| Dr. Cavanaugh and his staff are
dedicated to providing excellent orthodontic treatment
in a professional, personalized, and friendly environment. |
| Parents are welcome to watch the
treatment process and ask questions whenever they like. |
| We offer early morning, evening
and Saturday appointments for your convenience. |
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|
 General
Soreness
When you get your braces on, you may feel a general soreness
in your mouth and your teeth may be tender to biting pressures
for three to five days. This can be relieved by rinsing your
mouth with a warm salt water mouthwash. Dissolve one teaspoonful
of salt in 8 ounces of warm water and rinse your mouth vigorously.
For the first few days stick to soft foods.
If the tenderness is severe, take aspirin or whatever you
normally take for a headache or similar pain. The lips, cheeks
and tongue may also become irritated for one to two weeks
as they toughen and become accustomed to the surfaces of the
braces. You can put wax on the braces to lessen any irritation.
We’ll show you how!
Eating with Braces
For the best treatment results, certain foods should be avoided
during orthodontic treatment.
Foods to Avoid
- Pop/Soda
- Chewy foods (bagels, hard rolls, licorice)
- Crunchy foods (popcorn, hard pretzels, ice, peanuts)
- Sticky foods (bubblegum, taffy, etc…)
- Chewing on hard things (pens, pencils or fingernails)
can damage the braces.
It is also recommended to cut fruits and vegetables into
small pieces and to cut corn off the cob.
Eating these “off limit” foods could lengthen
treatment time or mean an emergency visit to the orthodontist.
Loosening of Teeth
This is to be expected throughout treatment. Don't worry!
It's normal. Teeth must loosen first so they can be moved.
The teeth will again become rigidly fixed in their new –
corrected – positions.
Care of Appliances
To successfully complete the treatment plan, the patient must
work together with Dr. Cavanaugh and his staff. The teeth
and jaws can only move toward their corrected positions if
the patient consistently wears the rubber bands, headgear
or other appliances as prescribed.
Brushing
It’s more important than ever to brush and floss regularly
when you have braces, so the teeth and gums are healthy after
orthodontic treatment. Patients should brush and floss their
teeth after every meal.
Patients who do not keep their teeth clean may require more
frequent visits to the dentist for a professional cleaning.
Adults who have a history of gum disease should also see a
periodontist during orthodontic treatment.
Retainer Instructions
- Wear your retainers full time, until Dr. Cavanaugh instructs
otherwise.
- Take your retainers out when eating...and always put retainers
in their case! (Most appliances are lost in school lunch
rooms or restaurants.)
- Clean retainers thoroughly once a day with a toothbrush
and toothpaste. Use warm but not hot water. Brushing retainers
removes the plaque, and eliminates odors.
- When retainers are not in your mouth, they should ALWAYS
be in a retainer case. Pets love to chew on them.
- Initially, you may find it difficult to speak. Practice
speaking, reading, or singing out loud to get used to them
faster.
- Retainers are breakable, so treat them with care. If retainers
are lost or broken call us immediately.
- If you have any questions or concerns about your retainers,
or your retainers need adjusting, call us. Do not try to
adjust them yourself.
- Always bring your retainers to your appointments.
- Retainer replacement is expensive…with proper care
they will last for years.
- Remove retainers when swimming.
- Keep retainers away from hot water, hot car dashboards,
pockets, the washing machine, and napkins
Fixed Expander Instructions
- Turn your expansion screws as instructed. Insert the key
into the hole and turn toward the arrow.
- If you are unable to keep your scheduled appointment,
stop turning the expander.
Athletics
If you play sports, it’s important that you consult
us for special precautions. A protective mouthguard is advised
for playing contact sports. In case of any accident involving
the face, check your mouth and the appliances immediately.
If teeth are loosened or the appliances are damaged, call
us for an appointment immediately. In the meantime, treat
your discomfort as you would treat any general soreness.
Loose Wire
or Band
Don’t be alarmed if a wire or band comes loose. This
happens occasionally. If the wires protrudes and is irritating,
use a blunt instrument (back of spoon or the eraser of a pencil)
and carefully and gently push the irritating wire under the
bracket.
Simply get it out of the way. If irritation to the lips or
mouth continues, place wax or wet on the wire to reduce the
annoyance. Call our office as soon as possible for an appointment
to check and repair the appliances. If any piece comes off,
save it and bring it with you to the office.
Emergency
Care
As a general rule, an emergency appointment may be made when
there is severe pain, a loose band, a broken wire or something
sticking out that you can’t take care of. It’s
important to know the names and parts of your appliances.
It will help, when you call the office to be able to identify
what part is broken or out of place.
If you have an orthodontic emergency and our office is closed
for the day, you can page Dr. Cavanaugh at (219) 921-2059.
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