Are You Ready To Go Back To School With Braces?

Congratulations to all our patients who are starting a new school year this month. We hope this new year will be your best year yet.

Now that you are wearing braces and getting closer to showing off your beautiful new smile, you might want to think about some ways to give special attention to your appliances. We know that taking care of braces can add to a hectic lifestyle, so your Kelly Orthodontics team has created these quick tips that will make caring for your orthodontic braces a breeze while you’re in school.

1. WATCH WHAT YOU EAT
Of course, we think everyone should eat healthfully and maintain a healthy lifestyle. However, people who wear braces know it is important to choose foods that protect their orthodontic appliances. Crunchy and sticky foods may break a bracket or cause a wire to slip out of a bracket. If you choose crunchy foods like apples and carrots, be sure to cut them into tiny bites so you can protect your braces. Better still is to choose soft foods. The list of soft foods is so long – sandwiches, soups, casseroles, veggies, salads, and on. You’ll totally forget about those crunchy and sticky foods!

2. WEAR A MOUTH GUARD

Many people who play sports benefit from wearing a mouth guard while playing games and exercising. Mouth guards serve to protect their wearers from flying pucks and balls, swinging elbows, and accidental hits and falls. For people who wear braces on their teeth, wearing a mouth guard is an absolute necessity. We at Kelly Orthodontics suggest that every time our patients participate in physical activities and games (including gym classes) they wear a mouth guard.

3. BRUSH AND FLOSS REGULARLY
Braces sometimes trap food while you are eating. It is very important to brush your teeth after every meal, even that yummy school lunch, and to floss at least once a day. After all, no one wants to have broccoli stuck in his or her front teeth!

4. DON'T CHEW ON PENCILS
Just don’t do it. Yuk!

August is an exciting time of year – a time for new beginnings, like starting your journey to your most beautiful smile. Come on over to Kelly Orthodontics and let us share with you a glimpse of the smile that waits to be revealed in you. 

Does Kelly Orthodontics Treat Adults?

Braces do the job of straightening teeth, regardless of age. More common than ever these days, you see adults wearing braces, and when you do, one question instantly pops into your head - do braces work for adults? The answer is YES. In fact, adults aged 20 to 40 years represent at least 40 percent of the population of people wearing braces. The reason why so many current adults skipped wearing braces during their youth is that they often feared of being bullied and teased because back in the 80's and 90's, braces we not as aesthetically pleasing as they are now. Trust us, braces have evolved since then now more than ever adults are wearing braces or aligners to get a picture perfect smile.

Nowadays, wearing braces has become more socially acceptable, affordable, and routine for our adult patients. We even have patients with close to straight teeth that want to try out braces just too perfect minor flaws. Adults can skip the traditional metal braces and opt for Invisalign clear aligners, ceramic braces, or other less obvious orthodontic treatment when being seen at Kelly Orthodontics.

For more information about braces for adults, you can always contact Kelly Orthodontics located in St Charles, IL.

Back To School Braces Tips

Caring for braces especially for students in school can be quiet hectic due to the restrictive devotions to maintain the braces and for this reason, Kelly Orthodontics has decided to put up an article which will make caring for orthodontic braces easy in school. As a student who just had an orthodontic treatment, you should be rest assured that it is the best that can happen to give you the perfect smile again but the care for your teeth and gums help make it very effective. Take a look at your new braces, you can notice a lot of nooks and crannies that can trap food and plaque and that means a great risk of tooth decay is imminent if not properly cared for, therefore you need to pay special attention to cleaning your teeth. This might look hectic but right here the team of Kelly Orthodontics has few great tips to keep your braces in top condition.

1. WATCH YOUR DIET
As an orthodontic patient with braces, it is very important for you to select your diet with caution. We know that there are several foods in school which tastes great but don't look great in your braces. Certain foods can either break a bracket or some foods are sugary and can have negative effects on the natural ability to brush behind the bracket. Be sure to make decisions on foods based on what is healthy, tasty, and won't harm your brackets.

Food to avoid: As an orthodontic patient we would advise that you desist from:

• Sticky or gooey foods 
• Hard foods 
• Sugary foods 
• Acidic drinks 

2. WEAR A MOUTHGUARD
With braces on your teeth, you might be wondering if you should desist from sports or retire from being the captain of your favorite sports team, but the truth is orthodontics does not affect your ability to play sports. You can keep on with your braces and sports if and only if you have your mouth guard on. Mouth guards are safety measures that can mean the difference between just a bruised, fat lips and thousands spent in orthodontics repair work. While you are in any kind of physical activity (including gym classes), it is advisable that you wear a mouth guard which can protect your teeth and braces from flying sports balls, swinging elbows or an accidental fall or hit.

3. BRUSH AND FLOSS REGULARLY
Braces can easily trap food, and this trapped food can lead to other inimical dental problems. Because of this, it is very important to brush your teeth after every meal and to floss at least once a day.

4. DON'T CHEW ON PENCILS
Pencils, pen, and rulers are all hard objects and most times when you get bored, anxious or plainly destructive you are tempted to chew on them in class. Obviously, this can be destructive in the moment and can be grossly inimical over time. It is important that you don't practice these habits while wearing braces.

We know that maintaining braces in school is can be tough. That is why we ensure to give you the best plans of action to help you out.

For more questions and inquiries that you may have, we are always at your service. You can always contact Kelly Orthodontics.

If You Have Braces, Do You Still Need To See Your Dentist?

If you’re a patient at Kelly Orthodontics you are used to visiting us for your regular adjustment appointment every 6-8 weeks. While our hygienist is in your mouth making those adjustments, it’s important for you to remember our team is working on your braces and trips to your general dentist is still very much needed.

When we work on your braces, we are not looking specifically for any cavities and anything we do notice is a by-product of monitoring your oral health from an orthodontic perspective. Even if we did find something suspicious we don’t have the facilities to correct it.

For this reason, we encourage you to maintain your regular dental checkup schedule of once every 6 months.

Another important thing to remember is that your oral hygiene needs to be flawless. The appliances that are in your mouth are, unfortunately, can be a magnet for plaque buildup. If you are a bit lax with brushing and rinsing out your mouth after eating, you may just find that you have a beautiful straight smile with stained teeth.

While having braces does not increase the risk of cavities, not caring for your teeth and having braces does. If you have any questions regarding your oral hygiene click here to visit our website or contact Kelly Orthodontics at our office located in St. Charles.  630-584-9666