Braces, a mystery?

How many of us have thought of having braces but not quite grabbed the courage to get them because of the lack of knowledge or fear of pain?

Well I thought of clearing away a few of those fears and to also help you through your journey of braces. No matter at what stage you are, this post will help you. 

Step 1

It obviously is to go to your dentist and find out if you need them. They probably will take an on-the-spot X-ray to see exactly if you need them or not. Double check with another dentist if you think you need them and the dentist thinks otherwise.

Step 2

This is when your dentist tells you if you need braces. They will either suggest you to an orthodontist or do it themselves. To start of they take a teeth mold which helps them see exactly how much 'fixing' your teeth needs. 

Step 3

This is the stage most people are terrified of. 

Installation.

Glue will be placed on your teeth only where the brackets go. The dentist will use UV light to harden the glue. Then the wire is placed and the bands go around. At most it take 10 minutes.

Usually dentists carry this step out in 2-4 appointments. They don't fix your braces at a go. This gives your mouth, teeth and gum to adjust to that slight pressure.

The appliances stay on your teeth depending on how long it will take to correct them. On average, 18-24 months.

To be frank, it does hurt, but only for a maximum of 1 week. No more than that! It is more like a little 'discomfort' rather than 'pain'.

But fear not, there are things you can do to decrease the discomfort.

- Braces wax: It is a translucent soft wax that can be place on top of your braces if their is a lot of friction.

- Pain killers: Before taking them, make sure your dentist has no problem with you taking them.

- Warm water: Drinking or gargling with warm water also helps decrease the discomfort.

Step 4

Not very different to Step 3. Here, your dentist will call you every 4-6 weeks to readjust and replace the appliances.

During Step 3 and Step 4 it is very important to be at the top of your dental hygiene. Not being able to do so can cause Relapse, Root Damage, Early damage, Enamel damage etc. Just by following the things below you can avoid those miseries!

1) Cleaning

- Brushing after every meal and before going to bed.

- Flossing at least once a day.

- Using a fluoride mouth wash one every 2 days.

2) Eating habits

- Cut down on sugary and fibrous food (I take none at all!)

- Say a big NO to soft drinks. (Although you can drink it with a straw, so that it doesn't touch your teeth)

- Cut down on smoking

If you play extreme sports, then do not forget your Gum Shield!

Step 5

This is when your dentist takes another X-ray and teeth mold and decides you do not need any more braces. however, this is not the end of your dental appliances. At this stage you will be given permanent, temporary or both retainers.

These help your teeth to stay the way they are and prevent them from relapsing. Usually this takes about 4-8 months.  

I hope this has helped you in a way or another. Do feel free to leave any questions or extra tips below.

That is it for this week's blog post. 

Have an amazing week ahead :)

Toodles 

xXx

Coming up Next week: Make-up Starters Guide

Next Review on: The Dark Side by Trevor Moran