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After Houston braces, our patients have to wear orthodontic retainers in order to retain the new alignment of their teeth. There are several kinds of retainers available, each with different pros and cons. However, they all have one thing in common besides protecting your teeth from shifting again: they need to be cleaned. 

Why Your Retainers Should Be Cleaned

Because retainers are worn in your mouth after Houston braces, they can easily collect whatever is on your teeth, such as plaque, bacteria, and tartar. If you aren’t adamant about cleaning your orthodontic retainers, they may start to smell or taste really bad, which is unpleasant for you and may steer you away from wearing your retainers responsibly.

Bacteria are usually found in our mouths, which is why we have to keep them clean, but if illness-causing bacteria such as streptococcus is left to accumulate on your retainers, you may get sick with an infection.

How Should Retainers Be Cleaned?

Because every type of retainer is made of different materials, how you clean them will depend on this. However, here are some general tips and rules of thumb for each type.

Traditional Hawley Retainer and Transparent Removable Retainers

Brush your Hawley retainer or transparent retainer with lukewarm water after every meal with a soft toothbrush and be sure to brush your teeth as well, especially if you are in your first year after Houston braces. By brushing your teeth after every meal, you are ensuring no food particles get stuck in between your teeth and prevent your retainers from doing their job.

Consider asking our South Houston dentist at your next appointment if soaking your retainers in a special cleaning solution is an option. There are multiple options available, but we can recommend what works best for your retainers. We can also discuss how long you should soak them for, as you don’t want to soak them too long. Soaking Hawley retainers for too long may corrode the metal.

Bonded Permanent Retainers

Flossing is the best way to clean your bonded retainers, as they are fused to the teeth, so they cannot be removed and separately scrubbed. By flossing correctly, you will slide the thread between your teeth and around your bonded retainers. Our South Houston dentist will be more than happy to teach you the proper flossing technique. 

Visit Our South Houston Dentist To Learn More About Proper Retainer Care

If you are about to wear retainers or have been wearing them for some time, please book an appointment with us so we can check that you are taking proper care of your teeth and ensure that they have not shifted. We will help get you back on track to beautiful, straight teeth.

A malocclusion, also known as a “bad bite”, affects children and adults the same, but when we see malocclusions in adults, they aren’t sudden or brand new. Most of the time, adults have a bad bite because they had one as a child and either didn’t want to wear dental braces, or had trouble affording them. These days, though, Houston braces are much more affordable than they used to be. They are also lighter and more subtle so adults don’t have to feel as self-conscious about wearing dental braces. When our South Houston dentists’ adult patients are hesitant about metal braces, ceramic Houston braces are a great alternative.

What Makes Ceramic Dental Braces So Appealing, Especially To Adults?

The main reason why our adult patients may favor ceramic Houston braces over metal Houston braces is that ceramic braces blend into the teeth more than metal ones. Ceramic braces consist of tooth-colored brackets or, in some cases, clear brackets. The archwire ranges in color from silver, white, or frosted, as opposed to dark gray like those used along with metal brackets. These variations in color also blend in with the teeth.

Are Ceramic Braces As Effective As Metal Dental Braces?

Although Houston Invisalign Clear Aligners are the go-to method of correcting the alignment of the teeth when you want something subtle, Invisalign works best on very minor cases. Ceramic braces, on the other hand, are an effective option for mild-moderate malocclusions. Although metal braces work for virtually all levels of severity, ceramic dental braces are similar because each individual bracket is glued to each tooth, and they are all bound together by the archwire. The archwire is the key component that puts pressure on the teeth to move them to the correct position. 

Keep in mind, though, that even though ceramic braces are similar to traditional metal braces, they aren’t quite the same. If you participate in high-contact sports, for example, ceramic braces may not be ideal and our South Houston dentist will recommend metal braces instead.

Our South Houston Dentist Offers Affordable Houston Braces

If you feel like it’s time for you to get dental braces, please book an appointment with our south Houston dentist for an initial dental Houston braces consultation. We will evaluate your bite and determine if ceramic braces are suitable for your needs.

Good oral hygiene means coming to dental cleanings with us twice a year, brushing your teeth twice a day with a fluoridated toothpaste, and flossing every night. With Houston braces, though, you have to take extra special care of your teeth and be strict on yourself when it comes to your oral hygiene routine.

