Braces as Unique as You
Behind a healthy, beautiful smile is technology custom created with ultimate efficiency in mind. Our Norris 20/26 brackets are more efficient and comfortable. Braces are an option for patients of all ages, and your comfort is our priority.
Braces Care Guide
Your understanding of treatment is key to achieving your dream smile with our braces! Let’s go over how to brush with your braces on, how to floss, and how to take care of any discomfort. We also go over what’s in you take-home bag and what foods to avoid. Welcome to the Stone Oak Orthodontic family! If you have any questions please give our office a call or message us on social media
The Most Efficient Way to Bond Brackets
Indirect Bonding
The Indirect Bonding method allows our doctors to place the brackets on a model of your teeth, before you come in for your appointment! When you arrive, all of the brackets are placed on your teeth at the same time, making for a faster and more comfortable experience.
What to Expect - Day One with Braces
When you get your braces on, you may feel general soreness in your mouth and teeth may be tender to biting pressures for 3 – 5 days. Take Tylenol or whatever you normally take for headache or discomfort. The lips, cheeks and tongue may also become irritated for one to two weeks as they toughen and become accustomed to the braces. We will supply wax to put on the braces in irritated areas to lessen discomfort.
Teeth must loosen first so they can move. This is to be expected throughout treatment and is completely normal. Don’t worry! The teeth will firm up in their new — corrected — positions after treatment is completed.
The day you get your braces on is the beginning of a new adventure. Our team has you taken care of! Every patient goes home with a Day 1 Survival Kit. This kit includes your new electric toothbrush, soft foods for your first snack with braces, the coolest t-shirt, and other items to help with brushing and flossing during treatment.
Life with Braces
It’s more important than ever to brush and floss regularly when you have braces, so the teeth and gums are healthy during orthodontic treatment.
Patients who do not keep their teeth clean may require more frequent visits to the dentist for a professional cleaning.
Adults who have a history of gum disease should also see a periodontist during orthodontic treatment.
- Chewy foods: bagels, hard rolls, licorice
- Crunchy foods: popcorn, ice
- Sticky foods: caramels, gum
- Hard foods: nuts, candy
- Foods you have to bite into: corn on the cob, apples, carrots
Chewing on hard things (for example, pens, pencils or fingernails) can damage the braces. Damaged braces will cause treatment to take longer.
Don’t be alarmed if a wire or band comes loose. This happens occasionally. If a wire sticks out and is irritating, use a blunt instrument (eraser end of a pencil) and carefully, gently push the irritating wire back under the archwire. Simply get it out of the way.
If irritation to the lips or mouth continues, place wax or wet cotton on the wire to reduce the annoyance. Call our office as soon as possible for an appointment to check and repair the problem.
To successfully complete orthodontic treatment, the patient must work together with the orthodontist. The teeth and jaws can only move toward their corrected positions if the patient consistently wears the rubber bands and/or other appliances as prescribed. Lack of cooperation following instructions and damaged appliances lengthen the treatment time.
If you play sports, it’s important you let us know. A protective mouthguard is provided for playing contact sports.
