Brushing with Dr. Boschken

If you thought brushing and flossing were important before you got braces…well, you were right. But, people undergoing orthodontic treatment need to be even more dedicated to good oral hygiene.

Braces trap food very easily, which contributes to plaque formation, and if plaque is not carefully removed from teeth and from around braces, patients run the risk of developing gum disease, dental decay and bad breath."

Plaque is a mixture of bacteria, debris and bits of food. The bacteria feed on sugars and produce acids. The acids can irritate your gums, erode the enamel on your teeth and contribute to bad breath (halitosis).

It's important to remove the plaque thoroughly and often. Then, when your braces come off, the surfaces of your teeth underneath the braces will be healthy and strong and look good. Here are some tips to help you.

Brushing

Always use a soft-bristle toothbrush. Soft bristles are better than medium or hard bristles at getting into those nooks and crannies around your appliances. They also don't irritate your gums.

Some companies make toothbrushes especially for people with braces. Known as bi-level brushes, these brushes have longer bristles on the edges and shorter ones in the middle. This type of brush allows you to clean the area above and below the brackets and the brackets as well.
The most important thing is to look for a brush that's soft and approved by the American Dental Association (ADA). After that, the size of the brush, the shape of the handle and other variations are up to you.
What about an electric toothbrush? It's not absolutely necessary, but if you have one, it's safe to use it on your braces. Just be careful not to hit the plastic back of the brush against the brackets on your braces because it can damage them. Also, it should be used on a moderate setting so as not to break or loosen braces. However, electric brushes can clean much more efficiently and effectively when used properly and often so, you may greatly benefit from using one especially during orthodontic treamtment.
Brush at least three times a day. It is best to brush after meals to make sure there's no food trapped in or around braces. If you are not able to brush after lunch, at least rinse your mouth with water very thoroughly.
Brush for at least two to three minutes each time you clean your mouth. It's best to use a watch or timer to make sure you are brushing long enough.
Brushing should be done slowly and carefully,because it's important to brush the braces and all the surfaces of the teeth, that is, the inside and outside surface and the chewing surfaces, too. Always pay special attention to the areas between your brackets and your gums.

Flossing

Floss at least once a day. It might seem like you can't possibly floss while you have braces, but you can and you should. Special flossing products can help you get into the space between the wires and your gum-line. These include floss threaders, platypus flossers and a special kind of floss known as superfloss. When your braces are first put on, our friendly staff here at Boschken Orthodontics will review flossing techniques. If you're not sure you're doing it right, ask your our staff during your next visit.

Toothpaste

Use a fluoride toothpaste. It doesn't really matter which brand — just make sure it has the ADA seal of approval.

Fluoride

Dr. Boschken recommends that you use an over-the-counter fluoride rinse. These rinses usually provide enough fluoride to help protect and strengthen teeth during orthodontic treatment. However, if you have a history of cavities or are otherwise at risk of decay, your general dentist may prescribe a rinse that contains more fluoride.

During your orthodontic treatment, see your family dentist for a complete examination every six months, or more frequently if directed by your dentist. Don't ignore your dentist just because you're visiting an orthodontist regularly. It is still important very to visit your dentist for a checkup and cleaning. You should go at least twice a year, or as often as your dentist and orthodontist recommend.

Other Helpful Tools

Rubber-tipped and end-tuft or single-tuft brushes — These are special brushes that help you to get into those nooks and crannies, as well as between your teeth. The end-tuft or single-tuft brushes look something like pipe cleaners.

Oral irrigators — These instruments shoot small streams of water onto your teeth at high pressure to remove bits of food. They can be used as an aid in your oral hygiene practice, but not in place of brushing and flossing. Water-piks and Hydro-Floss machines also should be used at a moderate setting so they don't damage the braces.
Antibacterial rinses — These rinses are fine for adults, but their high alcohol content makes them off-limits for kids. There are alcohol-free rinses available for children to use, but some are designed only to freshen breath and not to kill bacteria. Before buying an antibacterial rinse for your child to use, you should consult with Dr. Boschken to determine which rinses he   recommends.
Disclosing solutions or tablets — Your dentist may have used these during an office visit to see where you tend to miss spots after brushing. Disclosing tablets and solutions use vegetable dye to highlight plaque or debris in your mouth. Once you see the spots, you can quickly remove them with your toothbrush, you can find them in a drugstore brushing section or pick some up here @ Boschken Orthodontics to use them at home.
If you have questions about how to use any oral hygiene product, even your toothbrush, give us a call (408) 225-6660 or talk with our helpful staff during your next visit.

