cMAKING NORTH CAROLINA SMILE SINCE 2013C

WELCOME GUIDE
t o y o u r
orthodontic
experience
Dr. Turner and our team have customized the accompanying
Braces Bag to give you the tools you need to ease your transition into braces.
This begins our partnership in helping you succeed in your time in braces!

Your BRACES BAG includes:

Orthodontic toothbrush Travel toothbrush
Toothpaste Orthodontic wax
Floss Flouride treatment
Floss threaders Timer
Proxi brush Disclosing Tablets

TURNER ORTHODONTICS Recommends:

• Oral-B Super Floss or Oral-B Glide Pro-Health Threader Floss
• Colgate 360 or other SOFT-bristled toothbrush
• Waterpik Waterflosser for Kids
• Colgate Phos-Flur Mouthwash*
• Act Mouthwash*
• Ice Breakers brand Ice Cubes gum or other sugar-free gum
• Shock Doctor Double Braces mouthguard (for sports)
* do not use if you are currently using Colgate PreviDent 5000

WE DO not RECOMMEND:
• Round-headed toothbrush (non-electric or electric).
• Toothpaste with whitening or baking soda

Sporty? If you or your child plays sports, we recommend Shock

Doctor Double Braces mouthguard to wear during activities. We also offer
generic mouthguards at the office.

ORTHODONTICS
Feels weird, right?
We know…
The day you get your braces on, you will probably feel like something weird
is taking up room in your mouth. Any tenderness can last 4 to 7 days. Trust
us: braces WILL become a normal part of your life. Some patients notice
their teeth feel wiggly, don’t worry… that’s your teeth moving into your
new smile!

But I’m really uncomfortable…

Our recommended pain relief methods:
• CHEWING soft pieces of sugar-free gum and soft foods
• Medicine Take the recommended dosage for your preferred
headache medicine such as Tylenol or Ibufrofen.
• Warm salt water rinses help with cheek pain (1 teaspoon
salt in 8 oz. warm water)
• Peroxyl mouth rinse (found at drugstore)
• Orabase for sores (found at drugstore)
• Ice cream or smoothies

Sore spots?
Your cheeks and tongue are adjusting to braces, too. As you acclimate to
braces, sore spots may develop in your mouth, which can easily be relieved
with orthodontic wax. You will receive some wax in your “braces bag.”
Warm salt water rinses are very helpful. This is a good time to purchase
some Orabase and apply it with a Q-tip to any sore spots.

Orthodontic wax how-to: Break off a small amount

of wax and roll it between your (clean) fingers. Flatten it
and roll it into a ball. The friction will warm and soften
it to better shape around your bracket. Mold the wax
onto the bracket and cover area until it adheres to the
tooth and provides a barrier to your lip and tongue. Once
the wire and/or bracket is covered with wax, your mouth
should heal. To remove the wax, swish cold water which will make the wax
brittle and your can more easily be removed with your (clean) fingers. If
you swallow the wax, don’t worry about it!

ORTHODONTICS
Two Keys to Success
We have treated thousands of satisfied patients since 2013 and we have
targeted two specific keys to your new smiles’ success.

1 Maintain excellent oral hygiene

2 Wear your rubber bands

24 hours a day, 7 days a week

The duration of your treatment is based on how many hours a day you wear
your elastics (rubber bands). If we estimate someone’s treatment will take
18 to 22 months, we assume the patient will wear their rubber bands 20 to
23 hours a day. If a patient skips several days a week or wears their elastics
only 12, 16, or 18 hours a day, their time wearing braces or Invisalign could
increase significantly.

Imagine you are pushing a huge boulder up a mountain. If you let go, that
boulder will roll right back down the mountain to its original position.
This is what the rubber bands are doing for your teeth! Keeping your teeth
moving in the right direction, otherwise they will go back to their original
position.

Parents, this is important for you to understand from the beginning of

treatment especially because the pre-teen/teen mind is often not wired to
understand the consequences of not following the prescribed treatment.

If you or your child struggle with wearing or

placing the rubber bands in the correct place,
please set up a time for a treatment coordinator
consultation so we can guide you in the right
direction!

ORTHODONTICS
Dental Appointments
• Continue to see your general dentist every 6 months for cleanings.

• Ask your dentist’s office to schedule a 3-month hygentist visit

(also known as prophy appointment) while you are wearing braces.

An optional service Turner Orthodontics provides is the removal of wires

or Herbst arms before your routine 6-month dental cleanings and exams.
Please schedule this appointment as far in advance as possible.

What Can’t I Eat?

AVOID
• Popcorn
• Hard Foods: nuts, sticky candies, ice cubes
• High-sugar foods: candy, cake, cookies, and
soft drinks should be limited. If you eat these, make sure
you rinse your mouth with water or brush right away.

CUT INTO SMALL/BITE-SIZE PIECES In order to prevent brackets from

breaking, avoid chewing tough food with your teeth to bite-size pieces:

• Raw fruits and veggies (apples, corn on the cob)

• Pizza and hard-crusted breads
• Steak, chicken, pork or ribs

AVOID CHEWING ON
pens, pencils, ice, forks, spoons, hard pretzels,
chips, fingernails! These cause breakage
which means wearing braces longer.

ORTHODONTICS
Caring for Your Teeth in Braces
TOOLS
We recommend a soft, rectangular-head toothbrush and non-whitening,
non-baking soda toothpaste. We also recommend a Sonicare and/or
Waterpik water flosser.

