As an adult with upcoming orthodontic treatment, you may be hesitant about having braces placed. Braces can mar the appearance of your smile, thus having a negative effect on your social life.

Lingual Braces
Ask Dr. Michael Bowen about lingual braces. These braces have brackets that are attached to the backside of the teeth instead of to the front. Because lingual brackets are located on the back of the teeth, they are not visible when you smile. As with traditional braces, wires will connect to these brackets and control the movement of the teeth.

Living With Lingual Braces
Having lingual braces means that you can smile with confidence, as your orthodontic appliance is invisible to others! Your smile will be as beautiful as ever. In fact, your lingual braces will be slowly improving the health and appearance of your smile with no one the wiser. Smile and live confidently knowing that others are seeing the best you!

When wearing lingual braces, you can continue to eat many of your favorite foods. However, you’ll need to be a little more careful. Choose softer foods that are easier to cut or chew. Try to avoid sticky, crunchy or hard foods like bubble gum or raw carrots. Our orthodontist will give you instructions about which foods to avoid.

Cleaning Your Lingual Braces
Keeping your teeth clean during orthodontic treatment is very important, as at any other time. However, caring for your teeth is a little more involved when wearing orthodontic appliances like lingual braces. Food can get stuck in the brackets and wires of your lingual brackets, which can cause tooth decay and other issues if it is not removed. During treatment, brush your teeth after each meal. Make sure that you brush each tooth above and below the bracket, and the brackets themselves. Then brush all other surfaces of the teeth.

Flossing is also crucial during lingual braces treatment. Consider using a floss threader to aid you in getting the floss above or beneath the wires of your braces. This will allow you to properly clean between your teeth and under the gums.

We welcome you to contact Great Big Smiles Orthodontics at 480-948-4200 today to learn more about lingual braces and to schedule an appointment with our orthodontist in Scottsdale, Arizona.