Oral hygiene, Orthodontics and your Child

At RiteBite Orthodontics, we do everything we can to encourage our patients to maintain excellent oral hygiene throughout orthodontic treatment so they can have a beautiful result after treatment that they can be truly proud of. The bottom line is that it is up to the patient to motivate themselves to take care of their teeth; easier said than done!

 

 

We understand that braces are a huge investment of both time and money for our patients and parents. With that being said, many parents become frustrated as they try to help their children understand that braces are not ‘a luxury’ that their own parents could afford to provide them with when they were youngsters. We often hear “you don't know how good you have it… I would have given anything to have braces when I was your age!” Try to think about things from their perspective. Kids often don't understand that they only get one set of adult teeth to last them a lifetime. For example, if they are six and have a cavity on one of their baby teeth, let them know: “If you already have a cavity on your baby tooth, that lets you know you have to take even better care of your adult teeth because they have to last you the rest of your life!”

 

It is important that we spend a lot of time educating our patients about the effects of not maintaining proper oral hygiene throughout orthodontic treatment. One of the most common culprits is demineralization stain. Demineralization stains are permanent white scars that can form in the shape of the bracket, often caused by plaque sitting around the bracket for long periods of time. When patients come in for regular appointments and we point out demineralization staining around the brackets, many are defensive; we often hear “I plan to have my teeth whitened when I am finished my treatment.” Although this is a great idea for many, we have to remind our patients that you cannot whiten away demineralization stain.

Enough about the teeth, what about those gums?

We try to highlight one major point to all of our patients: Healthy gums never hurt and never bleed. All too often people make excuses for themselves: “I don't floss because it hurts/bleeds,” but what many don't understand is that if they only brushed and flossed more diligently, that hurting/bleeding would subside. Particularly during orthodontic treatment, puffiness and bleeding of the gingiva can be more common due to the gums becoming irritated from the tooth movements, and all of the wires and brackets making plaque build-up more of a problem.

 

Most patients can't justify spending the time and effort to brush and floss their teeth as much as we tell them to because quite simply, they didn't really like their teeth before they had braces, so it is labouring to take care of something so diligently that you don't even like! We often remind our patients that they will LOVE their teeth when they are finished their braces, so it is important to take care of them now, otherwise they will wish that they had! Remember: braces are not forever, so encourage your child to make the best of it while they are in treatment, and they will have a smile that you can all be proud of in no time!

 

By: Jennifer Drever, RDH

Adopt-a-Road

Helping reduce litter where we live, work, and play!

At RiteBite Orthodontics we strive for the highest quality of care. Part of this quality of care involves taking part in our community as well. In April 2011 we decided, as an office, we wanted to give back to our community in a way that would be beneficial and make a difference. We became part of the Waterloo Region Adopt-a-Road Program. Currently 70 organizations participate in Adopt-a-Road.


There were several safety rules and regulations that we needed to follow in order to keep ourselves safe. The Region provides safety training, safety vests, flags and trash bags, and collects bagged litter after a cleanup. While we cleaned the road we all needed to be wearing the bright orange safety vests. This was one of the safety precautions so vehicles passing by were able to see us from a distance and be careful while driving past us. It was recommended that we wear safety gloves as well while picking up the garbage. We realized very quickly that long pants were beneficial, especially in the tall grass. During one of our cleanups, one of our team members, Jenna, decided to take safety to the next level and dress head to toe in fluorescent clothing; sporting lime green leggings, a bright pink tank top, and a lime green sweatshirt. She definitely turned a few heads that day! ☺


In the spring/summer of 2011 we, as a team, did our first clean up on Fountain Street, between Woolwich St. and Menno St. We had a great turn out with members of our team as well as their family members. It was a scorching hot day but we rallied together to get the job done. We were able to clean the 2km stretch of road in approximately 2.5 hours. Picking up garbage may not sound very entertaining or glamorous but it was a great team building experience. In total we picked up 13 bags of garbage during our first road clean up. It was very surprising to us all how much garbage there was in such a small area. Our second road clean up for 2011 was in September. We didn’t have as much garbage to pick up during that outing but we still filled 8 garbage bags full. Again, shocking!! 


We are privileged to participate once again in the Adopt-a-Road program. We completed our first clean up on May 25, 2012. We were able to fill 12 bags and completed this in 2 hours with a group of 8. More than 6,200 bags of garbage have been collected to date through the Adopt-a-Road program. We look forward to the next time we can get back out there and keep our road beautiful!

Braces? At my age?

Recent article featured in WebMD on adult orthodontics 

Feel a little self conscious about your crooked teeth? You aren’t alone. Thankfully, braces aren't just for kids any more. Today, adults make up nearly 20% of brace wearers, says Michael B. Rogers, DDS, president of the American Association of Orthodontists.
Although there are many reasons for adults to consider braces, most people simply want to look and feel their best. Here are a few leading reasons to make a trip to the ortho:

A straighter smile. It’s no surprise that many people want to perfect their pearly whites to achieve a winning smile. And, those smiles pay off. A recent study compared people's reactions to photos that were manipulated to show either straight or crooked teeth. People with straight teeth rated higher on scores of leadership, popularity, and sports ability. (The only score that didn't change was intelligence.)
Shifting teeth. Just because you had braces as a kid doesn’t mean you’re off the hook. "Teeth tend to move a little throughout your life," Rogers says. "Your teeth may shift a little back toward their original positions."
Better oral health. It’s no surprise that straight teeth are easier to brush and floss. So -- if you’re doing your part -- expect less decay and healthier gums, says Pamela K. McClain, DDS, president of the American Academy of Periodontology. Antibacterial mouth rinses can also help keep your teeth and gums free of plaque-causing bacteria.
Braces can help people manage some more serious issues too, like bite problems that cause jaw pain. In some cases, braces are necessary to change the position of neighboring teeth for a new bridge, crown, or implant.

New Options

Thankfully, we’ve come a long way from the days when kids were called "Brace Face." Today’s options are barely noticeable. They include:

• Ceramic braces made of a clear material that is much less obvious than traditional metal braces.
• Brackets attached to the back of teeth to hold the wires that pull teeth into a new position.
• Customized plastic aligners that fit like tooth guards over teeth, gently moving them into a new position.

What to Expect

How long you'll need to wear braces depends on what you have done. Most treatments range from 12 to 44 months. "Adult teeth sometimes take longer than children's teeth to move into new positions,” Rogers says. “But in many cases there's no real difference."
Once teeth are in the desired position, you are likely to need to wear a retainer. Many orthodontists now recommend permanent retainers that are fitted and attached to the back of teeth.
Cost also varies widely depending on the extent of treatment. The typical range is $4,000 to $8,000. A growing number of dental plans cover all or part of orthodontic treatment. Many orthodontists offer discounts if you pay the entire fee up front. If you can't spring that, talk to your orthodontist about monthly installments or other payment plans.

By Peter Jaret
WebMD Feature