Important Things To Discuss During Your Initial Orthodontic Appointment
If you have an appointment scheduled to have your braces put on your teeth, then your orthodontist should prepare you for your appointment. There may be a few additional things that you should keep in mind and discuss with the orthodontist. Keep reading to learn about a few of them.
What To Do If Wires Are Poking
There are a number of different wires placed in your mouth during the first orthodontic appointment. These wires include the archwires as well as the orthodontic wires. Both of these sets of wires can poke and scrape the soft tissues of the mouth. You'll want to run your tongue and fingers along all of the wires to make sure that there are no ends poking you. When you do this at the end of the appointment, pay special attention to the ends of the archwires that are secured in your upper and lower molar brackets. These wires are locked into place using small slots or tubes. The orthodontist will trim the wires, but it can be difficult to trim them short enough to reduce friction issues.
Once you investigate the wires, make sure to speak with your orthodontist about what to do if one of the wires comes loose and starts poking your gums. For minor issues, some dental wax can help to minimize discomfort. However, for more serious problems or for issues that involve the archwires, an emergency orthodontic appointment may be needed.
Keep in mind that sometimes a thinner archwire may be needed if the thicker one pops out of place, so do not hesitate to call the orthodontist if you notice an issue with the wires.
Foods That Are Safe To Eat
Your orthodontist will give you a list of foods that are not recommended for consumption once your braces are secured. You should follow suggestions when it comes to avoiding foods like gum, taffy, caramel, and corn on the cob. However, you also need to ask about the foods that you should avoid in relation to the appliances, elastics, and other types of hardware you have secured in your mouth. For example, meat is often hard to consume and will get trapped in the elastics, so you may want to stick to tender meats for a short period of time.
If you have a spacer or another type of appliance that sits against the backs of the teeth, then you may need to stay away from hard or raw vegetables and other hard foods that can place pressure on the appliances when you bite down.
For more information, ask an orthodontist.
