Smile Point Dental

860 S. 11th St Ste 101, Beaumont, TX 77701
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Month: April 2022

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Dental care

Are My Braces Working If They Don’t Hurt?

Close up portrait of smiling teen girl showing dental braces. Isolated on white background.

Every orthodontic patient wonders about this question within the first two weeks of fitting the appliance, “if my braces do not hurt, are they still working?” To answer in short, if your teeth are hurting a little or there is some amount of discomfort, then for sure the braces are doing their work. Though this discomfort soon disappears in a matter of a few days after each readjustment (or tray change in case of Invisalign.) Also, if you feel your teeth are shifting, it is a sign of your braces working.

That being said, every person will have a different experience with their braces. Let us see what to expect in general when you get your braces fitted.

Experience of Wearing Braces

In the first few hours of putting the braces on, the patient might not feel any discomfort or pain right away. Though after a few hours, the gentle pressure of braces on teeth will start its effect.

  • Braces put pressure on teeth to slightly pull them into the right alignment which can create discomfort or pain. This pain could last a few days or close to a week.
  • You might have sore gums and also scrapes on the inside of the cheek if you are wearing metal braces. The metal braces rub against your cheek.
  • If you use your tongue to feel your braces, you might also get cuts on your tongue.
  • While eating food, it’s quite common for your teeth to feel sore after putting on braces.

Braces No Longer Hurting – Have They Stopped Working?

As the body adjusts, a person might not notice the braces too much. When the braces shift the alignment of teeth and jaw; the pain persists for just a few days. But once the discomfort is gone, it does not mean the braces are no longer working.

  • During every visit, the dentist would change wires and tighten springs. This would cause a new shift and discomfort but once your teeth are in their new position, the discomfort stops.
  • In the next adjustment, the same process is repeated, which will cause the discomfort to come back for a few days. For Invisalign, this happens for every tray change.
  • With the advancement in technology and flexible wires, the pain and discomfort are much less than in the olden days.

After getting braces, tightening typically occurs once per month. But you might not get bruises on your tongue or cheeks after every tightening since you have already adjusted to having braces in your mouth.

Schedule your appointment with a dentist today and get the treatment on time!

Categories
Dental care

What are the pros and cons of having braces?

Teeth with clear ceramic and metal braces

Everyone wants their smile and face attractive. But because of tooth deformities, people feel embarrassed. Not only does it cause embarrassment, but other dental issues as well. Braces are used to correct these problems. But having braces has both pros and cons.

What are braces for?

Braces are part of orthodontic treatment by dentists to improve your teeth’s alignment. But many people consider it for a facial reason, to improve their smile and look more attractive. Dental braces are used for crooked and unaligned teeth, and many children and adults prefer them for medical and cosmetic purposes. Read some general points to consider about braces or not. A dentist or orthodontist can help determine if braces are the right option for you or not.

Having Braces: Pros

  • Enhance your smile and facial features: our lips, cheeks, jaw shape, and parts become disproportionate due to dental asymmetry caused by misaligned teeth and the face. Braces help your teeth to align with one another correctly. It can assist in improving the appearance of your face and makes you look better.
  • Decreases the chances of other dental issues: alignment issues: correction could be a great solution with braces. You may experience pain or discomfort if your teeth are unaligned. It can cause swallowing and chewing problems over time, cause facial pain and make cleaning more difficult, increasing the likelihood of plaque and bacterial issues in the mouth and lowering the risk of other serious dental problems.

Having Braces: Cons

  • Take times and are difficult to clean: Braces take a long time for treatment, especially in adults for months to years. Not having habits of braces, Braces makes brushing and cleaning challenges. It can trap food particles and cause plague if not cleaned properly.
  • Every Noticeable: People have a social stigma regarding braces and discourage others due to it. And they feel embarrassed about them, especially teenagers. But remember, it will be beneficial for a short period in the long term.

Schedule your appointment with a dentist today and get the treatment on time!

Categories
Dental care

How long do you wear rubber bands with braces?

Rubber bands are utilized to provide more force to a specific area of your mouth, and elastomers are another name for them.

Rubber bands are used to link your braces’ brackets and can be positioned in a variety of ways. Using little metal hooks on the bracket, they’re fastened and secured.

Rubber bands can be used to help braces in a variety of ways. They’re frequently utilized to correct a variety of jaw misalignments, including:

  • underbite
  • open bite
  • overbite
  • crossbite

They can also be used with braces to help adjust tooth spacing or position, such as correcting a crooked tooth.

How long do you have to keep your braces’ rubber bands on?

Your bite and the amount of adjustment required will determine the answer. It could last anywhere between a month and six to eight months. Unless otherwise specified, it is critical to wear your elastics for at least 24 hours each day.

Only take your elastics off when:

  • Tooth brushing
  • Eating (if necessary)
  • New elastics to replace old elastics (which should be done once a day)

Tips on how to put rubber bands with braces

It takes a few days to become comfortable wearing your elastics 24 hours a day. We’ve included some pointers on how to make the transition to wearing elastics on your braces as painless as possible:

  • Changing rubber bands on your braces: Securely hook your elastics on your brackets using your thumb and pointer finger. When attempting to put them on for the first time, it’s best to practice in front of a mirror.

    If you need any guidance on wearing rubber bands with braces, you can connect with your dentist at the earliest.

