Patients InstructionsBrick Township, NJ

The Herbst Appliance

This appliance encourages the lower jaw to grow in a forward direction by Herbst Appliance positioning it forward and holding it there. It also has the ability to push the upper molars backward. We can control the difference.

At first, they may feel like a mouthful but within a week they will become quite comfortable. It may irritate the inside of your cheeks at first but soon the tissue will toughen up to the appliance and not be a problem. Please give us a call to report any prolonged cheek or tongue irritation.

Chewing will be awkward at first. You may want to stay with softer foods for a day or two, but very soon you will be back to a normal diet. (With the exception of sticky and brittle foods)

Normally, the Herbst is in for a minimum of 12 months.

First, do not play with it with your tongue or fingers. Secondly, do not fight it! Let your jaw go where the Herbst lets it. Do not try to force your jaw where it is difficult to do so.

• If a rod gets stuck inside a tube, limiting movement of your jaw.
• Crowns that come loose from the tooth.
• Any other breakage such as a loose screw.

Click HERE to view the diagram.

Elastic Rubber Bands

Elastics (Rubber Bands) a very commonly used Orthodontic Treatment

Elastics are special rubber bands that supply the pressure needed to move teeth and jaws into their correct position. Elastics are attached using hooks that are part of the bracket or the bands.

Elastics must be worn to move your teeth and jaw into proper position. It is important to wear your elastics 24 hours a day, 7 days a week unless instructed otherwise.

If you wear elastics for several hours, then take them off for a while, put them back on, etc. you will experience back and forth movement and your teeth can set up a resistance that may slow or stop your progress. Wearing elastics is similar to rolling a ball up a hill, if you stop halfway, the ball rolls right back to where you started. Only by constantly wearing your elastics as instructed will you reach your treatment goal. Remove them only to brush your teeth or to eat a full meal. They should be in place when you eat a snack, go to school, and sleep.

They should only bother you for 2-3 days and no more if you wear them continuously. After that you will find that they will not hurt if you wear them as directed.

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Face Mask

Are you using a face mask for orthodontic treatment?

Face masks are used to bring the upper jaw forward. Face mask therapy helps correct skeletal class three (underbite) malocclusions. These types of problems are characterized by upper teeth that fit behind lower teeth as well as back teeth. The cause of this bite is an upper jaw that is not growing fast enough to keep up with the lower jaw.

We recommend you wear your face mask 12-14 hours a day. (Yes, you can and should wear it more!) When you miss a day it takes three days to get back to where you were. The more you wear your face mask, the better the response and the less months it will needs to be worn.

You may experience some tenderness of the upper teeth and jaw. This will subside within 3-7 days. If you are inconsistent with wearing your face mask, your teeth may continue to be tender. *Do NOT wear your face mask when engaged in contact sports! Be sure to bring your face mask with you to each and every appointment as the doctor will need to adjust it!

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Space Maintainer

Space Maintainers for Early Tooth Loss

Space Maintainers are highly suggested to parents of children suffering early tooth loss

WHAT IS A SPACE MAINTAINER?

The space maintainer is a special appliance recommended to preserve the space when baby teeth have been removed or lost prematurely. The appliance can also serve as an anchor to prevent adult teeth from drifting into space reserved for unerupted or additional teeth.

HOW WILL IT FEEL?

You can expect your bite to feel different almost immediately. The molars to which the appliance is attached to may be sore for a few days. You may notice it the most when you are eating and therefore may want to softer foods for a few days. Any discomfort can be relieved with whatever medication you take for a headache.

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Retainers

Hawley and Invisible Retainers

We encourage all of our Monmouth and Ocean County patients to understand the importance of retainers as they are a critical part of your treatment. Your retainer is designed to hold your teeth in their corrected positions until the bone surrounding the roots of the moved teeth fill in and make them more solid. If we do not retain or hold the teeth following orthodontic treatment, the teeth will move back to their original positions.

Tips to ensure your retainers stay in good shape:

• Wear your retainers as instructed!
• Clean them with soap and water or Retainer Brite.
• Rinse them off with cool water in between wear. NEVER use hot water!
• Do not flip them in and out of your mouth.
• NEVER wrap them in a paper towel or tissue.
• Always put your retainer in your case if you are not wearing it.
• Bring your retainer to your checkups so we can make sure they fit.

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Palatal Expander

RPE – Palate Expander Instruction

• Your palate expander should be turned as we demonstrated. Palate Expander Instruction ocean Monmouth County
• You may notice a difference in your speech in the first few days after your appliance is cemented. The more you speak, the faster you will be accustomed to the appliance, and the faster your speech will become normal again.
• You may also notice more saliva than normal in the first few days. This is also normal and will soon disappear. Eating may be awkward at first. You may want to stick with soft foods for a day or two.
• Your expander is designed to widen your upper arch. As a result, you may notice a space in between your front teeth. Do not be concerned because this will only be present for a short time.
• The appliance may also make your teeth a little sensitive and sore due to the pressure involved. It is also normal to feel brief pressure at the nose and cheeks. If you feel uncomfortable, we would suggest that you take whatever medication you would normally take for a headache.
• If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact our office at any time!

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Forbidden Foods

Eating proper foods, minimizing sugar intake, and getting enough sleep are essential during orthodontic treatment. Your braces are precise appliances that can be damaged by eating hard foods. Some soft and sticky foods can cause teeth decay and loosen or dislodge your braces.

Forbidden hard foods consist of:

• Hard Candy such as Jolly Ranchers or lollipops
• Corn Chips or Kettle Cooked Chips
• Popcorn with hard kernels
• Beef Jerky
• Peanuts, Cashews, Walnuts, etc.
• Pizza crust or hard italian breads
• Corn on the cob or meat on the bone

Whole fruits and vegetables such as apples and carrots should be cooked or cut into small pieces and eaten carefully.

Forbidden soft foods consist of:

• Bubblegum
• Sticky candy such as Starburst, Tootsie Rolls, Gummy Bears, etc.
• Chocolates with toffee, hard nuts, or caramels

Use common sense when choosing food to put in your mouth and avoid chewing on hard objects such as pens, pencils, or your fingernails. Also, try to avoid soda or drinks that contain sugar as much as you can!

Brushing with Braces

Brushing and flossing is very important while in Orthodontic treatment! Healthy teeth and gums will not only give a better end result, but will allow treatment to progress without delay due to poor oral hygiene. While brushing your teeth, be sure that you are not just brushing the brackets, but angle your toothbrush to reach your exposed tooth area especially by the gum area. Don't forget your molars in the back and behind your teeth! Try to floss every night to keep your gums healthy. Use your floss threaders that we provided to guide the wax behind the wires and gently floss around the gums. If we see that you are missing areas while brushing, we will review that with you at your visits.

At Home Whitening

Forbidden Foods

Philips ZOOM!® DayWhite helps you achieve a whiter, brighter smile in 2 weeks! DayWhite with patented Amorphous Calcium Phosphate technology has been clinically shown to:

• Reduce transient sensitivity
• Reduce fade back
• Increase enamel smoothness and gloss

Application Instructions:

• Brush and floss your teeth
• Place a small amount of gel in each tooth compartment of your aligner/retainer
• Leave in for 30 minutes
• Rinse your teeth and your retainers before putting them back in or putting them back in the case
• Use for 12-14 days for best results!

Use common sense when choosing food to put in your mouth and avoid chewing on hard objects such as pens, pencils, or your fingernails. Also, try to avoid soda or drinks that contain sugar as much as you can!