Hayley Parks

It is usually better to get braces before crowns so the dentist knows exactly how to make the crown look good where it will be placed and to do it well. However, if there is pain involved, getting the crown done before the braces is fine to relieve any discomfort or pain. Talk to your dentist planning the crowns to find out what they think, as well.

Deep cleanings are specific to the patient. Someone needs a deep cleaning when they have gum disease that has progressed and is affecting the bone around their teeth. Or, if they have a lot of tartar accumulation. It is definitely possible to need a deep cleaning as a child or young adult, but ask your dentist if you have further questions, since they will be able to let you know the specific reason they scheduled you for that treatment.

Once tooth decay is present into the inner layer of the tooth-the dentin-decay can no longer be reversed, and you will be unable to do this yourself. However, getting treatment by a professional and then preventing any further decay from developing is the best way to get healthy and stay healthy! Diet modification can be the most important factor, along with effective brushing and flossing.

Probably wax is your best bet to help with a loose bracket, as it is probably rubbing your lip or cheek. However, get to your orthodontist as soon as possible, and they can put it back in place for you, which will be the ultimate relief of the discomfort.

Definitely! It depends on the type of retainer if it can be adjusted more easily or not (like, wire versus plastic retainer), but these are the same materials used to move teeth. Retainers are generally just meant to hold teeth in place after they have been moved to their desired places during treatment.

Any appliance can most certainly harbor bacteria that can cause bad breath. Using denture cleaners can help you clean your Invisalign trays. However, they can also hide other places, like your tongue, so using mouthwash or a tongue scraper can help, as well. Another thing to consider is that anything new in your mouth can cause a change in how much saliva your body produces; if your mouth is more dry since you started Invisalign treatment, it may be that your body is trying to adjust. A dry mouth can cause bad breath. Try drinking more water until you feel like your mouth has adjusted, if this is the case.

It depends on the type of night guard you have, but it definitely can. If you got the night guard from your dentist, talk to them if you want them to try to adjust it. If you got it from a store, it is most likely not moving your teeth; but your teeth may feel different if you were grinding a lot every night before you got the night guard. Give yourself some time to adjust to the new feeling, and talk to your dentist if it persists.

Braces are a slow process because you want to protect the health of the tooth and not cause too much discomfort. Try taking pictures of yourself every month and see if you can track the change! And, talk to your orthodontist about where they think you are in your treatment.

Try using warm moist compresses, like heating a wet washcloth in the microwave to a warm but not hot temperature. Ibuprofen can be good for TMJ pain, as well. Talk to your dentist about other specific things you can do or a referral to a specialist if it is affecting you often.

As long as the brackets aren’t being removed during flossing, flossing shouldn’t cause any change in the actual braces. However, cleaning your gums, either by flossing with normal floss, flossers, or something like a Waterpick, is really important because braces can be really hard to clean and can affect your gum health very quickly. So, definitely keep flossing!