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Tuesday, November 28, 2017

Flossing Teeth with Traditional Braces

You just received traditional braces and because your mouth is full of wire and brackets you may think you never have to floss during the whole stage of orthodontic treatment. Dr. Gregory Ross, DDS is here to tell you to think again. There are still plenty of ways to maneuver around those tools to get your teeth clean and plaque free and you can start with this technique.



  • Use waxed floss, because unwaxed floss is more likely to get caught and shred in your braces.

  • Use about 18 inches of floss and thread it carefully.

  • Take the floss and gently thread it under the main wire of the braces before passing it between two teeth. Then remove the floss and re-thread it under the main wire to pass between the next pair of teeth.

  •  Be sure not to snap the floss. Simply move the floss up and down carefully against the side of each tooth.


If you have questions regarding orthodontic oral care, please give us a call. To learn about services we provide at the practice, visit www.smilesbyross.comfor more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Gregory Ross, DDS call our Forest Lake, MN location at 651-464-6988 or our Hudson, WI location at 715-808-8379.

Saturday, November 25, 2017

Brushing Teeth with Braces

After deciding that you wanted a straighter smile, you might have chosen the traditional braces route. Traditional braces include brackets and wires that can make an oral hygiene difficult routine but don’t get discouraged. Dr. Gregory Ross, DDS is here with you every step of the way on your orthodontic journey and he has a few tricks up his sleeve for brushing teeth that are accompanied by braces.  



  • Prepare to brush – take off elastics, and any other removable parts of your orthodontic appliance.

  • Clean your braces – use your brush at a 45-degree angle to clean around the wires and pins of your braces. Brush from the top of each wire and then from the bottom. Take time to ensure that all plaque and debris are removed.

  • Brush your teeth – clean each tooth individually. First, place your brush at a 45-degree angle to the junction between the tooth and the gum, and then apply gentle pressure as you move in a circular motion. Use the same brushing action on all outer and inner tooth surfaces, tilting the brush as needed to better reach the insides of smaller front teeth.


If you have questions regarding orthodontic oral care, please give us a call. To learn about services we provide at the practice, visit www.smilesbyross.comfor more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Gregory Ross, DDS call our Forest Lake, MN location at 651-464-6988 or our Hudson, WI location at 715-808-8379.

Thursday, November 16, 2017

Dry Mouth with Orthodontics

One of the most common pieces of advice for people suffering from dry mouth is to chew sugar-free gum, but that’s not an option for people with braces. At Ross Orthodontics, we’re sensitive to our patients’ difficulty with dry mouth (also known as xerostomia) and want to help them find solutions.


Dry mouth is a common side-effect of medication but can also result from braces interfering with saliva flow or saliva being used up combatting irritation. Many people also get orthodontics as a way of correcting malocclusions that contribute to dry mouth by causing breathing difficulty. All of these people can benefit from the use of throat moisturizers, some of which are available cheaply over-the-counter and the stronger of which can be prescribed. They also benefit from the use of humidifiers in the bedroom and office, or any room they have to spend a lot of time in. While it is obvious that people with dry mouth need to stay hydrated, not everybody is aware that alcoholic, sugary, and caffeinated drinks actually contribute to dryness and should be reduced if the patient is in frequent discomfort. One thing that is never advisable is chewing ice; this habit can cause chipped teeth and wreck orthodontic devices.


To learn more about Ross Orthodontics, visit SmilesbyRoss.com. Offices are located in Forest Lake, Minnesota and Hudson, Wisconsin.


 

Friday, November 10, 2017

Keeping Retainers Clean

Keeping retainers and aligners clean is another part of oral hygiene people have to adapt to while undergoing orthodontic work. At Ross Orthodontics, we want our patients to get the most benefit out of our aesthetically-pleasing Invisalign products, which is why we’re educating them on proper maintenance.


Anytime you remove your retainer is an opportunity to rinse it. It is easier to brush away plaque when a retainer is wet, and a retainer should also be rinsed before being put back in. However, retainers should only be cleaned with room-temperature or cool water—hot water can distort their shape, requiring them to be replaced. Retainers need to be brushed at least once a day. We recommend using a soft-bristled toothbrush (not the same one you use on your teeth) and brushing thoroughly, but gently; otherwise, you may scratch the plastic surface, creating a space that is easier for bacteria to colonize.


Toothpastes designed for enamel therapy may contain gritty minerals which can cause scratches since teeth have natural protective films that artificial devices lack. On the other hand, toothpastes that are made specifically for dentures work well on retainers. Remember that the protective case needs to be cleaned regularly as well and that the cleaner your mouth is before you put your retainer in, the fewer opportunities there will be for plaque to build on it.


To learn more about Ross Orthodontics, visit SmilesbyRoss.com. Offices are located in Forest Lake, Minnesota and Hudson, Wisconsin.


 

Thursday, November 2, 2017

Orthodontic Retention

Every patient is excited to see their new smile when braces come off.  When you’ve worked and waited for something so long it’s easy to get caught up in the results.  It’s still important to retain the new position of the teeth.  There are a few different ways this is accomplished and will vary depending on the patient.


Fixed retainers are wires permanently bonded to the back of either the upper or lower front teeth.  This is usually done very soon after the braces have been removed, and while it isn’t needed for very long after braces treatment and can be removed, it isn’t harmful to keep it longer. Traditional removable retainers include wires that can be adjusted if the teeth require additional movement, and an acrylic base that fits into the roof of the mouth.  The newest kind of retainer available is an aligner-style retainer.  These are removable clear plastic retainers made from a mold of the newly aligned teeth and resemble invisible braces aligners like Invisalign.  Your dentist can tell you what retainer is the best for your continued treatment plan.


To learn more about retainers and all the services we provide, visit www.smilesbyross.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Gregory Ross, DDS call our Forest Lake, MN location at 651-464-6988 or our Hudson, WI location at 715-808-8379.

Water Flossing With Orthodontics

A little floss goes a long way when it comes to oral health. Flossing is an important step to remove food particles that have been left behi...