Dental Wax Facts

McClellan Orthodontics

You have braces! Congratulations…you are now on your way to a healthy beautiful smile. When you first get your braces, you may notice that your teeth and mouth feel a little tender or sore. This is perfectly normal and we promise your mouth will not be sore forever! Discomfort and soreness is normal especially after receiving orthodontic treatment of any kind. Overall you may feel uncomfortable the first few days with braces. That is where dental wax comes in.

What is Dental Wax? Dental wax is a soft, harmless gum protector for children and adults with braces that can be used in a pinch to cover brackets and protruding wires with a smooth surface. Dental wax is important for discomfort relief when a bracket breaks or a wire breaks and pokes out. Dental wax is used as a temporary relief.

Is it Safe? Dental wax is made from natural waxes and is perfectly safe. Some dental wax products are made from beeswax or carnauba wax, while others are made from paraffin. If you accidentally swallow a little bit of wax, maybe while speaking, applying the wax or eating food, don’t worry, it is safe.

How Does it Work? The special properties of dental wax make it perfect for protecting your gums from the metal edges of braces. The wax is solid at room temperature, but can be softened and shaped by the warmth of your hands. Smoothed onto braces, it sticks to them and creates a buffer between the brackets and the gums. Dental wax remains smooth while in the mouth, and harmlessly flakes away or peels off as it breaks down.

How to Put Wax on Your Braces:

Step 1: Be sure you have dental wax, you can ask us for recommendations on which we feel is best.

Step 2: Wash your hands.

Step 3: Brush your teeth, where you want to apply the dental wax

Step 4: Pinch off a piece of wax about the size of a small pea

Step 5: Squeeze until it softens and roll it into a ball, then flatten the ball slightly

Step 6: Gently push the wax onto the problem area of the braces

Dental wax is available to help you ease the discomfort while wearing braces. While dental wax is on your braces, you can do normal things, such as eating and drinking water. Follow your ordinary healthy routines when it comes to your teeth, brushing your teeth twice a day, flossing and using a mouthwash, to keep your teeth healthy and prevent tooth decay while wearing braces.

At McClellan Orthodontics, we provide all the information and recommendations necessary to patients for making the best decisions. Our staff is always available to answer questions and help you understand every aspect of your orthodontic treatment. If you are unsure about anything, let us know at your next appointment or give us a call with a question, one of our staff members will give you the tools and knowledge to help you understand everything during your treatment.

 

Is Pain in Your Jaw Giving You a Headache?

McClellan Orthodontics

As a Certified Specialist in Orthodontics, Dr. Mart McClellan doesn’t just make straight teeth, he also deals with the bite as a whole…including the jaw. If you touch your face right in front of your ears while opening and closing your jaw, you’ll feel your temporomandibular joints at work.

The temporomandibular joints are the 2 joints that connect your lower jaw to your skull. More specifically, they are the joints that slide and rotate in front of each ear. The TMJs are among the most complex joints in the body. These joints, along with a few muscles, allow the mandible to move up and down, side to side, and forward and back. When the mandible and the joints are properly aligned, actions such as chewing, talking, yawning, and swallowing, can take place smoothly and without issue. However, when these structures are not aligned several problems may occur.

While people often refer to problems with the temporomandibular joints as TMJ, that’s the name for the joints themselves and TMJ pain is a TMJ disorder and part of a larger category of temporomandibular disorders (TMD). TMD involves the temporomandibular joint or its associated structures, such as the discs, muscles, cartilage, and ligaments.

In many cases, the actual cause of TMD may not be clear. Sometimes the main cause is excessive strain on the jaw joints and the muscle group that controls chewing, swallowing, and speech. This strain may be a result of habitual, involuntary clenching or grinding of the teeth. But trauma to the jaw, the head, or the neck may cause TMD.

The most common TMD symptoms include:

• Jaw discomfort or soreness 
• Headaches 
• Clicking or popping of the jaw 
• Locking of the jaw 
• Limited mouth motions 
• Clenching or grinding of the teeth

Left untreated, TMD can lead to inflammation, swelling, or chronic pain. It can also contribute to progressive dental problems, such as premature tooth wear and periodontal disease.

If you’ve been experiencing any of the symptoms associated with TMD, give our office a call to receive a proper diagnosis and the appropriate treatment from experienced orthodontist like Dr. McClellan.

National Facial Protection Month

McClellan Orthodontics

McClellan Orthodontics would like to take this month to remind our athletes to wear a mouth guard during recreational and organized sports.

A mouth guard is an essential piece of athletic gear that should be part of your standard equipment from an early age. Mouth guards prevent injuries to the bone and tissues around the teeth. A properly fitted mouth guard may be especially important for people who wear braces. A blow to the face could damage the brackets or other fixed orthodontic appliances. A mouth guard also provides a barrier between the braces and your cheek or lips, which will help you avoid injuries to your gums and cheeks.

Mouth guards are coverings worn over teeth, and often used to protect teeth from injury from teeth grinding and during sports. An effective mouth guard should be comfortable, resist tears, be durable and easy to clean, and should not restrict your breathing or speech. There are three types of mouth guards:

1. Stock mouth guards are preformed and come ready to wear. They are inexpensive and can be purchased at most sporting goods stores and department stores. However, little can be done to adjust their fit, they are bulky, make breathing and talking difficult, and they provide little or no protection. 
2. Boil and bite mouth guards can also be purchased at many sporting goods stores and may offer a better fit than stock mouth guards. The "boil and bite" mouth guard is made from thermoplastic material. It is placed in hot water to soften, then placed in the mouth and shaped around the teeth using finger and tongue pressure. 
3. Custom-fitted mouth guards are individually designed and made in our orthodontic office. Custom-made mouth guards are a little more expensive than the other types of mouth guards, but they provide the most comfort and protection.

Mouth guards should be used by anyone playing contact sports such as football, soccer, and basketball. However, even those participating in noncontact sports and any recreational activity that might pose a risk of injury to the mouth would benefit from wearing a protective mouth guard.   

If you're an athlete and a patient at McClellan Orthodontics, talk to Dr. McClellan and his team about selecting a mouth guard that will provide the right protection for you.