TIPS
• Brush 3 times a day, 3 minutes each time.
It’s important to brush after each meal, even when you are not at home.
Keep a travel toothbrush with you. If you can’t brush while out, swish and
spit with water then brush once you get home.

• Floss!
It is VITAL to keep your teeth plaque-free during these months! Not doing
so can cause cavities, swollen gums, or tooth discoloration.

• Fluoride treatment
We recommend using one of the following regularly: alcohol-free ACT,
Phos-Flur rinse, Prevident or MI Paste.

• Inspect
After brushing, lift your upper and lower lip to check along the gum line
and all brackets to make sure they are free of food and plaque. Using a
hand mirror and/or looking closely in a bathroom mirror informs you of how
effectively you’re brushing.

GOOD TROUBLE BAD permanent scarring

STEPS
It is necessary to angle your toothbrush
differently while wearing braces to remove all the
food and plaque from your teeth. The toothbrush
bristles need to be angled under the archwire from
both the top and bottom.

ORTHODONTICS
How to Floss with Braces
TOOLS
We recommend Oral-B Super Floss or Oral-B Glide Pro-Health
Threader Floss. (Unwaxed floss is more likely to get caught and
shred in your braces.)

TIPS
• DAILY flossing is your goal, but twice a week is the MINIMUM.
Flossing is critical while in braces because you will be more likely to have
food trapped in the brackets, bands and wires, which will increase your risk
of cavities.

Flossing with braces takes extra effort and time, but you are wearing braces
temporarily for a beautiful smile forever, so keeping your teeth healthy and
gum-disease-free is worth it!

STEPS
Use about 18 inches of floss. It may seem like a lot, but having enough
makes it easier.

Thread carefully. Take the floss and carefully thread it under the main wire
then between the teeth. Make sure to wrap floss around each side of the
tooth and floss up under the gum line. Then remove the floss and repeat
threading between each set of teeth.

Parents, you will have to help younger patients who lack the coordination to
thread the floss.

ORTHODONTICS
Who to Call and When
THE GOOD NEWS: True orthodontic emergencies are rare.
Soreness, aches and tooth loosening are normal when you get braces.

Call Turner Orthodontics

during regular business hours
for the following minor orthodontic issues:

• Loose or broken brackets, bands or wires (often

caused by eating hard or sticky food or playing with the braces.) Braces
are applied to your teeth with special “tooth glue.” If a bracket pops off,
don’t worry, schedule an appointment to rebond the bracket.

HOME TIPS: If the band or bracket is still attached to the wire, leave
it as is — but do not connect any elastics to it. You can cover it with or-
thodontic wax if it’s irritating your mouth. If it has come off, save it and
bring the loose parts into the office.

• Misplaced or poking archwire, bracket or tie

As your teeth start to move, the wire that connects them (archwire) may
begin poking near the back of the mouth, irritating the cheeks. If the
wires or brackets cause irritation, covering the metal with wax can help.

HOME TIPS: You can try moving the wire into a better position with a
pencil eraser or tweezers. If the wire won’t move, you may be able to cut
the end off with a nail clipper sterilized in alcohol.

• Lost or broken retainer

ORTHODONTICS
Call your dentist or go to
the nearest hospital or urgent care
for following dental or medical emergencies:

• Trauma or injury to the teeth, face or mouth

• Infection of the gums, mouth or face

• Severe, unmanageable discomfort or pain in

these areas
For example, if you fracture a tooth, your general dentist will treat the
fracture, arrange for the tooth’s restoration, and then Dr. Turner will
adjust your treatment plan.

Call Turner Orthodontics

during weekend or holiday hours
for the following orthodontic issues:

• Any broken or loose appliance that causes

you pain.

ORTHODONTICS
Bite Turbos & Bite Blocks
• BITE TURBOS

Bite turbos are used to correct a “deep bite” (when the front teeth overlap the
bottom teeth too much) by keeping the back teeth slightly apart so they can
erupt. Bite turbos are also there to keep the teeth from touching the brackets
on the lower teeth. They are glued to the backs of two upper front teeth and
remain on the teeth until the back teeth no longer have space between them
and fully touch, typically 4 to 6 months. Once the back teeth come together;
the deep bite has improved and the bite turbos will be removed.

• If they break or come off, this is NOT an emergency, call during regular
hours to schedule an appointment to repair.

• BITE BLOCKS
Bite blocks are used when a patient bites down
and a tooth “bites” on a bracket. Bite blocks are
placed to prevent unnecessary breakage. Bite
blocks are tooth-colored dots of glue placed on the
upper or lower molar teeth. Once your teeth have
moved and are no longer biting the braces, the bite blocks will be removed.

• Bite blocks are softer than teeth and will wear down. If you feel your bite
touching the bracket or if your bite block wears down or falls off, you MUST
let us know! This is not an emergency, schedule an appointment during
regular office hours.

Dr. Turner will check your bite at regular visits and determine if bite turbos
or bite blocks may be removed.

ORTHODONTICS
 Remember
Braces are a temporary
process that leads to
a lifelong healthy smile!

We are excited to have you join our practice!

 D r J o h n W Tu r n e r
ORTHODONTIST
turner-orthodontics.com
7 0 4 •7 9 3 •1 4 1 4

319 Coddle Market Dr

Su it e 130
Concord, North Carolina

2 8 0 2 7

Fo l l o w u s o n Fa c e b o o k & I n s t a g r a m !

c VOTED BEST ORTHODONTICS PRACTICE

IN GREATER CABARRUS COUNTYC