Simply Orthodontics Worcester Blog

If you’ve recently started wearing braces, congratulations – a straighter, healthier smile is on the horizon! While traditional braces might not seem like something you’ll be interacting with often, as the metal brackets and wires can handle moving your teeth on their own, you’ll still play an instrumental role in the process; it’s up to you to keep your mouth clean during this period. Here are some helpful steps to follow as you begin brushing and flossing throughout your braces journey.

World Smile Day, celebrated annually on the first Friday of October, is an exciting holiday and also a reminder of how something as simple as a smile can change the world around us. Whether it’s through small acts of kindness or taking care of our oral health, smiles have a unique way of making life better for ourselves and others. Here’s a closer look at the origins of World Smile Day, along with more about the importance of dental health and some ways you can help others smile brightly on this special day!

Orthodontic relapse can be incredibly frustrating, especially after investing your valuable time and money on braces. Fortunately, your retainer will help prevent your teeth from drifting out of their perfectly aligned positions once more, which is why wearing it each evening is of the utmost importance. Since this is a lifelong best practice, you’ll have to replace yours a few times throughout the years. But how will you know when? Here are five tell-tale signs.

These days, who doesn’t want a straighter, more symmetrical set of pearly whites? However, wanting perfect teeth is by no means a modern goal; historians have found evidence of early orthodontic treatments that date back thousands of years. Fortunately, modern braces have evolved by leaps and bounds since then and can now help patients achieve their orthodontic aspirations in a faster, safer, and more comfortable manner. Let’s take a moment to look back at some of the key points in the history of braces to see just how far they’ve come!

Is your first date with someone special rapidly approaching? If so, you’re probably thinking about all of the things you need to do to ensure that things go smoothly! However, if you have braces, you might be a little extra concerned; dating is already challenging enough, but adding a factor such as orthodontics into the mix might make you feel nervous. Don’t worry – you can find four helpful tips on how to have a great time while on a first date with braces below.

Since orthodontic emergencies are relatively rare, there’s a good chance that you’ll make it through your entire teeth-straightening journey without a broken bracket, loose wire, or soft tissue cut. That said, it’s always good to know exactly what you should and shouldn’t do to protect your teeth and braces from harm. With this in mind, keep reading for five helpful tips for preventing orthodontic emergencies!

Have you heard of Phase 1 orthodontics? In short, it’s designed to help young patients who have a mixture of their baby and permanent teeth address overcrowding, overbites, and the like. That’s why some children get braces as young as seven! Others get braces once they are a bit older (usually around the age of 13). If you fall into either of these camps, and your teeth are now misaligned again, you might be wondering if you can get braces twice. Well, here’s the answer!

Braces are perhaps the most iconic orthodontic treatment around; for generations, these metal brackets and wires have filled out mouths and effectively corrected several smiles. That said, they’re also notorious for being a little difficult to clean and care for, especially when you’re first getting started. One thing that can often help with this is having a braces survival kit at hand—these kits can give you everything you need to ensure that your orthodontic journey is never jeopardized! Here are a few items that you should include in yours.

Embarking on the journey to a straighter smile with braces can be an exciting and transformative experience; however, it often comes with its fair share of challenges. One such obstacle that patients with braces must face is oral sores, caused by the metal rubbing against the mouth’s soft tissues. These discomforting sores can make the process more painful than it needs to be; but with the right knowledge and care, they can easily be managed and even prevented altogether. Continue reading below to learn a little more about these sores, along with some helpful at-home tips you can use to keep your orthodontic journey as comfortable as possible.

If you’ve finally decided to begin your orthodontic journey, you’re probably feeling pretty eager to begin working towards a healthier, more attractive, and optimally functional smile. However, it never hurts to be prepared and arm yourself with as much knowledge as possible about the treatment; after all, you’re going to be spending quite a bit of time with your appliance in the near future! Here are a few must-ask questions that you should bring with you to your first orthodontic appointment so that you can get the answers you need to confidently embark down this path.