If you have a removable orthodontic appliance, it needs to be cleaned regularly, too (after all, it spends a lot of time in your mouth.)

Brush the appliance daily with your soft toothbrush and some toothpaste. This is especially important for the side that is in contact with the roof of your mouth or gums. Brush your retainer over a sink filled with a few inches of water just in case it slips out of your hand, so that it will not be damaged. You also can soak your appliance in cleaning solution such as Retainer Brite (available at our office for purchase $15 for a box of 36 tablets.) 
When brushing or soaking your appliance, never use very hot water. It can distort the plastic and make the appliance unusable. When your retainer is not in your mouth, keep it in the case that Dr. Boschken provided. Also, keep it away from your pets. Dogs and cats love the plastic and will chew it to bits if they get ahold of it.

Eating Right

While you're wearing braces, you need to think twice about eating foods that could increase your risk of cavities. You also should avoid anything that might damage your brackets or wires. Frequently breaking your braces will add to the overall treatment time.

Stay away from hard and sticky foods. Caramel, hard candy, gum - you get the idea. They can damage your braces and get stuck in the wires and brackets. While the food's stuck there, it provides lots of sugar for cavity-causing bacteria to munch on. Also, do not chew on ice cubes.
Cut down on all sugary foods. You can still have a limited amount of sweets and soda, but the more sugars you eat, the greater your risk of tooth decay. Always brush after eating sugary foods or candy.
It's not just what you eat, but also when you eat it. Frequent snacking on sugary foods is worse than eating those foods with a non-sugary meal. Don't eat sugary foods or candy before going to bed without brushing. The more chances you give the bacteria to turn sugars into acids, the higher your risk of decay.

Boschken Orthodontics presents: The Damon Braces System

Metal braces can be of 2 main categories:  braces with brackets that have their own system to connect to the archwire (self-ligating) and braces that need ligatures to do this. We most commonly use the self-ligating bracket braces for full treatment. This system is known as the Damon system.
These are still metal braces, but with a revolutionary ligating system. We achieve excellent results and in many cases there is no need for extractions. The system was created many years ago by the orthodontist Dr. Dwight Damon.
One benefit about the Damon system is that they no longer need those colorful elastic ligatures. Sure, the elastic ligatures can be cute, but why use them if we can do without? This is what Damon thought when he implemented the “sliding-doors” system on the brackets that close and open with no external help from ligatures.
The Damon braces are designed with much smaller brackets than the previous systems. The small stainless steel brackets look like small silver jewels on  teeth and are contoured to feel much more comfortable on the inside of lips.
Here are some of the advantages of the Damon braces:

• since the brackets are smaller they are more pleasant looking
• no ligatures means teeth are cleaner 
• they work faster and the results are sometimes astounding 
• the smaller brackets are much more comfortable to wear

The few disadvantages:

• they are still metal braces and are visable
• there can be minor treatment discomfort in the first days, (treatable with orthodontic wax and/or tylenol).

Still the Damon System is a great idea if you want fabulous results from metal braces orthodontic treatment. If you want an oustanding result with any orthodontic system, you are definietely in the right place with Boschken Orthodontics!

Boschken Orthodontics feels you are NEVER too old for braces!

 

Are You Too Old for Braces?

