You are about to start an orthodontic treatment and there are many tips that you have heard, the anecdotes that you have been told and the blogs that you have read through the web to check your initial doubts.

However, in many cases these stories are contradictory and have not served to answer your questions.

In this article we will dismantle those false myths in relation to this method of orthodontics and we will tell you what is true about the hoaxes that circulate through the network.

Here at Parkwood Green Dental we are happy to help you with any issue you may have related to dental health. Contact us today and let us help you with your problem or just to have one of our check-ups.

Do the braces hurt?

This is the most frequent doubt and, probably, the most widespread myth. If you are going to start an orthodontic treatment, you can rest assured: the braces do not hurt.

The day you go to the consultation to place the same you will not suffer any kind of discomfort. However, it is true that, after placement or after review appointments, it is common to feel some pressure in the mouth.

It is to this sensation that patients refer to as pain caused by orthodontics, and it remits after 2 to 3 days.

In addition, there is another annoyance that you must take into account. Due to the rubbing of the brackets with the cheeks -in case they are metallic or sapphire- or with the tongue -more frequent in cases of orthodontics with lingual brackets-, it is common for patients to notice the presence of small wounds or wounds.

To do this, orthodontists recommend the use of special orthodontic wax, which will avoid rubbing the bracket with the small fissure and facilitate its healing.

Will the braces affect my image during treatment?

The concern for an aesthetic smile has enjoyed a great boom in recent years. As a result of this interest in the adult population in orthodontic treatments, new more aesthetic methods have emerged than traditional metal brackets for the most demanding adults.

Among them, it is worth noting the existence of sapphire and lingual brackets.

The first ones are made with sapphire microcrystals. It is a transparent and translucent material of great strength that does not stain or stain with the passage of time, so it retains its aesthetic qualities throughout the treatment.

On the contrary, our orthodontists recommend lingual braces to those patients who are most concerned about their image.

They are placed on the inside of the teeth. For this reason, they are completely imperceptible to the naked eye and nobody will notice that you are dealing with an orthodontic treatment.

Do brackets make speaking difficult?

Approaching an orthodontic treatment involves the presence of a foreign object in our mouth. For this reason, at the beginning it is true that you acknowledge certain difficulties to speak properly.

This is because every orthodontic procedure requires a period of adaptation during which the patient is accustomed to chewing, biting and pronouncing properly.

This is longer if you opt for the lingual brackets -about 2 to 3 weeks-, so the discomfort in speaking will be more pronounced with them at the beginning.

Will I lose weight if I wear braces?

You should know that after placing the brackets or after going for an orthodontic check-up, you may notice some discomfort when biting and crushing the food that, to a certain extent, may affect your diet.

Do not be alarmed: they disappear after a few days and, meanwhile, you can resort to the intake of analgesics – always after consulting your trusted specialist – to reduce their incidence.

Also, if this is your case, your orthodontist will recommend you follow a soft diet during the first days.

In the same way, there are certain foods that you should avoid as much as possible throughout the treatment – especially those that are very hard or sticky.

What you can eat if you wear orthodontics?

Foods that you should avoid with brackets

Unconsciously, you may substitute foods that are not too healthy – candies, nuts – because of the good habit of resorting to better ones for your health – fruit cut to snack between meals, for example.

An orthodontic treatment with brackets takes a long time

The duration of an orthodontic treatment depends on the occlusion problems that the patient initially presents. In an estimated way, we can orthodontic procedure usually extend between 18 and 24 months.

 

While it is true that, before starting orthodontics, it seems a procedure that lasts a long time, you should bear in mind that its results last for life – provided that you respect the retention phase properly – and that, in addition, has numerous benefits for your oral health and your general condition.

To put a few examples, you should be aware that well-aligned teeth not only assume a radiant smile, but also eliminate the difficulties at the time of biting and chewing and prevent cervical pain and headaches.

For this reason, the duration of the treatment is short if we compare it with the aesthetic and functional improvements that you will notice at the end of your orthodontics.

Will braces damage my teeth?

This is one of the most widespread myths. However, you can be calm: it is completely false.

Fixed orthodontic methods -such as braces- make oral hygiene difficult but, following rigorous oral cleaning routines, dental pieces do not have to be damaged.

If this is the case, lingual braces are the safest in this regard: when placed on the inside of the teeth, the difficulty in accessing hygiene would entail some stain on the enamel, it would be completely imperceptible when removing the equipment

In the same way, in the orthodontic reviews the specialist will review both the correct achievement of the treatment and the good condition of your teeth and gums. Thanks to them, your mouth will remain completely healthy and free of cavities throughout the procedure.

Keep in mind that at Parkwood Green Dental we are happy to help you with your dental health. Visit us!