If you’re here and you’re reading this, you probably are wondering how to prepare for fixing up the braces. Probably you have already booked an appointment at orthodontist’s office. So… how should you prepare your teeth for braces?

1. Hygiene, hygiene and once again…hygiene.

Orthodontic appliance is a good choice only for someone who truly takes good care of their teeth. If you want to check if you brush your teeth properly, you may think of buying an educational toothpaste ( my patients like the one from Elglydium). Such toothpaste dyes the debris which teaches you which spots on the teeth are difficult to clean. Orthodontic brackets are rough, so the food easily sticks to them. During the orthodontic treatment you have to brush your teeth thoroughly to prevent caries. Unfortunately, some patients (mostly rebellious teenagers) stop brushing their teeth properly during the orthodontic treatment, and I sometimes find caries during the orthodontic check up, for example between the incisors… It is very sad!

If you are not sure if you could brush your teeth after every meal and carry your toothbrush with you everywhere, maybe you should consider not starting the orthodontic treatment.

2. The braces are only for the healthy teeth.

It is very important! Before fixing up an orthodontic appliance, it is necessary to go to the dentist for a check up. For the check up, It is a good idea to appear with a pantomographic x-ray (unless it is possible to take such an x-ray during the visit). Some defects are visible only on the x-ray and may be omitted during the clinical examination. If the dentist finds teeth in need of treatment – they must be cured. The roots of the teeth are also visible on the x-ray. The dentist can check if the tooth requires endodontic (root canal) treatment. Such a tooth can start to hurt if we apply force to it with an appliance. The check up is also very useful for an orthodontist if a given case requires planning the treatment with extractions (removal) of teeth. The general dentist assesses which teeth are in the worst condition and we take these teeth first into account when planning treatment with extractions.

3. Remember about the gums.

To start the orthodontic treamnet, your gums must be healthy. They can’t be swollen, they can’t bleed. If your orthodontist finds you have gingivitis, you will be referred to a periodontologist, a specialist who deals with mucosal and periodontal disease. The periodontologist conducts treatment using medications. To decide which therapy to use, you may need to take a swab from the gingival pocket. The periodontologist decides when it is safe to fix up the braces. Orthodontic treatment is very beneficial for patients who suffer from chronic periodontitis, but must be done under the close supervision of a periodontologist.

4. Make an appointment with your dentist for scaling before sticking the braces.

Scaling is a removal of tartar. It is a good idea to undergo this procedure before fixing up the  orthodontic brackets to minimize the risk of gingivitis. It is best to perform such a procedure 1-2 weeks before applying the orthodontic appliance. During the orthodontic treatment, scaling can be done every six months (or more often if needed).

5. If you do not have any pain or inflammation – do not remove the third molars (8s) until the treatment is planned by the orthodontist.

Why do I mention this? A very common malocclusion  that I treat in the office is class II malocclusion. In adults, it is often treated with the use of camouflage – this means the extraction (surgical removal) of the upper two teeth. For me, the most convenient treatment is to remove premolars – 4s or 5s. Most often, however, the most damaged teeth are 6s. So that I can decide to remove them, there should be eights in the bone, otherwise after the extraction the patient is left with only two upper molars – 7s. On the other hand, removing premolars (4s or 5s) and leaving damaged 6s is also risky – unfortunately they are susceptible to fracture. If the damaged 6s fracture (and there already have been extractions of the premolars – 4s or 5s), the patient will lose four teeth instead of two. That is why I like treatment with extraction of two 6s and using orthodontic mini-implants to close the gaps. If you already know which teeth are to be removed – plan your visits so that the procedure is performed 1-2 weeks before applying the device.

In the next posts I will tell you more about starting the orthodontic treatment : what an orthodontic consultation looks like, what to buy before starting the adventure with braces, what to ask your orthodontist for during the consultation, is there an upper age limit for orthodontic treatment and much more 🙂 See you soon! 🙂