Most people aren’t born with a perfect smile. The main reason for that is having crooked teeth that can cause a lot of self-esteem issues. If you have crooked teeth, you might cover your mouth when you smile which is a subtle sign that you’re not happy with your smile. Luckily, there is a solution, and you can wear braces to fix everything up.

Whenever someone thinks of braces, most people associate it with childhood or early adolescence. That’s because when you are young, your jawline is still developing, and it undergoes changes as you grow older. Kids and teens can wear braces from one to three years, depending on the problem at hand. After successfully completing that period, most people don’t wear them again. Click here to read more.

In recent years, adults have started to put on pairs of braces too. When we’re older, it takes a bit more time for any changes to happen. Since braces work slowly, that can take another year or two more than when teens or kids wear them. However, you don’t have to worry about that since there are invisible aligners that aren’t noticeable and won’t make you feel uncomfortable.

How do clear braces work?

All of the wires in these devices have a purpose. Each of them is attached to one of your teeth and slightly pulls towards the desired position. They exert constant pressure for a long time. Naturally, your jaw adapts as time goes on. We’re led to believe that our teeth remain fixed in place when we grow up, but that is a misconception.

Each tooth passes through our gums and into a membrane. This membrane is attached to our jaw and roots them. Since it’s connected to the jaw, this part of the body can be maneuvered to respond to the pressure from the braces. You would be surprised to hear that wearing them doesn’t hurt. Also, if you live in Victoria, be sure to visit your Invisalign dentist in Melbourne every two months for a checkup.

The entire process can take up as much as two hours. After that, you will only feel uncomfortable and sore but there is no pain. This soreness usually lasts about a week or two and then you get used to it. Depending on your situation, you will need a few or more adjustments. 

Each adjustment is designed to pull your teeth to their correct position. After every adjustment, you’re going to feel sore for a few days until the sore is gone. The entire procedure costs around 5 000 dollars for kids and teens and it can go up to seven thousand if you are older.

How to maintain them?

The biggest challenge that comes with wearing braces is paying attention to the food you eat. You’re going to have to avoid certain foods because they will get stuck between the metal and plastic, or they will damage the enamel. It’s recommended to eat only soft foods the first few days while you’re getting used to them. View this link for more https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/braces-and-retainers#1

What foods should you avoid?

If you can, try to avoid foods which are hard such as carrots, raw veggies, croutons, meat on the bone, and French and Italian crust. You shouldn’t bite into these with your front teeth because they can damage the metal and get stuck. Cut everything up into small bite-sized pieces instead and then chew with the back row.

Foods like popcorn, chewing gum, chips, caramel, gummies, and hard cookies need to be out of your reach. They all sound delicious, and they taste great. But, while you are wearing braces, you need to forget all about them. These are the most damaging ones you can eat.

What foods can you eat?

If you got worried about all the foods you need to avoid, there is some good news. There are a ton of alternatives that can make up for raw veggies, chips, and cookies. You can eat steamed vegetables since after cooking, they will get soft and you won’t have any problems using your teeth with your braces on when you eat them.

Examples of soft fruits include kiwi, bananas, and berries. Dairy products such as cheese, milk, and yogurt won’t cause any issues too. The same goes for eggs, soft meats, and desserts like ice cream and pudding. Just make sure that you brush after every meal so that nothing gets left in places that are hard to see or reach.

Bad habits that you need to avoid?

Most of us are unaware of what we’re doing with our hands, face, and mouth. Some of the things you’re doing can damage the lifespan of your braces, and it’s important to keep bad habits under control. The first thing is not to chew anything other than food. That includes pencils, pens, straws, and even ice. This will exert more pressure on the wires, and they can break. Follow this link, https://www.dentalhealth.org/safebrace-what-are-braces-and-what-do-they-do, for more information

Additionally, avoid biting your nails. That’s a lousy habit overall, but it’s even worse if you have braces on. It puts your jaw in different positions that messes up the alignment of your teeth. The same thing goes for being rough with your toothbrush. Just because you exert more pressure doesn’t mean your smile will shine brighter. 

This will only cause your gums to bleed and will force your brackets to fall off. And most important of all is skipping the dentist’s appointments. This entire procedure is for you, so make sure you’re present and on time.