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Eating with Braces  |  Recipes  |  Types of Appliances  |  TMJ Questionnaire

Now that you have your expander cemented into place, there are some basic instructions that we would like you to remember:

1. There are some foods that you need to avoid. These foods include anything that is sticky, hard, or brittle. Some examples are chewing gum of any kind, caramels, taffy, ice, hard pretzels, and hard candy. Apples and carrots are both fine, but please cut the apples into halves or quarters and the carrots into sticks before eating them.
2. The braces that are used as part of your expander are not sharp, but they certainly are not as smooth as the surface of your teeth. Therefore, you may go through a period of time when your lips and cheeks become irritated. If they do, we would recommend that you use wax to help "cushion" your cheeks from the braces. Pinch off a small piece of wax and flatten it between your fingertips. Apply the wax to the part of the braces that is bothersome. If you "mold" the wax around the area, it will stick to the brace and make you more comfortable. Be sure that you remove the wax before you brush and then reapply it if necessary.
3. Dr. Brown will tell you how often to activate your appliance. The best time to do this is usually in the morning or at night. The turning instructions are as follows: - Place the key firmly into the hole in the front of/the appliance. - Push the key toward the back of the mouth until the key will go no farther and the next hole appears in the front of the appliance. - Remove the key by pulling straight down, not forward. - If you accidentally remove the key before the next hole appears, you will have to reinsert the key from the back of the appliance and push it further backwards. If you are not able to find the hole, please call our office.
4. You may notice a difference in your speech the first few days after your appliance is cemented. The more you speak, the faster you will become accustomed to the appliance, and the faster your speech will become normal again.
5. You may have more saliva than usual for the first few days. This is also normal and will soon disappear.
6. Keeping your expander clean is very important. You can brush the appliance when you brush your teeth. Please remember to brush the portion that goes across your palate.
7. Your expander is designed to widen your upper arch. As a result, you will notice a space between your two front teeth. Do not be concerned. This space will be present only for a short time.
8. In the beginning, the appliance may make your teeth a little sensitive and sore because of the pressure involved in expanding the palate. If you feel a little uncomfortable, we would suggest that you take whatever medication you would normally take for a headache.

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