Are you tired of crooked or misaligned teeth? If so, you may be considering orthodontic care. Before you take this next step, it's a good idea to understand what is involved with your braces treatment. Here's what to expect from your dental braces.

A Lot of Patience

Getting braces involves being patient. After all, your braces will slowly move your teeth into proper alignment as your orthodontist tightens them at each visit. According to Healthline, you can expect to wear these devices for one to three years.

Diet Adjustments

If you love eating hard foods like popcorn, hard ice, carrots, or taffy, you'll have to take a break from those for a while. Unfortunately, these hard foods can get stuck between your brackets. They can even break the wiring on your braces if you chomp down on them too hard. If you must eat hard foods like carrots or crunchy apples, it's a good idea to cut them up or soften them by steaming or blending.

Oral Hygiene Tools

According to the American Dental Association, people should brush and floss at least twice a day or after every meal. To successfully keep your teeth and gums clean while wearing dental braces, you'll have to adjust the hygiene tools you use. An interdental toothbrush is a specialized toothbrush that can go between your teeth and work around your braces and brackets.

Retainer Follow-Up

You'll likely feel great relief to get your braces off. However, once your orthodontist removes them, the work isn't over yet. Regardless of how beautifully straight your teeth are, they could shift back into their old position if you don't do proper aftercare. That's why your orthodontist will give you a retainer to wear after your braces are removed.

Braces are the first step to achieving the perfect smile you've always wanted. Thanks to this treatment, you can say goodbye to crooked teeth, overbites, and extra spaces. When you understand what's involved, you can make the right decision about when to get braces and the type that is right for you. Visit our orthodontist office at Coleman Orthodontics today for a consultation to discuss your options for getting dental braces. Our team is happy to help you start your braces journey.