Call 843-293-3522 • Get Directions
Myrtle Beach Orthodontics Circle Logo Myrtle Beach Orthodontics Text Logo
Call for appointments843-293-3522

ROSS AND MUNN is now MYRTLE BEACH ORTHODONTICS! Click here for info >>
Menu

Home
Care

At Myrtle Beach Orthodontics, we design personalized treatment plans that best suit each of our patient's unique orthodontic needs.

Home Care

The care we provide in our office is critical, but equally important is how you take care of your braces, Invisalign aligners, and retainers at home. Follow these simple at home tips for best results.

For Braces

Brushing

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 and can only be removed by brushing and flossing. If plaque remains on the teeth for any length of time, it can leave a permanent white scar on the surface. Brushing after meals should become part of your daily schedule. Use a soft toothbrush and brush at a 45-degree angle to the tooth in small circles above and below the brackets. Your toothbrush will wear out faster because of your appliances, so be sure to replace it whenever the bristles start to fray.


Elastics

Attached to your braces, elastics (rubber bands) exert the proper forces that create the right amount of pressure to move teeth and correct your bite. In order for this force to remain constant, elastics must be worn all the time and changed a minimum of 2 times every day. It is easiest to replace your elastics with fresh ones after every big meal (breakfast, lunch, and dinner). Any time missed in wearing your elastics will only make your treatment take longer, so make sure to wear them as instructed. Remove them only when brushing your teeth and when eating meals. Then put them back on immediately. If you forget to wear your elastics one day, you don't need to double up the next day - just follow your regular instructions.

For InvisAlign

Invisalign aligners are removable, so you may eat and drink whatever you like during treatment. However, any time you take your aligners out of your mouth, rinse them thoroughly under running water. This will rinse away bacteria, saliva, and food particles. Keep your gums and teeth healthy during treatment by removing your aligners while brushing and flossing daily.

Brushing

Keep your gums and teeth healthy during orthodontic treatment by removing your aligners while brushing and flossing daily. Clean the aligner trays regularly. Invisalign aligners are exposed to the same bacteria and plaque that your mouth is, so you need to clean them as regularly as you clean your teeth. However, avoid cleaning the aligners with harsh chemicals. We recommend using a cleaning kit or some other type of specific solution. Don’t soak aligners in mouthwash. Many popular mouthwashes contain a color pigment. It’s possible that soaking Invisalign aligners in mouthwash will tint or stain them.

Storage

Store your aligners in a cool, dry, safe place. When you’re not wearing the aligners, store them in the case provided by our office. If you don’t use the case, they can easily be lost. Keep your appliance away from small children and also dogs or cats, as they love to chew on them.

For Removable Appliances

A removable appliance is carefully designed to move or hold your teeth. It is important that it is worn according to instructions and brought to each appointment.

Brushing

Keep things clean! Clean your appliance by brushing it daily with toothpaste. Denture cleaner can also be used for a deeper cleaning. Don’t soak your retainer in mouthwash; If needed, bring it to the office and we will be happy to disinfect it for you.

Here Are A Few Things To Remember During The Years Of Retainer Wear

  • You are instructed to wear your retainer for a full-week (24 hours a day for 7 days) and then only at nights for the rest of your life.
  • When not in your mouth, store your retainer in its plastic appliance case.
  • 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!
  • Take your retainer out when swimming in a lake or ocean. If it falls out you may not be able to find it. Wearing it in a swimming pool is OK.
  • 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.
  • Heat damages retainers. Make sure to store them away from any source of heat and do not boil your retainer to sterilize it.
  • Avoid flipping your appliance with your tongue. This can cause damage to your teeth or breakage of your appliance.
  • Your lower retainer may be a fixed retainer bonded onto your teeth. It is not considered permanent and can be broken or detached from your teeth, if you are not careful with it.
  • Bring your retainers to your check-up appointment. If anything happens to your retainers (i.e. it doesn't fit, it's broken, or it's lost) please call us ASAP. If your lower bonded retainer wire comes out, keep it and bring it in at your next appointment for rebonding.
  • The first set of retainers is included in your treatment fee. Any repair, replacement of your retainer, or rebonding of your lower retainer may be additional and charged to your account.