Ideally, human teeth would line up as neatly as the keys on a piano. Unfortunately, many people must contend with crooked teeth, crowded smiles, or poorly aligned bites. These problems raise more than cosmetic concerns. Crowded or overlapping teeth can be difficult to clean, making tooth decay and gum disease much more likely. Teeth that don’t come together properly when you close your jaws — a problem called malocclusion, or “bad bite”—can cause chewing and swallowing problems. Poor tooth alignment can also make it difficult to pronounce certain sounds and can put excessive stress on the chewing muscles, causing facial pain.
Although childhood is the ideal time to make changes in the positioning of the teeth, more adults are opting for orthodontic treatment and coming away with excellent results. The American Association of Orthodontists notes that one in five orthodontic patients is older than age 18.
If you’re considering orthodontic treatment to correct longstanding cosmetic or bite problems or to remedy the effects of tooth loss, keep a few things in mind. Because the bones of adults have stopped growing, some (but not all) structural changes cannot be accomplished without surgery. Also, the entire process may take longer for you than for a child or adolescent. While the time it takes to straighten teeth varies from person to person, on average, treatment lasts about two years. If you are undergoing orthodontic treatment, you may also need to see a periodontist as well as your general dentist and Dr. Boschken to ensure that the treatment is not complicated by bone loss resulting from gum disease.

How Braces Work

The science of orthodontics relies on placing pressure on the teeth to change their position. Dr. Boschken and his talented staff accomplish this by attaching mechanical devices, or appliances, to the teeth to gently push them in the desired direction. When a tooth is subjected to pressure from one side, its root presses against the underlying alveolar bone. Eventually, this force causes a portion of the bone next to the root to dissolve, allowing the tooth to move in the direction it is being pushed. As the tooth migrates, new bone builds up in the space vacated on the other side of the root. This prevents the tooth from moving back into its original position. You may need to have one or more teeth removed before you can start orthodontic treatment.
Braces are the most commonly used orthodontic appliance. They are extremely versatile, able to move the teeth in a variety of directions at once and treat many teeth at the same time. These devices rely on the use of brackets cemented or bonded to the tooth surfaces. Archwires, which are attached to the molars on either end of the dental arch, are threaded through the brackets to direct the force being applied to the teeth. The arrangement of the wires can be customized to apply different pressures to individual teeth. Sometimes elastic bands or springs are attached to the archwire to boost the directional push.
Typically, it takes one hour to place braces on the teeth at two separate appointments (2 hours total time). You’ll probably notice  a bit soreness and discomfort for a few days after getting braces and having adjustments made, but an over-the-counter pain medication, like acetaminophen or ibuprofen, can truly help.

Innovations in Braces

Today’s braces are more comfortable and less obtrusive than those of the past. They’re smaller and use fewer brackets. The wires are less noticeable and more effective than those used previously. Because they are effective and economical, stainless steel brackets are still commonly used.  Some people, particularly teens, opt for colored elastics for a bolder look.
Others take a different tack, opting instead for tooth-colored ceramic or clear plastic brackets because they are less noticeable. However, these have some drawbacks. Ceramic brackets can break, and they may not be as comfortable on lower teeth as metal brackets, which tend to be smaller. Also, because ceramic brackets are stronger than tooth enamel, if the ones on your lower teeth come into contact with your upper teeth, they can wear away the enamel. For these reasons, some people opt for ceramic brackets on their top teeth and metal brackets for their lower teeth.
Still , another wonderful option for orthodontic correction treatment for teens and adults is  Invisalign^®   which uses a series of clear aligners that are custom-molded to fit you! The virtually invisible aligners gradually reposition your teeth into a smile you'll be proud to share. Benefits with this system include:

• Removeing your aligners to eat, brush and floss
• Changing aligners every two weeks
• Your teeth move little by little
• Regular progress checks with Dr. Boschken
• Results often in 6 months to 2 years

Give us a call or contact us on-line to arrange your appointment to day! It is never too late to see what all of your options are for a healthy, beautiful smile!  (408) 225-6660

Why does Dr. Boschken recommend orthodontic retainers?

What's a Retainer?

A retainer is a piece of plastic and/or metal that is custom-made for each individual who needs one. It fits the exact shape of the teeth and mouth. No two retainers are alike, even though many look similar. Retainers are really common. In fact, most people (kids and adults) who have had braces have to wear a retainer for life. Other people wear them to close gaps in their teeth, to help with speech problems, or to solve certain medical problems.

Why Do I Need to Wear a Retainer?

