New Year, Same Braces

Our patient Josh with Dr. Poser after getting his braces removed.

By receiving orthodontic treatment from Dr. Poser you have made a commitment to going that extra mile to make sure your oral health is in tip top shape. As we enter the new year and you create resolutions and set goals, staying on top of your treatment plan should one of them.

As you continue treatment you must remember there are 4 things you must stay on top of to make sure your treatment plan is on track.

1. Brush and Floss Daily

Teeth should be brushed in the morning, after each meal, and at bedtime. If you cannot brush after meals, rinse your mouth vigorously with water. The use of an electronic toothbrush is recommended if proper brushing is not accomplished with a manual toothbrush. Along with brushing at least once every day, you should be flossing daily too. Brushing and flossing helps keep your mouth clean and removes food particles from in between teeth and wires.

2. Avoid Certain Foods 

Please do not eat hard foods, including nuts, ice, crisp taco shells, whole apples and carrots (cut them into pieces first), hard French bread crust and rolls, spare ribs, corn on the cob (cut the corn off the cob before eating) and popcorn. These foods can cause breakage of the brackets and wires. Sticky foods should be avoided as they cause the brackets, bands and other orthodontic appliances to become loose from the teeth.These types of problems caused by eating the wrong foods can extend the duration of treatment.

3. Wear Your Elastics

Elastics are basically rubber bands that are attached to brackets, usually between the upper and lower or front and back teeth, applying tension and causing teeth to move. Elastics can be used in many ways depending upon the treatment goals. You can leave them in during snacking, but be sure to replace the elastics with new ones immediately after meals and brushing.


4. Make All Scheduled Appointments

It is important to follow through on scheduled appointments in order to keep up with your personal treatment timetable. However, we  know that things do come up and if you are not able to make your scheduled appointment just give us a call and we will reschedule you for the next convenient time.


Our goal is to make sure all of our patients receive the proper care. If you have any questions regarding your personal treatment plan or treatment at Dr. Poser's in general please feel free to visit Treatment section of our website or give us a call today!