Hey, my name is Shelly Katalgo. My love for sedation dentistry started in high school. My best friend had a severe fear of going to the dentist and I wanted to help her feel better about it. Although I always enjoyed my dental visits, I felt bad that she struggled so much with going to hers. My parents taught me about sedation dentistry and I instantly dreamed of becoming a dental professional. I wanted to help kids like my friend stay fear free throughout their appointments by using gentle techniques and professional medications. Although I opted to follow a different career path, my passion for dentistry remained throughout the years. I will update my site with developments in this industry as soon as they are reported. I will also discuss the benefits of sedation dentistry in detail. Thanks for visiting. I hope you come back soon.
Franklin Steward
One of the first steps of an orthognathic procedure comes before the actual surgical procedure is performed. This involves outfitting your teen with a set of traditional braces. These braces are designed to get your teen's smile as straight as possible and are worn during the actual operation. In order for this to be successful, it is important to ensure that the braces remain as tight as possible. Braces can quickly loosen when your teen wears them if they are not treated with care. If this happens, then it is important to notify your dentist as soon as you notice it. Luckily, there are a few tips that you can use to aid your teen in preserving tight braces.
Instruct Them to Avoid Hard Foods
Hard foods tend to be extremely destructive to a set of braces. Hard foods may not only destroy the brackets in these dental appliances but also may loosen the wires that hold the entire appliance together. Some of the foods consist of anything from caramelized candies to rarely cooked meats. While these foods may be a treat to enjoy and indulge in, they are actually doing more harm than good. Therefore, it is important to instruct them to steer clear of these foods until well after the operation is complete. If they want to enjoy these foods, then it is important to try and cook meats as long as possible in order to soften them.
Instruct Them Not to Use Their Braces as a Tool
It is normal for anyone to use their teeth as a tool. They may use them to open cans or bottles. However, this is incredibly damaging for natural teeth and has the same effect on braces. Using your braces as a tool pulls against the device and weakens the wires and brackets. Your teen may end up with a broken wire or a broken bracket. If this happens, then they will need to see their dentist as soon as possible. If your teen wants their braces to last for more than just a few months, then they need to ensure that they are not replacing actual tools with their braces. If a can needs to be opened, then they should either use their hands or a can opener.
Braces that become loose prior to the orthognathic procedure can ruin the entire experience. Therefore, use these tips as a guide in order to keep your teen on the right track. Talk to a dental professional, such as one at Crest Hill Family Dental, for more information.