Don’t Underestimate The Importance Of Your Retainer

Life with Braces, Patient Education, The Best Braces

The day a patient has their traditional metal braces removed is exciting. We often hear that our patients have a celebration meal planned with all of the foods that were restricted during treatment. Patients who wear clear aligners are thrilled when they’re reached the last set of trays. However, a patient’s joy is sometimes fleeting once they learn they must now wear a retainer. Read on to learn about why it is essential to wear your retainer.

Can Braces Help With Sleep Apnea?

Life with Braces, Patient Education, The Best Braces

If you suffer from sleep apnea, you may be desperately looking for a solution to your problem. You may be wondering if orthodontic treatment can help with sleep apnea, and the answer is yes. Before we explain further, we want to make it clear that we cannot diagnose or treat sleep apnea. When we are performing our initial consultation with future patients, there are a number of examinations we perform. The examination ranges from visual examinations to in-depth X-rays and scans of the teeth, bone structure, skull, and more. During these examinations, there are certain red flags that may indicate you have certain conditions or issues, and we would recommend you see a medical professional who specializes in the condition we may suspect. Sleep apnea in children and adults is one of the conditions that may be a red flag for us during our examination.

Caring For Your Braces Over The Holidays

Invisible Aligners, Life with Braces, Patient Education, The Best Braces

We cannot believe that December has arrived. Many of our patients are busy preparing for the holiday season. While this is a time to visit and celebrate with loved ones, remember to be mindful of your orthodontic hardware. We’ve talked before about which foods to avoid while wearing braces and other hardware. However, there is so much food during this time of year that it can be tempting to indulge, even when you know better. This can be especially difficult for our younger patients, who may not have much restraint.

Orthodontic Treatment Can Save You Money With Your Oral Health

Life with Braces, Patient Education, The Best Braces

The benefit of orthodontic care is much greater than just improving the aesthetics of your teeth. Orthodontic care can also significantly reduce the need for dental intervention and treatment as you age. The placement of the jaw and position of the teeth in certain patients can lead to serious and expensive dental health issues in the future. It might seem like orthodontic care is an expensive and time-consuming investment. However, you would be surprised at the cost of dental care should you need numerous treatments during your lifetime. Orthodontic care can help improve a number of concerns:

Use It, But Please Don’t Lose It

Life with Braces, The Best Braces

Do you have a child who is receiving orthodontic care and are concerned because they are not as responsible as you would like with their oral care and orthodontic hardware? Wearing orthodontics, especially removable hardware, comes with a certain level of responsibility for our patients of all ages. Many parents are concerned with their children losing certain hardware, and to be fair, we have the same concern with our adult patients as well. We want to share some tips to help our youth patients develop good habits in keeping track of orthodontic hardware. Continue reading to learn these tips.

Ideas For School Lunch While Wearing Braces

Life with Braces, Pediatric Orthodontics, The Best Braces

Now that we are in October, hopefully you and your family are in a routine to get the kids out the door bright and early for school. During those first few weeks, everyone is feeling a certain level of excitement, and it’s a little easier to get everybody ready. As the year moves along, it typically gets harder and harder to find that same motivation from the beginning of the school year. This is especially true if you pack lunch for your child. It can be even more difficult if your child has braces and you are trying to follow the guidelines of their food restrictions. We know it can also be challenging for your child to make wise decisions when ordering school lunch from the cafeteria. It can be tempting to choose restricted food items. We would hate for your child to experience an orthodontic emergency during school due to making an incorrect food choice and damaging their hardware.

What Happens After Braces?

Life with Braces, Patient Education, The Best Braces

We know that there is no better feeling than when your braces come off. Some of our patients have been wearing braces for quite a while, and they are full of excitement and big smiles on the day their orthodontic hardware is finally gone. Not that we want to burst anyone’s bubble, but your orthodontic journey doesn’t end the day your braces are removed. Following our after-treatment instructions is just as important as wearing the braces. Continue reading to learn more.

Health Benefits of Orthodontic Treatment

Life with Braces, Patient Education, The Best Braces

At The Best Braces, there is nothing like witnessing our patients see their new smile without braces or clear aligners for the first time following the completion of treatment. While one of the biggest benefits of orthodontic treatment is the improvement to the appearance of your smile, that is not the only reason we may recommend treatment. Orthodontic treatment can greatly improve your oral and overall health as well. Here are some of the ways orthodontic treatment can improve your health:

Eating With New Braces

Life with Braces, Patient Education, The Best Braces

At The Best Braces, we know that it can be a transition for patients who are wearing braces for the first time. The first few days are going to be an adjustment. Not only do you have to get used to having something on all of your teeth, but there is also the discomfort of the braces starting to do their job. We recommend planning ahead and having foods available that will be a comfort during this time of adjustment. These foods can also be handy after an adjustment to your braces when you may be feeling some discomfort for a few days. Here are some food suggestions for meals:

Summer Safety Tips For Braces

Life with Braces, Patient Education, The Best Braces

We don’t know about you, but after another long winter in Michigan, we are thrilled that summer has finally arrived. We know that many of our patients are enjoying the long days and the slower pace of summer. Whether you are on summer vacation from school or perhaps taking some much needed time off from work, we hope that you have a wonderful and relaxing time. We want to share some things to avoid to ensure that your braces don’t keep you from experiencing everything this summer has to offer. Read on to learn more about what to avoid while wearing braces.