How to Get the Most Out of Your Orthodontic Treatment

Orthodontic treatment is an investment in your smile, and like any other investment, you want to get the highest return possible! There are many ways to ensure your braces or clear aligners provide you with the best results, so here’s how to get the most out of your orthodontic treatment from the professionals at Saddle Creek Orthodontics.

Keep Up With Your Oral Hygiene Routine

It’s always important to brush and floss, but your oral health is on an even higher alert when you’re going through orthodontic treatment. 

After years of brushing your teeth, we’re sure you’re a pro – but maintaining your oral health looks a bit different when you’re working around brackets, wires, and clear aligners. Fixed appliances like clear or metal braces add additional nooks and crannies to your mouth, which can be very attractive to cavity-causing bacteria. And while you can remove your clear aligners during meals and bedtime routines, keeping them extra clean is still important to avoid cavities. 

That’s because plaque buildup and cavities not only hurt your teeth, but they can cause treatment to last longer than originally expected. You should pay extra attention when brushing, flossing, or cleaning your appliance to keep your treatment plan on track and get the most out of your braces or clear aligners. 

Brushing With Braces

Learning a new brushing routine may sound intimidating, but it’s all about the angles. Follow these steps for the healthiest, shiniest, cavity-free smile.

Step #1: Start by rinsing your mouth with water. It’s a good idea to do this after every meal to loosen up leftover food particles that may be stuck in your teeth – yuck!

Step #2: Hold your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to brush both the exposed parts of your teeth, the brackets, and your gumline. You’ll need to spend about five seconds brushing each tooth or 30 seconds on each section of your mouth. That adds up to about two to three minutes of brushing time, total. Make sure you don’t cut corners!

Step #3: Rinse & complete. Don’t forget to floss!

Cleaning Your Clear Aligners

With as much time as your aligners spend in your mouth, it’s no wonder how important it is to keep them clean! You should wash them twice a day for the best results by running them under lukewarm water and rinsing them with water and mild soap. Don’t use toothpaste to clean your aligner trays, as this could erode the material and potentially require us to create new trays. 

Remember – keeping them clean using the right tools will make your aligners last as long as needed. Using the wrong tools could cause them to break and delay your treatment. 

Stay Up to Date On Your Appointments

Visiting Dr. Kyle or Dr. John for your regular appointments will ensure your treatment plan runs smoothly from start to finish. 

Your orthodontist is your guide throughout your straight smile journey, and without checking in with your guide regularly, your journey could become twisted and tangled! It’s best to stay on the path Dr. Kyle or Dr. John layout for you, so you can be sure your treatment is working correctly. 

Everyone’s reaction to orthodontic treatment is different, and how your teeth respond to braces or clear aligners isn’t always easily predictable. When you attend your check-up appointments, your orthodontist can determine whether adjustments need to be made to ensure your teeth are on the right track to straight smile success. They can also let you know when it’s time to change clear aligner trays and, most importantly, when you’re ready to stop treatment and reveal your beautiful new smile!

That being said, things come up, and accidents happen – we understand completely! If you can’t make an appointment, be sure to call us as soon as possible so we can reschedule you. As long as you don’t make a habit of missing appointments, you shouldn’t worry about an extended treatment time. 

Get an Orthodontic Mouthguard

Are you an athlete? Protecting your smile during practice and competitions should be a top priority!

Helmet? Check. Ankle brace? Check. But where’s your orthodontic mouthguard? If you’re an athlete, especially in contact sports, it’s crucial to the success of your treatment plan to order an orthodontic mouthguard. These additional appliances provide a cushion between your teeth and the soft tissues of your mouth, which can prevent orthodontic emergencies and keep your mouth safe. 

While regular or over-the-counter mouthguards are great for athletes without braces, an orthodontic mouthguard from Saddle Creek Orthodontics is custom-made to fit over your braces, providing the ultimate protection against injury or broken appliances. 

Sign Up for a Retainer Program

Every successful treatment plan keeps an eye on the prize, and preparing for the retention phase early on will ensure your smile lasts a lifetime. 

Orthodontic treatment doesn’t end when you’re done with your last Invisalign tray or when Dr. Kyle or Dr. John remove your braces. In fact, your debonding day is the first day of the rest of your orthodontic journey: retention. During this phase, you’ll wear a retainer for 22 hours per day for six months and then at nighttime for a lifetime. 

To get the most out of your orthodontic treatment plan, it’s a great idea to invest in a retainer program. Although you’ll need a retainer forever, a retainer set won’t last forever, so it’s important to plan ahead for the day you misplace it, it breaks, or it doesn’t fit anymore. The Saddle Creek Orthodontics retainer program makes getting replacement retainers much easier and more affordable, so be sure to ask Dr. Kyle or Dr. John about it at your next appointment! 

Visit Our Team at Saddle Creek Orthodontics!

Making patients smile is our specialty. With a variety of treatments for people of all ages, Dr. Kyle and Dr. John have the tools to transform any smile into a happy one, and we can’t wait to do the same for you or your child! If you’re ready to get started, schedule your free consultation in Germantown or Collierville today!