tips for adjusting to dentures

If you are like most people, then you probably don't like the idea of walking around with dental braces. However, braces are the best ways of correcting misaligned teeth. Fortunately, you can take the following measures to shorten your orthodontic treatment period.

Get the Right Braces

There are different types of braces, and they work at slightly different speeds. Tell your dentist about your desire for a short treatment time and they will advise you on whether you are a good candidate for the fast-acting braces. For example, you may get self-litigating braces, which works fast because they use brackets or clips instead of ties (elastic, rubber bands, or metal).

Maintain Good Oral Hygiene

Oral hygiene is important for everyone. It is even more critical for those undergoing orthodontic treatment. The existence of foreign materials in the mouth (braces) leads to more food particles trapped in the mouth and makes it difficult to clean the mouth. This increases the risk of dental diseases that might interfere with the progress of orthodontic treatment.

Don't Skip Appointments

During the course of your treatment, you will have regular appointments with your dentist. The dentist will use the appointments to adjust your braces, assess your treatment's progress, and treat any emerging issues. Thus, it's important to keep all these appointments if you don't want a long treatment time.

Wear Aligners as Required

If you are using removable appliances, you should wear them as directed by the dentist. Most people need to wear their aligners at least 20 hours each day for good treatment progress. The aligners only work when they are in your mouth; they don't work when you take them out for eating or cleaning.

Watch What and How You Eat

The braces need to stay on the exact positions in which your dentist will place or adjust them for the treatment to work. Anything that damages the braces or interferes with their adjustment interferes with the treatment time. Eating hard or chewy foods can have this effect. Therefore, watch what you eat and cut solid foods into small chunks for easy chewing so as not to interfere with the braces.

Avoid Damaging Dental Habits

Anything hard, not just food, can interfere with your orthodontic treatment. Thus, you should avoid dental or oral habits that can place undue stress on your braces. For example, don't chew your nails or use your teeth to open bottles.

Your dentist will give you lots of advice on how to take care of your teeth during orthodontic treatment. Heed your dentist's advice, and your treatment is likely to be successful and over within no time. For more information about braces, talk to a dental professional near you.