Functionally, the new ceramic coated braces Dr. Firoz Lalani installed on your teeth are similar to traditional wire and bracket braces, in every way. Cosmetically they differ in that the majority of the hardware has been glazed with a special ceramic material that closely matches the shade of your natural tooth enamel.
Properly maintaining your new ceramic coated braces will help maintain their appearance and keep the total duration of the alignment process to a bare minimum. If your braces are damaged in any way it will likely increase the number of routine adjustment sessions needed to achieve the ideal alignment of your teeth.
There are certain foods and lifestyle habits that you should keep in mind as you go about your day. Chewing gum and eating sticky foods can easily get stuck in the wires and bands causing damage or even breaking something loose. The same threat is posed by eating crunchy foods, hard candy and chewing on things like pens, pencils, and ice.
You will need to thoroughly brush your teeth and braces twice each day. This should be immediately followed by flossing between your teeth and along the gumline. If you are finding it difficult to completely clean some of the hard to reach places, you might want to try Interdental brushes. You might want to try using a floss threader that can insert a strand of waxed dental floss between teeth and around hardware.
It’s important to keep in mind that your natural tooth enamel is going to stain faster and deeper than the ceramic material coating the braces. Cutting back on dark food and drinks will help minimize any noticeable staining. If you do want to enjoy dark beverages, you might want to dry drinking these beverages through a straw, or brush your teeth shortly after with a whitening toothpaste.
If you have questions about how to maintain your new ceramic coated braces, you can call Dr. Firoz Lalani’s in Houston, Texas office for further advice.