Brush Your Teeth More Often

First and foremost, it’s important to brush your teeth more often when you're undergoing Houston braces treatment. If you wear Invisalign Clear Aligners, you may be more prone to cavities if you don't brush your teeth enough because food can get stuck between your teeth and trapped in the aligners. When food is stuck between your teeth it poses as a barrier between the Invisalign trays and your natural teeth, impeding how Invisalign does its job.

Our South Houston dentists recommend that in addition to brushing twice daily, you also brush after each meal or snack you eat. This will help ensure no food particles get stuck in between your teeth, which not only allows Invisalign to do its job but also serves as a great preventative measure against cavities.

Our south Houston family dentists also recommend you carry a travel toothbrush and toothpaste with you so you can always have a toothbrush handy. This way you can be sure to brush as often as needed.

Floss More Carefully

One of the benefits of Invisalign is that it’s removable, which makes flossing a lot easier than it would be if you wore metal Houston braces or ceramic Houston braces. Be sure to carefully floss every night before bed and even between meals to ensure that your clear aligners aren’t obstructed by anything. 

Do Thorough Oral Rinses

There are special oral rinses that our South Houston dentist patients who wear metal or ceramic dental braces can benefit from. Our dentists recommend you use a fluoridated mouthwash before bed after you’ve finished brushing and flossing your teeth to encourage stronger, healthier teeth while you undergo Houston braces treatment. Using a fluoridated mouth rinse has been proven to protect against cavities and strengthen the enamel in our South Houston family dentist patients.

Our South Houston Braces Dentists Can Help You Maintain Proper Hygiene While Wearing Invisalign Clear Aligners

If you Are currently undergoing Invisalign treatment 10 please book an appointment so that we can complete a dental check-up. We will perform a thorough teeth cleaning and check that you’re maintaining adequate hygiene and health. We look forward to embracing your smile! 

If your child is nearing middle-school age, then chances are they will start seeing many classmates undergo Houston braces treatment. This is a very common age at which to begin wearing dental braces because most–or all–of their baby teeth have fallen and their adult teeth have completely emerged. Some pre-teens and teenagers may wear Invisalign Clear Aligners, while others may wear ceramic or metal dental braces because our South Houston family dentist said that type of treatment would work best. So, why does Invisalign only work for some and not others?

Invisalign Clear Aligners Are Made Differently Than Other Houston Braces

Unlike our ceramic Houston braces or metal Houston braces, Invisalign doesn’t have any wires or metal. In fact, Invisalign Clear Aligners are simply transparent, thin, and flexible plastic that is molded to your child’s teeth and gradually pushes their teeth toward the correct alignment. Teeth that are correctly aligned are healthier and promote better oral health in general, which is why it’s important to undergo Houston braces treatment if necessary.

Why Our South Houston Family Dentists Only Recommend Invisalign To Some And Not Others

Houston Invisalign Works Best On Minor Cases

The type of Houston dental braces we recommend to our patients depends on how severe their malocclusion is. Severe malocclusions are most efficiently and effectively treated by metal dental braces because they are the strongest option available. This is also why metal Houston braces work on virtually all cases. 

Invisalign, on the other hand, is best suited for our South Houston dentist patients with mild malocclusions (bad bites) that don’t need as dramatic of a correction.

Our South Houston Braces Dentist Patients Get The Most Out Of Invisalign Treatment By Being Disciplined

Because Invisalign is removable, this is a flexible treatment, but our patients can’t let flexibility become an excuse for being lazy or irresponsible. Patients must wear their Clear Aligners for 22-24 hours a day, which means they need to be careful not to lose, misplace, or forget to wear their aligners. This is crucial for Invisalign to work properly so patients don’t need a second correction in the future. Patients who worry they may be forgetful or lack the necessary discipline will often have a better experience with ceramic dental braces or metal dental braces.

Our South Houston Family Dentist Offers Effective Invisalign Treatment

If you would like to know whether Invisalign is suitable for your child, then please book an appointment with our South Houston dentist. We’ll begin with an evaluation and discuss their needs so that we can develop the best custom dental treatment for them that ensures a beautiful smile for the rest of their life.