Patient resources and FAQs

Some slight discomfort is to be expected after beginning orthodontic treatment of any kind. Typically this soreness lasts anywhere from 3-7 days after your first visit, though this may vary slightly from person to person. For comfort, the patient can take any over the counter medication that they usually take for a headache. We also recommend eating soft foods like pasta, mashed potatoes, rice, soups, and smoothies for the first few days. The coldness of ice cream or sorbets can also help to ease soreness, and let’s be honest, ice cream can cure pretty much anything!

We will provide you with orthodontic wax at your first appointment. Thoroughly dry the area that is bothering you, roll a small piece of wax between your thumb and pointer finger to warm it up, then firmly press the ball of wax onto the problem area. Can’t find the wax we provided you? Most drug stores like CVS and Walgreens also carry orthodontic wax. We also have an amazing product in the office called Tweakz, which is available for all our patients at the office. We call this the swiss army knife of braces. It’s an all in one tool that has the attachments to solve nearly every orthodontic emergency. Check out how to use Tweakz here. https://vimeo.com/796854282

Move onto the next aligner in your set! Send us a quick message on the Dental Monitoring app so that we know to update your current aligner number and reset your scan date.

While we love the convenience of Amazon, your doctor has prescribed a very specific size and strength of rubber band unique to you and your treatment. If you need more rubber bands, please give the office a call and you can stop by anytime to pick up more bags!

There are tutorials on the app that will show step by step instructions on how to complete your scan. If you cannot find those, please click here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eTBZKyNe2U for a video on scanning with your braces, and here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBdnfPepnXU for a video on scanning with your Invisalign aligners.

We recommend an electric toothbrush, a water flosser, a high fluoride toothpaste, and an alcohol free mouthwash. If you are in braces, we recommend using a floss threader to help pass the floss around your wire. We love the Philips Sonicare toothbrush and water flosser, as well as the OrthoDefense toothpaste that is specifically formulated with all the ingredients to help prevent the formation of cavities in orthodontic patients. Not sure which ones to buy? To take the guesswork out of it, all of our most recommended products are available at the office.