Category: For Teens

THE DAMON SMILE

The Damon Smile

Damon Smile braces are the most popular and consistently used orthodontic treatment at Jupiter Orthodontics. With Damon rackets you’ll experience more comfortable and hygienic treatment/patients prefer this over all other available braces. Damon Smile does not have ligatures or modules. Especially popular is the fact that less office visits are required!

Why Damon is different

The number one reason many patients prefer Damon Smile is because they are available in clear for a more aesthetically pleasing smile while in treatment. Also, you’ll be happy to know, patients who wear Damon Smile braces will have less discomfort because less force is applied. Particularly notable is that most often there is no need to extract teeth to make room in the patient’s mouth.

Typically oral hygiene can be a problem for many teens wearing braces. However, with the reduction of modules to trap bacteria in, your teeth are able to stay cleaner.

Treatment time

With the advanced Damon technology teeth are straightened faster with less pain and the treatment time is considerable less. That is another reason Dr. King prefers Damon over other types of treatment. Treatment time will of course vary from patient to patient depending on what your individual needs are, so you need to make an appointment with Dr. King to evaluate what will benefit you the most.

Overall Success

Patients are very happy with Damon Smile. With less irritation, less treatment time, as well as better-looking aesthetics, patients love all of the bonuses that come along with this type of treatment. Call our office and set up your complimentary consultation appointment with Dr. King to see how well this popular option will work for you.

WINNING THE CHALLENGE OF BRUSHING WITH BRACES

It is definitely a challenge to brush well while wearing braces. Dr. King thought you would appreciate some tips that will help you keep your teeth clean so that they will look even more amazing when the braces come off.

  • First, use a soft toothbrush. The most important place to keep clean during orthodontic treatment is above your braces (between the braces and the gums). It is impossible to brush the enamel surface without contacting the gums with the bristles. Hard or medium brushes could damage the gums and should be avoided.
  • Second, start brushing using a wet toothbrush, no toothpaste. Toothpaste does contain ingredients that are important for the health of your teeth, but the foam it creates makes it hard to see what you are doing. After you have done a thorough job brushing, THEN you can add a small amount of toothpaste so that you can take advantage of the fluoride, whiteners, abrasives (yes abrasives!), and breath fresheners that are in the paste.
  • Third, scrubbing does a decent job on the surface of the braces, but that action will not remove plaque and food that are caught under the wires and brackets. Using your wet tooth brush, begin removing debris by using a picking motion. The bristles act like little toothpicks reaching the smallest hiding places in your orthodontic appliances
  • Fourth, spend at least two FULL minutes brushing your teeth. You should spend at least 30 seconds on each side of your teeth. (Upper right and left/lower right and left) You may think that you already do this, but time yourself and you’ll find that you, (like most people) are brushing an average of only 30 seconds for your entire mouth!
  • Fifth, the best toothpaste to use is the one the patient likes and encourages them to brush for a full two minutes. Research shows that the most important variables when it comes to good oral hygiene is the TIME SPENT and the technique used and not the brand of toothpaste. Most toothpastes have fluoride which is the most important ingredient.
  • Sixth, when you are done brushing in the morning, go ahead and rinse your mouth after brushing. Before bed however, spit but DO NOT RINSE. Research shows that teeth receive just as much fluoride by not rinsing as they do when you apply an expensive fluoride supplement.
  • Seventh, I am a big fan of any technology that encourages my patients to spend more time brushing. Electric toothbrushes do a good job supplementing the manual movements of the toothbrush bristles over the teeth. Some brushes that vibrate have been shown to clean a little better than those that rotate. Again, I endorse any brush that makes my patients brush longer than they would otherwise.

DO BRACES CAUSE WHITE SPOTS ON TEETH?

Having braces removed is such an exciting event for all my patients!

I am happy to say that rarely do any of my patients have white spots after the braces come off.

The white spot lesions (demineralization/calcification) are caused by dental plaque, which is the same thing that causes cavities. The white, chalky marks form on the teeth when acids from the plaque remove minerals from the tooth which causes it to reflect light differently. Typically these spots will be seen between the gums and brackets where it is more difficult to brush when wearing braces. The good news is that braces DO NOT cause these spots on the teeth; however they do make it more difficult to remove the plaque which is the real problem.

Yes, there are ways to prevent these white lesions. Plaque removal is the ONLY sure way to prevent them. You’ll find that starting with your first visit to my office the importance of removing plaque is stressed and you will be encouraged to give careful attention to your oral hygiene. There are expensive products that can be used but nothing can replace good oral hygiene when it comes to preventing white spot lesions.

If you do have white spots on your teeth after braces, the first step to take is to be diligent with keeping your teeth clean and allow the normal oral fluids to bathe your teeth for six months. Experts advise AGAINST applying extra fluoride during this healing period as it may seal the surface of the lesion and prevent re-mineralization below the surface. After six months, low concentration over-the-counter fluoride rinses and remineralization pastes (like Recaldent and MI Paste) can then be applied.
When it is all said and done, white spot lesions are caused by plaque. Coating your teeth with extra fluoride or sealing your teeth with the newest products may help some, but the best solution happens with your toothbrush, toothpaste and a little water! The daily, regular removal of plaque will keep dental plaque off of your teeth and white spot lesions will never ruin your deband celebration!

Feel free to call the office or ask us a question online!

SEE YOUR DENTIST

You have braces!

You’re so excited about fixing your smile and having a great confident smile! We are happy for you and will enjoy taking this journey with you. Dr. King is on the job and he has some important tips for you while you are on your way to that rock star smile!

Dr. King knows you’re diligent about keeping your teeth healthy by brushing and flossing. However, now that you have those hard-working braces in place you may be prevented from easily cleaning your teeth. You’re going to find it necessary to give a little extra attention to preventing tooth decay while wearing your braces. You definitely do not want to allow sugary substances to wear away the cement on the braces reducing the effectiveness of moving your teeth. That might mean longer treatment time and we know you are in a hurry to show off that new smile!

You’ll need to use a proxy brush which is shaped like a long triangle which can easily remove food particles from hard to reach places around your braces. You might also want to use a WaterPik, with its pressurized water pulse to get your teeth and braces really clean.

Most importantly what Dr. King wants to help you really understand is how important it is to see your family dentist every 3 to 6 months. Once braces are in place it is more important than ever to have your teeth cleaned regularly and have your dentist check for problems that may not be seen or felt, find early signs of tooth decay or any starting problems before they become big issues for you.

Your dentist is a very large part of your orthodontic treatment because healthy teeth are essential during this process. And don’t forget, when you see your dentist during the summer months there are incentive rewards when you get back to Jupiter Orthodontics and tell us about it!

THE TRAVELING TEETH

Laura’s* story begins with a gorgeous new smile when her braces were removed. “At last the smile I’ve always wanted!” Unfortunately, Laura decided NOT to wear her retainer after a while. “It was a hassle,” Laura complained. She stopped wearing it and months later when she decided to try her retainer again it was so painful that she couldn’t wear it. “My teeth felt like someone was squeezing them with pliers.”

Laura also decided not to go back for her checkups, “After all, I don’t wear braces anymore so I don’t need to see the orthodontist.” Her doctor would most certainly have been able to see the damage and correct it. But Laura waited far too long and when she became really unhappy with the deterioration of that great smile she went to the orthodontist once again.

Back in braces Laura learned that teeth have a memory and will travel back to their original position if not retained. Dr. King encourages all of his patients to wear their retainers so that the smile they dreamed of doesn’t become a nightmare in the future. The best advice to follow is to wear your retainers for as long as you want to keep your incredible smile!

*Name has been changed