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Lingual braces are one of the most subtle ways to transform your smile. Because the brackets and wires are attached to the inside of your teeth, there is almost no visible sign that you are wearing braces. If this is an important consideration for you for personal or professional reasons, this advantage might make lingual braces your best choice for orthodontic treatment.

Every method of straightening teeth also presents potential disadvantages to consider. In the case of lingual braces, patients should be aware of some issues both similar to and different from those posed by regular braces.

• Tongue Sensitivity

Just as your lip and cheek areas need to get used to typical front-facing braces, your tongue might be sensitive at first to lingual braces. The same orthodontic wax that protects your lips and mouth from irritation caused by metal brackets and wires on the front of teeth can also be used to reduce the tongue irritation caused by brackets behind your teeth.

• Speech Difficulties

Since your tongue will not be hitting the backs of your teeth in the usual way, you might find some initial difficulty pronouncing words properly. This problem usually disappears over time. Practicing speaking aloud will help your tongue adjust to your new braces. Talk to us if this is a special concern for you.

• Eating/Cleaning Teeth

Just as with regular braces, you will need to avoid any foods that can damage your orthodontic work. All the usual culprits, such as caramel, hard candy, and popcorn, should be avoided with any type of braces. But because lingual braces are inside the teeth, they can be trickier to clean. Careful brushing and flossing are still vital, and we have suggestions for making sure your lingual braces are free from food particles and plaque.

• Time

Lingual braces can require a slightly longer treatment schedule. We can let you know the approximate treatment times for whatever orthodontic plans you are considering.

• Cost

Because lingual braces are customized to fit you, they can be somewhat pricier than other options.

We have the special training and skill needed to provide you with lingual braces if that is the option that you choose. We also have suggestions for adjusting to your lingual braces comfortably and making them work for you. Talk to Drs. Jimmy Glenos and Craig Hadgis at our St. Johns or St. Augustine, FL office about all the possibilities for straightening your teeth, including any potential concerns or advantages each treatment method presents. If you would prefer that your braces be almost unnoticeable, that advantage might be the deciding factor in making lingual braces the ideal choice for you.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, with the holidays around the corner, and visions of sugarplums and other tasty desserts dancing in everyone’s head.

Except, this year you have braces. This means some of your favorites might be on the naughty list. What to avoid? The same kinds of foods that you avoid now: anything hard, crunchy, sticky, or chewy. This means some of the traditional holiday favorites will have to be postponed for a while:

• Pecan Pies

A festive tradition! But, nuts in a sticky sugar filling? Time to create a new dessert tradition that will be less of a problem for wires and brackets.

• Gum Drops, Caramels, & Toffees

These super-sticky, chewy treats are definitely hazardous for your braces. Find a soft candy alternative instead.

• Candy Canes & Hard Candies

Hard, sticky, and crunchy? Let’s save these candies for decorating the gingerbread house this year.

So what can you eat?

Luckily, there are plenty of dessert options that are nice to wires and brackets! Let’s look at some festive treats that also easy on your braces.

• Cupcakes & Cakes

Soft, moist cupcakes and cakes should be no problem. Fruitcake, with its sticky dried fruits and nuts, should be avoided—which is a perfect excuse if you’re not a fan!

• Pudding

Puddings are a smooth easy-to-eat treat, so enjoy! But know your puddings. Some traditional holiday puddings are more cakelike and contain the same chewy ingredients as fruitcakes, so the same advice applies—if it contains dried fruits and nuts, this is not the dessert for you.

• Soft Candies

The same soft chocolates that you could eat for Halloween are good now, too! If it’s just not the holidays without peppermint, smooth peppermint patties are the way to go.

• Pies & Other Favorites

Pecan pies are a firm no, but velvety desserts like pumpkin pie, cream pies, and cheesecake should be fine. And be sure you pick only the soft cookies in the holiday cookie exchange!

When you visit our St. Johns or St. Augustine, FL office, ask Drs. Jimmy Glenos and Craig Hadgis about these and other holiday treats to make sure they are safe for you and your braces. And one more word before we all dig in—too much sugar in your diet creates the perfect conditions for cavity-causing bacteria. But there’s no need to give up all your holiday treats.

