at some point, they will make you close your mouth in the picture and not show your teeth because they need a general picture that will have to last. Just a warning for when you go in to get it taken.

-Amanda and Erik

The New “Six Month Smile” Procedure

The most recent orthodontic development is the new Six Month Smile procedure. This is a similar to the Invisalign line except that it is made by the company Powerprox. The whole concept of “Six Month Smile” is to straighten your front teeth, your “smiling” teeth, in around six months. This procedure can only work if you just have crowding. If you have an overbite or anything more serious this will not work for you at all.

Now if getting your teeth straightened in six months isn’t enough, the makers of “Six Month Smile” have also made the brackets and wires tooth colored so they aren’t visible. This line is mainly targeted for teens, 15 years and older, and adults because it is thought that this age group is more concerned with the cosmetic part of having big bulky metal braces.

How it straightens your teeth in six months:

You will get your brackets and wires which are basically the same as normal ones, except they will be tooth colored and so mostly invisible. Then every month or so, you will go in to your orthodontist and they will tighten the wires. This is about a sixth of the time usually put between tightening so that is why it takes such a short amount of time. Because of these frequent tightenings, your teeth will probably be very sore. Also you will need to wear retainers after you are done with the six month procedure.

Cost of the procedure:

From what we have read, the cost of getting your front teeth straightened is around $2500 or more, which is very close to the cost of Invisalign. Also for the leveling of your arch which is something that adults whose mouths have formed and need to be straightened out might get, that cost is around $5000. Also you will be paying for retainers too so that is an added 90 to 120 dollars. So overall, it is not much cheaper then normal braces and you are paying for the “invisible” part of it. And although it is considered “cosmetic orthodontics”, it might be covered in your insurance so you should check if you plan on getting this.


Basically this will not necessarily fix your teeth. Since it is done so fast your teeth will more than likely migrate back to their original places after it is done. But if you are an adult and you really want a fast, unnoticeable procedure with practically immediate results and a beautiful smile sooner then this is a good option. Teens, we would recommend the tried and true metal braces. Even though they take longer and are noticeable, they will last until your adulthood!

-Amanda and Erik

Tooth Sensitivity after a Filling

After you get a filling, especially if you had really deep decay that needed to be drilled out, you may experience some major tooth sensitivity. Erik recently had a filling like this and his tooth was sensitive for a little bit over two weeks. He felt a sharp cold sensation running up through his jaw whenever he ate or drank something cold, which was often. Sound familiar? Read on!

We asked our dentist because neither of us has had this after a filling, and she said that this is normal for this sort of filling. This sort of filling is one that is really deep and filled with a type of resin. She said that because it was so deep it was close enough to the nerve endings in that tooth. She also explained that for the type of material used in this filling this sensitivity is normal and should go away after a couple of weeks. One thing she warned about is sensitivity to heat. It’s normal for your tooth to be sore and sensitive to cold, but there is a problem and you should have it checked out if you are sensitive to heat.

Hope this answered your questions regarding sensitivity after a filling, but if you are having these symptoms with a shallow filling then you should probably consult your dentist.

-Amanda and Erik

Informative Filling Video

We found this video clearly explaining how a filling is done. Check it out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sMR2GX1yRM

-Amanda and Erik

5 More Things Not to Do

We recently talked to a friend whose dad is an orthodontist and he had some new tips to keep your braces in good condition and avoid emergency appointments.

1. Do not chew on pencils, pens or anything hard like that it will put unnecessary strain on your enamel and brackets.
2. Same with nails and chewing your lip. If you are in that habit here’s a good time to stop!
3. Stay away from sucking on lemons or limes or anything with citric acid because it can eat away the glue and your enamel.
4. Do not chew on ice either it is extremely hard and can rip your bracket right off.
5. Some orthodontists say stay away from sugary gum and candy. But we haven’t heard of any reasons why.


Here are just a couple more things to avoid while you have your braces!

-Amanda and Erik

Filling Update : Erik

Yesterday, Erik went to the dentist to get two fillings. There are five basic steps that are taken when you get a filling (more information in our other posts on fillings).

1. The dentist will put on numbing gel on the surrounding gum around the tooth that is going to be filled. Then they will give you a shot of novacain.
2. Next they will use a grinder to grind away the decayed part of the tooth.
3. After they have gotten rid of all the rotten tooth, your dentist will fill it with white porcelain (usually).
4. Then to set the porcelain permanently, they will shine a black light on your filling.
5. After cleaning your mouth out, you are good to go.

Depending on how many shots of Novocain you receive depend on how long it will last afterwards. But usually fillings are not a very big intrusion on your normal routine. They can last for anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour and half, depending on how many teeth you are getting filled. You might have to get two appointments if you have cavities on both sides of your mouth because your dentist probably won’t inject novacain into both sides of your mouth because that effects your tongue muscle and you basically can’t function your mouth properly.

Erik will have to get two more fillings soon, so look for another update with new facts on fillings!

