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
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
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
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
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
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
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
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
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
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
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
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
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
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
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
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
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
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
-Amanda and Erik
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
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
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
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
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
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
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sMR2GX1yRM
-Amanda and Erik
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