There are different reasons why you might need a retainer. The most common reason is to help your teeth stay set in their new positions after wearing braces. It's important to wear your retainer because as your body grows, your teeth do some shifting. The retainer helps to control this shifting, which occurs naturally.
After your braces are removed, Dr. Boschken will make you a custom retainer. He will advise you on wearing it (how long to wear it and when.) For example, you might have to wear it all day and night for a year but then only at night after that. Some people may wear their retainer only at night right from the start, but it really depends on your specific needs.
Other people may wear retainers to close spaces between their teeth or just to move one tooth. In these cases, braces aren't needed because retainers can do the job. Often, retainers will be worn for several years to close a space,  and then keep the gap closed by holding the teeth in place. When you wear a retainer for any reason, certain teeth may feel pressure and might even feel sore for the first few days. If you experience this, don't worry — it's completely normal.
Retainers can help many mouth problems besides shifting teeth. Sometimes they're used to help a medical problem. For example, you may have a tongue thrust (a condition where your tongue sneaks through your teeth when you talk). Some retainers, known as a crib or tongue cage retainers, are designed with small metal bars that hang down from the roof of your mouth. These retainers keep your tongue from going forward in between your teeth when you speak. Your tongue is trained to go to the roof of your mouth instead of through your teeth. The length of time patients wear a tongue cage varies depending on the individual.
Another use for retainers is to help people with temporomandibular disorder (TMD). This disorder is usually a result of a bite problem (the teeth don't meet together properly when the jaws are closed) called malocclusion (say: mal-uh-kloo-zhun) or bruxism (say: bruk-sih-zum), which is grinding your teeth while you sleep. Grinding stretches the muscles and joints in your mouth and jaws and sometimes can cause jaw pain or headaches. Retainers can help you by preventing your mouth from closing completely at night, which keeps you from grinding your teeth.
Our philosophy at Boschken Orthodontics is retention for life. After orthodontic treatment is completed, you will always want to wear some kind of retainer to maintain the healthy bite you've worked so hard to create.

Boschken Orthodontics is conveniently located off of Hwys 85/87/101

Where is the happiest place in South San Jose? Why it is at  Boschken Orthodontics of course!

We are so happy to offer complimentary consultations and records (including digital panographic x-rays and photographs) so that you are able to make an informed decision on which type of treatment suits your needs.  We are also very proud of our popular Care To Share referral program which continues to successfully reward our referral sources with a $100 Visa gift card.

When your patient referral begins orthodontic treatment here, we will happily thank you with a $100 Visa gift card for simply being the referral source! That is how much Dr. Boschken and his Orthodontic team value your recommendation.    There is no limit on how many gift cards you can earn when your friends and family begin treatment with our office.  Please ask your referrals to mention your name!

Feel free to forward our blog to any friends who may be interested in a visit or give out our phone number today! (408) 225-6660  http://www.drboschken.com/

Boschken Orthodontics and FSA benefits

If you’ve been postponing dental treatment, now is the time! Don't lose your fsa benefits! Q: Do you still have extra money left over in your 2010 FLEX SPENDING account and can't think of what to spend it on? A: How about a down payment for orthodontics? A sports moutguard for a famliy member? Teeth whitening? Call us about all of the different services we offer! Q: How much do I set aside for 2011's HEALTHCARE SAVING ACCOUNT? A: Call us today to schedule your 1 Hour COMPLIMENTARY initial consultation and we can get you an exact fee. (No losing out on those pre-tax dollars!) Orthodontics is a covered benifit under both flexible spending accounts (FSA) and/or healthcare saving accounts (HSA). We can provide you with receipts to submit for full reimbursal. If you have any questions about flex benifits or how orthodontic insurance works feel free to email or call our financial coordinator Nicole @ (408) 225-6660 x5303 or Nicole@drboschken.com P.S. If you have friends or family who would benefit from our preventive orthodontic practices, please be sure and refer them. If they start treatment at our office we honor a $100 VISA giftcard to you for your referal! Happy Holidays!

Dr. David Boschken 6128 Camino Verde Dr, Ste D San Jose, CA 95119 (408)225-6660 Our Website Send Us an Email