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My teeth feel gross. And now with all this on, my teeth feel grosser. Even though I take way better care of them now than at any other point in my life thus far. bleh.
I like to get a cleaning every six months but time did not allow for it before my braces went on. At my next scheduled "tightening" I will have the arch wires removed and my teeth cleaned. I'm dreading it!! My teeth feel so loose I can't imagine them blasting away to clean them Any advice or experience having a cleaning while braced would be appreciated!
I do the Tylenol about 1/2 hour before the appointment but I haven't had any challenge at all with a dental cleaning with the braces on. It doesn't eliminate the grossness 100% but it does feel a lot better when you get the cleaning. The other thing I've found helps is when they take your wire off at routine adjustments, ask if you can run to their brush sink and brush with the wire out. It's just another way get the brackets cleaner without the wire in the way.
I had all but one of my cleanings with my wires out (braced for almost 4 years, 3 cleanings a year). The one time my wires were still on, I didn't feel like my cleaning was all that great. But that is strictly a personal preference. A lot of people don't have their wires removed because it isn't easy to coordinate ortho and dentist appts. It was easy for me because my ortho and dentist are down the street from each other.
The hygienist said it was much easier with the wires out, she could get all around the brackets really well. Plus, since I had ceramic upper brackets, I liked being able to see the difference when the wires were out. I didn't really feel any pain with any of the cleanings, if anything, it was better the next day.
I just had my first cleaning since I had my braces put on. They did some kind of water powered / below the gum-line cleaning that they do for people with braces and then the regular cleaning after that. Didn't feel a thing and was out of there in 20 min.
JohnsonSon wrote:I just had my first cleaning since I had my braces put on. They did some kind of water powered / below the gum-line cleaning that they do for people with braces and then the regular cleaning after that. Didn't feel a thing and was out of there in 20 min.
How long have you been braced? Did any of your teeth hurt before you went in?
An experienced hygienist should have no problem. Mine has to use a special attachment for the polisher and it takes her a little longer, but other than that, it's pretty normal, and my teeth look like they always have after a cleaning. (I haven't been able to floss regularly since my ortho put me in tie wires (catches and cuts the floss), so my gums felt like hamburger, but that wouldn't be fixed by pulling the archwires.)
I had mine cleaned a few weeks ago with the wires on. Like JonsonSon they used an ultrasonic cleaner and scraped a little. After that the floss and polish. They still do not feel clean to me. I had two teeth I asked the hygenist to look at closely because they always feel "dirty" but she said they weren't. The most important thing for me was the gum measurements which were all normal.
I had the same problem. I have some teeth that were already a bit sensitive to cold etc. and the first hygienist I had apparently had graduated from the Bogu (apparently French for Bogus) Arm Strong School of Dental Hygiene and Hell, and it was rough and uncomfortable. Since I go to a relatively large practice, others were available and in the future I made appointments with other hygienists who listened when I told them about my issues. Well not all of my issues, lord knows that would be an all day conversation, but you get it.
I mentioned the experience to my dentist, who said something like "Yeah, she's a bit rough, she came from a periodontal practice." Note to Dan: Avoid periodontists.
Dan
Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional. -- Buddist saying
JohnsonSon wrote:I just had my first cleaning since I had my braces put on. They did some kind of water powered / below the gum-line cleaning that they do for people with braces and then the regular cleaning after that. Didn't feel a thing and was out of there in 20 min.
How long have you been braced? Did any of your teeth hurt before you went in?
At the time, ~4.5 months, elastics for 2 of those. My teeth didn't hurt but my jaw was a bit sore from the elastics.
I've had teeth cleaning with my brace wires on. It is hard to coordinate with Orthodontist and dentist but the hygienist says they are clean but to me they are not. I hope by the time my next cleaning comes along I will be out of braces
I've had several cleanings with my braces on. Tbh it was pretty much a non-event. The hygienist wasn't fazed, she just used whatever instruments she needed to clean around each bracket.
I have my teeth cleaned every 3 months while in braces. My dentist and periodontist alternate. The wires have been in on both times an there were no problems. Took a couple of advil before for insurance.