Life with Braces
You are on your way to living life smiling!
We will walk you through each step of treatment to educate you on how you can care for and participate in achieving the smile you’ve always wanted!
Eating with Braces
Don’t worry, you will be eating popcorn and snacking on potato chips again in no time! However, before you can start enjoying some of the treats you love, you will need to take special care to avoid any foods that could damage your new appliances.
Foods YOU CAN EAT with braces:
Dairy — soft cheese, pudding, milk-based drink
Breads — soft tortillas, pancakes, muffins w/o nuts
Grains — pasta, soft cooked rice
Meats/poultry — soft cooked chicken, meatballs, lunch meats
Seafood — tuna, salmon, crab cakes
Vegetables — mashed potatoes, steamed spinach, beans
Fruits — applesauce, bananas, fruit juice
Treats — ice cream, no nuts, milkshakes, Jell-O, cake
Foods to avoid with braces:
- Chewy foods — bagels, licorice
- Crunchy foods — popcorn, chips, ice
- Sticky foods — Swedish fish, airheads, caramel candies, chewing gum
- Hard foods — nuts, hard candies
- Foods that require biting into — corn on the cob, apples, carrots
Soreness Caused from Braces and Appliances
When you first get your braces, you may notice that your teeth and mouth feel a little tender or sore. This is perfectly normal, and we promise your mouth will not be sore forever! To relieve the pain, we recommend dissolving one teaspoon of salt in eight ounces of lukewarm water. Swish and gargle this solution in your mouth for just a couple of minutes (do not swallow the saltwater).
If the pain is more severe and does not go away after rinsing, you can also try taking a pain reliever. It is also not uncommon for your lips, cheeks and tongue to become irritated for one to two weeks as they toughen and become used to the braces. Use the wax in your start kit to lessen the tenderness of areas that may become irritated by placing a small amount of wax over the bracket in that area.
Loose Teeth
If your teeth begin feeling a little loose, don’t worry; this is normal! Your braces must first loosen your teeth to move them into the right position. Once your teeth have been re-positioned, they will no longer be loose.
Loose Wires and Bands
The wires and bands on your braces may come loose. If this happens please contact us so we can schedule you appropriately. If any piece of your appliance comes off, save it and bring it to the office with you.
You can temporarily fix the loose wire by using the back of a spoon or the eraser end of a pencil to carefully and gently push the wire back into place. If the loose wire is causing irritation to your lips or cheeks, put wax or a wet cotton ball over the broken wire to relieve the pain.
Take Care of Your Appliances
Damaged appliances can increase the length of your treatment process, so take good care of all your appliances. Your teeth and jaw can only move into their correct positions if you consistently wear the rubber bands, headgear, retainer or other appliances prescribed by your orthodontist.
Playing Sports with Braces
Game, Set, Match — we have great news for athletes! You can still play sports even while undergoing orthodontic treatment! If you do play sports, it’s recommended that you wear a mouth guard to protect your teeth and your appliance. Let your doctor know if you need help finding the right mouth guard for the best protection.
In case of a sports emergency, be sure to immediately check your mouth and appliance for damage. If you notice any loose teeth or appliance damage, please contact our office right away. You can temporarily relieve the discomfort by applying wax or rinsing your mouth with warm saltwater.
“From day one to the last appointment the staff at Hendrix Orthodontics has been extremely caring, honest, and precise about the treatment plan, program cost, and care provided. Kind and friendly service at every appointment with clean inviting offices. Staff that is always happy and helpful to discuss the progress, schedule appointments and process claims efficiently. Dr. Hendrix was always available to discuss the treatment steps and expectations. Hendrix Orthodontics has provided our daughter with an incredible smile and beautifully straight teeth. Hendrix came recommended to us from friends and we in turn highly recommend this provider for orthodontics care.”
“I moved to Pennsylvania in 2012, and my granddaughter was with an orthodontist just starting on her journey to a perfect smile. Our orthodontist recommended that we check out Hendrix Orthodontics and that was the best piece of advice I could have ever taken. As we took one step through the door, we were greeted immediately with friendly smiles. It is now 2014 and my granddaughter finished her braces journey in January and now her teeth look amazing thanks to Dr. Hendrix. I would recommend him to anyone who loves kindness, and playing on iPads in the waiting room.”
“We have enjoyed Leiss Orthodontics very much and everyone who works there. All of you have been very kind, helpful, and flexible with our needs. We certainly will recommend you to family and friends!”
“We will continually recommend your practice to our PA friends. Thank you for your professionalism and high ethics.”
“Thank you for making the experience of braces seamlessly efficient for both of our boys, Ethan & Ryan. We have enjoyed Leiss Orthodontics very much and everyone who works there. All of you have been very kind, helpful and flexible with our needs. We certainly will recommend you to family and friends!”