Just as you would brush after any dessert without braces, be sure to brush now that you have them. Be especially careful to remove any sugary residue from around your brackets, between your teeth, and near your gum line. And it’s always best to eat sweet treats as part of a meal, to reduce the effect of sugars and acids on your teeth.

Oh, and about those sugarplums? These candies originally contained no soft, tender plums at all. They were actually tiny treats created by coating a seed or nut center with a hard sugar shell. But you don’t need to worry about missing out on Victorian treats—with all of your delicious and braces-safe dessert choices, you’ll be enjoying a very sweet holiday season!

When you get braces as a child, you usually present the orthodontist with a blank canvas—newly erupted, perfect permanent teeth, just waiting to be aligned. But if you are a bit older, your canvas might already be a bit busy, with fillings, crowns, perhaps even a missing tooth. Can Drs. Jimmy Glenos and Craig Hadgis still work with that more complicated picture? Yes!

• Fillings

Many of us have acquired a filling or two. Normally, an old filling shouldn’t interfere with new braces. Large fillings, however, might call for spacers. These small rubber bands are inserted between two teeth as needed to create enough room for bands and brackets, and are generally put in place a week or two before you get your braces. They frequently fall out on their own as the space between the teeth gets a bit wider.

• Crowns

If you have had a root canal or any other dental treatment that left you with a crowned tooth, no need to be concerned. A special dental adhesive can be used to adhere brackets to crowns.

• Implants

If you have or would like to get an implant, this is a time to coordinate with your orthodontist and dentist or oral surgeon. Sometimes an implant can anchor your appliance, and sometimes it’s best to keep the spot open until your orthodontic work is completed. Once in place, an implant will not have the mobility of a tooth, so it’s always best to make sure your doctors can create a schedule that will work for both the installation of the implant and the positioning of your braces.

• Healthy Teeth and Gums

Before you begin orthodontic work, talk to your dentist. If you need a filling or crown, are considering a dental implant, have symptoms of gum disease, or are looking at any other dental concerns, you should work with your dentist first. Healthy teeth and gums are the very best foundation for orthodontic treatment at any age.

If you are wondering whether Drs. Jimmy Glenos and Craig Hadgis can help you achieve the smile you’ve always wanted, talk to us when you visit our St. Johns or St. Augustine, FL office! Your past dental work will be just one of the many variables we take into consideration when we’re planning your future of picture-perfect smiles.

A lot of our patients, (especially you parents!) come to Smiles by Glenos & Hadgis Orthodontists convinced that traditional braces are the only answer to straight teeth. We are proud to offer Damon Smile in our St. Johns or St. Augustine, FL office, which can give you better results in less time than traditional orthodontic treatment! Damon Smile braces also allow your teeth to move more comfortably and easily than traditional braces. With  Damon Smile, achieving that perfect smile will be faster and easier than you ever thought possible.

Some questions we will go over at your initial consultation include:

Are you right for Damon Smile?

Our team at Smiles by Glenos & Hadgis Orthodontists will evaluate your eligibility for treatment with Damon Smile, and the procedure can be performed for kids and adults alike!

What makes Damon braces better?

Probably the biggest advantage of Damon braces over traditional brackets is the amount of time and effort involved. We can often cut months off of the total treatment time for patients using Damon Smile, and less visits to our office are necessary to make adjustments.

In addition, the Damon Smile brackets are cleaner and do not use the elastic traditional brackets do. They are also less prone to plaque buildup. In addition, Damon braces are smaller and have fewer parts than traditional brackets, making them less noticeable and more comfortable. With Damon Smile, you will not experience any tightening, unlike with traditional braces. Drs. Jimmy Glenos and Craig Hadgis can position your teeth and avoid frequent adjustments, which also reduces the need for complicated tooth extractions or surgery.

If you have been thinking about obtaining a dazzling smile, please give us a call at Smiles by Glenos & Hadgis Orthodontists for an initial consultation to see if Damon Smile is right for you!