Be Good To Your Braces & They'll Be Good To You

This summer we’re promoting kindness and as we encourage you to be kind to others we also want you to be kind to your braces. 

What do you mean be kind to your braces?

When we say be kind to you braces we are asking that you take cares of your orthodontic appliance so that your treatment process can go as planned.  Dr. Wentz has determined braces are the best corrective option for you so we want you to take care of your braces. Taking care of your braces and following treatment instructions will help your achieve the best final results.

Here's how to be kind to your braces:

Brush and flossing daily

You will notice that it is much harder to keep your teeth clean with braces. Food becomes caught in the brackets and between your teeth. Brushing after meals and flossing will help prevent plaque from forming and should become part of your daily schedule. We know that it can be a pain to floss around your braces, but flossing is the best way to prevent gum disease and other oral health problems. If you find flossing with braces difficult, don’t give up on it. There are tools that can help. Ask us about Floss Threaders. Floss Threaders definitely make flossing with braces much easier.

Avoid sticky or hard foods

Even though it may seem like the best foods are the foods that are sticky and/or hard, those foods can break a bracket or wire. An example of sticky food is laffy taffy and an example of hard food is hard shell taco. To see the full of foods to avoid click here.

Chew with the back of teeth

Taking a large bite of food with your front teeth can leave your braces vulnerable to damage. Cut large foods into pieces and use your back teeth to chew.

Wear your elastics

Elastics move the teeth in a direction they could not be moved using braces alone. Change the elastics routinely even if they are not broken. After a while, elastics lose their strength. Change them after each meal and before bedtime. If one elastic breaks, replace both sides.  Carry extra elastics with you at all times. If you don't have enough to last until your next appointment, please stop by our office and pick more up or call us and we can send more to you. We don't want you to run out

Be mindful of wires and brackets 

Every day when you brush your teeth, check to make sure you do not have any loose braces by gently trying to slide each one. If a wire or band comes loose, do not be alarmed. If a tie wire is protruding and irritating, use a blunt instrument (the back of a spoon or a pencil eraser) to carefully push the wire out of the way. If you have a broken or loose appliance, please call us to determine if your breakage is urgent and requires immediate repair.


This summer we're giving out rewards for your kindness! Let us know about your act of kindness and you'll be entered to win cash prize up to $300! Enter in our office, tag us on social media using the hashtag ‪#‎wentzkindnesscontest‬ or email tamara@wentzmail.com. Contest ends August 28th, 2015.

Wentz Orthodontics

4013 84th Street

Lubbock, TX 79423

(806) 792-7223 

(806) 794-8124

Retain Your Smile

Yes, we know your super excited to get your braces removed and an anticipating loving your new smile, but to keep that smile there is another step to the process. This final step is called Retention.

Once the active orthodontic appliances are removed, the patient will receive retainers to stabilize the dental correction. Because the bone and soft tissues surrounding the teeth are stabilizing for several months after braces are removed, it is imperative that the retainers are worn as instructed. Failure to wear the retainers may result in undesirable movement of the teeth, which could necessitate re-treatment.  Because teeth can continue to move throughout life, we feel that individuals who have undergone orthodontic therapy should wear retainers indefinitely. A patient should wear retainers as prescribed by our practice.

So many patients tend to lose and misplace their retainers, but we want to make sure you don’t skip a beat in your retention process. Here’s what you need to do to take care of your retainer:

• Don't fold it in your napkin or leave it on the table at a restaurant. Garbage cans don't make happy hunting grounds.
• Don't put your retainer in your pocket. You might sit on it and break it. OUCH!
• A protective case is provided for you. Always keep retainers in its protective case when it’s not in your mouth. 
• Animals and younger children love to play with it. Please make sure your retainer is in your mouth at all times. Your retainer should only be out of your mouth when brushing or eating.
• Keep things clean! Be sure to brush your teeth without your retainers in. Do not boil your retainer or put it in hot water. Brush your retainer with a toothbrush using toothpaste or water.

Your retainer is a special part of the road to a better smile. The benefits of orthodontic treatment will last a lifetime if you keep these important tips for caring for your retainer in mind. For more information regarding Retention visit Wentzorthothodontics.com  or give us a call today!