  • Replace them daily: Because these are rubber bands, they will eventually lose their tension and suppleness. To keep your treatment plan on track, change your elastics every morning.

If you need any guidance on wearing rubber bands with braces, you can connect with your dentist at the earliest.

Categories
Dental care

How does Dental Insurance Work?

Dental Insurance Written on White Key of Metallic Keyboard. Finger pressing key.

Dental procedures are quite costly and having dental insurance takes that burden off your head. Quality dental insurance will cover almost all dental procedures, from routine checkups to cleaning, root canal, extractions, and more. Most dental insurance policies are pretty straightforward and they tell you the procedures they cover, how much they will pay and how much you have to pay from your pocket. Let us go through some of the details associated with dental insurance.

How to Apply for Dental Insurance?

There are a couple of ways you can avail yourself of dental insurance:

  • Through employer: As part of your employment benefits, your employer may offer you dental coverage.
  • Buy a dental plan by yourself: You can buy dental insurance either through a health insurance company or the state health exchange.
  • As riders: Some medical insurance policies have dental insurance attached as riders.

Characteristics of Dental Insurance
Most dental plans work in the following manner:

  • Premium payment: In general, you will require to pay a monthly amount for owing dental insurance. If your dental coverage is through your employer then the premium is deducted from your salary.
  • May have a waiting period involved: There is a waiting period of six to twelve months with most dental insurance companies. This means you will have to wait to get any standard work done. For major procedures, the waiting period could even be two years.
  • Deductibles: Deductible is the amount of money you need to pay from your pocket for the dental procedure.
  • Primary dentist: Some dental policies need you to select a primary dentist. Your primary dentist is the one you would see for any dental issues and they will coordinate for any major or specialized dental care you need.
  • In-network/Out-of-network: Based on the plan you select, you might or might not be required to see a dentist within the insurance company’s network.

Most dental plans will take care of preventive as well as restorative dental procedures like a dental exam, cleaning, mouth-x rays, cavity filling, root canals, tooth extraction, bridges, crowns, dentures, etc. In general, dental policies do not cover cosmetic procedures like veneer, teeth whitening, braces, retainers, etc. Dental insurance is extremely beneficial as they lower your out-of-pocket costs and offer preventive dental care at zero cost.

If you are looking for Dental Billing Company in US, you can contact Capline Dental Services.

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Uncategorized

Does flossing help speed up braces?

Dentist checking braces with a dental mirror on the young smiling female patient.

Yes, flossing two times a day is one of the most basic and efficient ways to remove your braces sooner.

How Does Flossing Help With Braces?

Braces straighten your teeth, but they also promote an increase in the amount of food, plaque, and bacteria that must be cleaned regularly. Otherwise, you’ll encourage the growth of germs and the formation of plaque. If you wish to keep tooth decay and gum disease at bay, you must clean your teeth regularly.

Braces come with brackets that tend to trap food particles in the brackets and wires. Because of the way it’s set out, you’ll have to put in more effort to travel to all of the difficult-to-reach locations.

While braces might raise the chance of gingivitis and cavities, you can combat this by brushing as well as flossing your teeth regularly to ensure that your oral health is maintained so that your braces are removed sooner.

Benefits of flossing:

  • Prevents excessive bleeding and swelling of the gums.
  • Reduce your risks of developing gum disease or tooth decay.
  • Keep your gums and teeth in a good shape.

Correct Way of Flossing

A floss threader, waxed floss, and some time are all you’ll need.

Loop 12-14 inches of floss in your threader and direct it under a wire using the stiff end. Slide it beside and up each tooth’s gum line after you get there. Remove it and thread it under a major wire, through the next set of teeth. While teens can floss on their own, small children with braces will almost certainly need assistance from their parents.

Even if flossing takes longer with braces, don’t skip it. These flossing methods may make the process go more quickly and easily. Make an appointment with your dentist if you require additional assistance.

Yes, flossing two times a day is one of the most basic and efficient ways to remove your braces sooner.

How Does Flossing Help With Braces?

Braces straighten your teeth, but they also promote an increase in the amount of food, plaque, and bacteria that must be cleaned regularly. Otherwise, you’ll encourage the growth of germs and the formation of plaque. If you wish to keep tooth decay and gum disease at bay, you must clean your teeth regularly.

Braces come with brackets that tend to trap food particles in the brackets and wires. Because of the way it’s set out, you’ll have to put in more effort to travel to all of the difficult-to-reach locations.

While braces might raise the chance of gingivitis and cavities, you can combat this by brushing as well as flossing your teeth regularly to ensure that your oral health is maintained so that your braces are removed sooner.

Benefits of flossing:

  • Prevents excessive bleeding and swelling of the gums.
  • Reduce your risks of developing gum disease or tooth decay.
  • Keep your gums and teeth in a good shape.

Correct Way of Flossing

A floss threader, waxed floss, and some time are all you’ll need.

Loop 12-14 inches of floss in your threader and direct it under a wire using the stiff end. Slide it beside and up each tooth’s gum line after you get there. Remove it and thread it under a major wire, through the next set of teeth. While teens can floss on their own, small children with braces will almost certainly need assistance from their parents.

Even if flossing takes longer with braces, don’t skip it. These flossing methods may make the process go more quickly and easily. Make an appointment with your dentist if you require additional assistance.

Schedule your appointment with a dentist today and get the treatment on time!