-Erik and Amanda

Makeup for Braces

Some of you might be wondering if you need to change your make up now that you have braces. Here are a couple tips regarding this topic. (I, Amanda, had braces for two years and wore makeup the entire time)

1. Wear a nude lipgloss or lipstick. Lining your lips or wearing dark lipgloss/stick will just outline your braces making them stand out.
2. If you wore bright color eye shadow before your braces, do not feel the need to change that now! Depending on how adventurous you are, you could color coordinate your make up to your braces. Bright makeup can take away attention from your braces up to your eyes.
3. If you want to take attention away from your braces without loud colors, just some neutral (browns, tans, creams, etc) eyeshadow and either black or brown eyeliner with mascara will subtly bring more attention to your eyes.
4. Always wear chapstick or lipgloss no matter what because braces tend to make your lips dry and chapped. And chapped lips always draw eyes to your mouth!

Over all you really don’t need to worry about your makeup looking any different now that you have braces. If you didn’t wear makeup before, there is really no reason to wear it now. And if you are in love with your current makeup look, definitely do not change it! Braces are really not as noticeable as we think they are when we have them. Please comment with any quesitons.

-Amanda (with some editing help from Erik)

Wisdom Teeth: Deciding to Take Them Out

Now although most teenagers know that around the ages of 15 to 16 they might get their wisdom teeth out. In fact most do. But here is why you, your parents, and your orthodontist would decide to take them out. You should probably ask some questions if your orthodontist/dentist are just telling you to take your wisdom teeth out without any reason.

Reason 1: Your wisdom teeth grow in between the ages 14 – 17 (approximately) and when they do, they can grow in perpendicular, sideways and every which way (described in post Wisdom Teeth Part 1 in more detail). This is especially true if you have had orthodontic work done. After braces, headgear, bands and the whole shebang, your teeth are probably in totally different places then their “natural” places. Since your wisdom teeth don't know that the rest of your teeth moved, they start coming into the place they would have fit into. Usually right into their neighbor teeth.

Reason 2: Sometimes even if your wisdom teeth are coming in straight or only a little bit crooked, they can hurt excruciatingly. This is caused by the fact that when the top of the wisdom tooth comes in it exposes sensitive nerves in your mouth. These are very sensitive. This is a big reason why kids get their wisdom teeth out.

Reason 3: Another issue for wisdom teeth is having them grow in infected. This is caused by unhealthy gums that lift away from the tooth enough to let bacteria in and thus you get decay on your new teeth. This is called pericorontis. See this link for more information http://www.animated-teeth.com/wisdom_teeth/t2-wisdom-tooth-infections.htm.
This can also cause reason 2.

Well hopefully this helps you and clues you in on some reasons you could be getting your wisdom teeth removed. This came up because one of our friends got her wisdom teeth out and the orthodontist looked at her x-rays after wards and pointed out it wasn’t really necessary.

-Amanda and Erik

Grinding Your Teeth

A common habit among kids, teens and even adults is to grind your teeth at night or during the day when they get nervous/stressed (Take a moment to think of whether or not you do this, and if you do, pay attention to this post!). This is definitely not something you want to do! The consequences for grinding include: a sore jaw in the morning, lack of decent sleep as this action will often wake you up, potentially sensitive teeth, and the worst part, the wearing away of the enamel on the top of your teeth. This is especially bad. Enamel is the outer layer of your teeth. When you grind this layer down it can, first off, make you way more prone to cavities, and second, grinding it down too far will expose the cluster of sensitive nerves in your teeth and you will be in a world of hurt!

Here are a couple of things you can do if you already grind your teeth and know it:

1. Wear a mouth guard at night. This is sort of like a big rubber retainer. You can fit it over your braces if you have braces, but it just protects the top of your teeth when you sleep. They make special ones for this problem.
2. Buy toothpaste that has enamel boosting effects. The goal is to try to strengthen the enamel you still have left.

In fact those two things are a good idea to do even if you don’t think you grind your teeth because a lot of people do so without even realizing it!

-Amanda and Erik

Tooth Sensitivity

Sometimes one or a couple teeth will become sensitive to heat or cold. It usually hurts and is very uncomfortable when you eat or drink when this happens. It can last for days or just hours.

Some causes of this are getting your braces on. Your teeth will be extremely sensitive when you get your braces on. Another is if you slack on wearing your retainer and then wear it one night this can cause your teeth to become sensitive. Also eating really hot then really cold foods in succession can also do this. Sometimes if a previous filling has eroded away or if the roots of your teeth are exposed from unhealthy teeth, this can also be a reason.

Here are a couple things to do to minimize the pain:

1. Do not grind your teeth!
2. Try using special toothpaste designed to desensitize your teeth.
3. Go to the dentist to have your old fillings checked and get new ones if necessary

Sensitive teeth are very painful and chances are you have had them at some point. Hopefully this helps to take away the confusion.

Retainer Update: Erik

Since the last post, Erik has since had an orthodontist checkup. Here is how it went down.

First I went in for the first time in six months (I have had my braces off for around that time too). My orthodontist said to put my retainers in. Then, he wiggled them around and took them on and off my teeth just to make sure that they fit snug, but they weren’t tight enough to indicate that my teeth were migrating back. Then he gave me the ol’ cheek stretchers (you will become very familiar with these if you get braces and they take a lot of pictures of your mouth) and took some pictures from all the usual angles (see post http://youandyourbraces.blogspot.com/2010/03/classic-checkup.html ).

Then he told me that since my teeth were staying in the proper place, I could reduce my retainer wearing time to after school till the beginning of school the next morning. Then we scheduled another appointment for 6 months later and at that point he said that, if all went well, I would probably be able to just wear my retainers at night!

That is a usual post braces check up. Just remember to bring your retainers to the appointment…

-Amanda and Erik