Westchester NY Braces

At Glaser Orthodontics, there are a few things we want to remind you of when you’re on vacation, so that a day with friends and family won’t be spent dealing with an orthodontic emergency. Firstly, we are here for you whether you are in town or out of town on vacation. Give us a call and we may be able to address the problem over the phone. Second, if we are unable to help you fix the problem over the phone, we will help you find an orthodontic practice in your vacation area that can help you.

If you experience problems reaching our office, we suggest going online and searching for orthodontic practices in your area. Most orthodontists will lend a helping hand to another orthodontic patient and get them out of pain or discomfort.

If you have braces, whether they are metal, ceramic, or lingual, Dr. Glaser and our team suggest steering clear of the following foods to avoid broken brackets and/or wire distortion while you are on vacation:

• -Chewy, sticky, or gummy food

• -Apples, pears and other whole fruits (cut fruit into thin wedges before consuming)

• -Bagels and hard rolls

• -Bubble gum

• -Corn on the cob

• -Hard candies

• -Hard cookies

• -Pretzels

• -All varieties of nuts, including peanuts, almonds, and cashews

Finally, if you have clear aligners and you lose your tray, don’t worry! Simply put in either the previous tray or the next tray and contact us as soon as you get home.

Make sure to keep our phone number close at hand so you can easilly reach us in case of an event. Follow these tips and you can have a worry-free vacation! 

Having braces can present some new challenges when it comes to oral hygiene. Preventing tooth decay can be a big challenge simply because of the tendency for braces to trap food under the wires and between the teeth and the brackets. Here are a few tips from Glaser Orthodontics to keep your teeth healthy while wearing your braces:

1. Eat Braces-Safe Foods
   Keeping your teeth from decay starts with a proper diet. Foods that are high in sugar or starch can cause more plaque which is difficult to remove during your brushing. There are certain foods that should be avoided while wearing your braces. First, sticky foods like caramel or gum can get stuck in your braces and be difficult to remove during brushing. Next, hard foods such as nuts and candy could bend wires or even break a bracket. Foods that are firm or hard to bite into like apples, carrots, or corn on the cob should be avoided. As much as we like to snack on them, those crunchy treats can harm your braces. Things like chips, ice, popcorn can also bend or break your braces. On the other hand, bananas, mangoes, milk, water, poultry, and pasta all tend to be low in enamel-busting acids.

2. Proper Brushing
   You want to place your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle against the gums in order to clean the whole tooth, and brush gently in the area between the wiring and the teeth. Use a softer toothbrush with fluoride paste for best results. Rinsing every day will help, too. Rinsing is important regardless, but especially important when you have braces as you need to disinfect the entire mouth, including those spots under the braces where your brush can’t always reach.

3. Ask About Special Cleaning Tools
   There are also special brushes, or other tools, to get under and clean your braces. You can also find many of these items at your local pharmacy.

4. Regular Teeth Cleaning
   It’s important to keep your routine appointments with your dentist and dental hygienist for a thorough cleaning twice a year or as directed. The exact frequency of these visits will be up to your dentist as some types of braces are more demanding of a regular cleaning than others.
   As long as you practice good oral hygiene and follow these basic tips, you should have no problem keeping your teeth from decaying while you wear braces.

Contact Dr. Glaser at his Cortlandt Manor office for more information about keeping your teeth healthy or just stop by for a visit!

Deciding to seek orthodontic treatment can be a big decision. Many children, as well as adults, often unknowingly begin to see many oral issues that may be associated with an orthodontic treatment. These problems are less obvious than just simply crooked teeth, and they do need attention. Dr. Glaser recommends to look for the following signs when assessing if and when you will need treatment.

– Difficulty chewing or biting

– Misaligned top and bottom rows of teeth

– Under- or overbite

– Uneven wearing on the teeth

– Difficulty speaking

– Thumb sucking

– Grinding or tooth clenching

– Jaw pain

– Tooth crowding

– Jaw shifts when biting

– Excessive spacing between teeth

Each of these problems can be a signal of the necessity of braces. When looking for treatment options, Dr. Glaser offers many different options that can solve any and all of the issues. Invisalign is a clear alternative to braces that can solve many of these cases. Clear braces, as well as traditional braces, can also be a solution. There are also many orthodontic appliances such as permanent retainers and palate expanders that can play a role in solving oral difficulties. For more information, contact the Cortlandt Manor offices of Glaser Orthodontics at (914) 739-6400 or email us at info@glaserortho.com.