Why do I have to wear elastics??

Almost everyone has to wear elastics (or sometimes commonly called rubberbands) at one point or another during orthodontic treatment. After your teeth are straightened, we ask you to wear elastics to correct your bite.  They are something you will be responsible for taking in and out.  There are many different sizes of elastics depending on your situation. If you are asked to wear elastics, you will be responsible to wear them just about 24 hours a day.  You will only take them out when you eat, otherwise you should wear them all day and night.  Elastics are usually the last step of your orthodontic treatment and if you wear them well, your treatment will take less time.  The first few days of wearing them, you will notice your teeth getting a little achy but that will subside after a couple days.  Wearing them diligently is very important because if you only wear them part time, they do not work properly. It is very important to wear them just as the doctor tells you to, otherwise, if you wear them wrong or backwards, you may do the opposite of what the goal is!  So when asked to wear them...wear them well and soon you will be wearing retainers instead!! : )

What should you do with a poking wire with braces?

POKEYMON!

Ouch...my wire is poking what should I do??

 

Sometimes when teeth shift or spaces are closing, a wire may start poking out in the back by your molar or elsewhere. If a wire starts protruding do not be alarmed...these things happen.  If it happens during the weekend while the office is closed, here are some helpful tips:

A pencil eraser is a great tool to push in a pokey wire or you may use a nail clipper to clip it off if necessary.

We can always repair any wires you may have needed to cut.  Of course wax can always cover the poker until you can make it into our office.  

Here at Bales Orthodontics, we always provide emergency contacts after hours  and we will happily meet you at the office to fix the problem. Always remember to bring some wax with you when going out of town or on vacation so you have it available.  If you forget, several drug stores do sell wax if needed.
If a bracket becomes loose, you may not even notice, however if you notice one moving around, please call our office so we can make extra time to rebond it so your treatment time will not be extended. :)

Why do I need to wear retainers and for how long?

Retainers are worn after the braces come off to "retain" your straight teeth.  Without them, your teeth can drift back into their original position.  When your braces come off, the peridontal ligaments are stretched a bit and after wearing the retainers for a year, they go back to their original state.  That's why its so important to wear your retainers 24/7 for about a year.  After that, you can just wear them at night.  Nowadays, we tell our patients to wear their retainers indefinitely.  Relapse (teeth shifting back) can even happen in your 40's and 50's!  After a few years of consistantly wearing your retainer, try it in at least once a week.  If it feels tight, chances are your teeth are trying to shift and a good sign that you need to wear it more often.