2 Tips For Maintaining After-Surgery Braces After Your Orthognathic Operation Is Complete

An orthognathic operation will help to correct your jaw issue, but it will not bring your teeth into alignment. In order to do this, you may need to wear braces once your orthognathic operation is complete. These after-surgery braces will usually need be worn for a few months. The more effort that you make to maintain your braces, the better they will work to correct your alignment issue. After-surgery braces that are poorly maintained can actually result in more serious developments like an infection. Luckily, there are a few tips that you can use to keep your braces in good condition once your surgery is done. 

Remove Hard Foods from Your Diet

Your after-surgery braces are designed the same way as traditional braces. Therefore, they can take on a large amount of stress and force. However, applying constant force, usually caused by eating hard foods, can end up bending or breaking the wires or brackets in your braces. Once this occurs, you may notice a difference in how your braces sit. Chances are that they will feel much looser. Wearing braces that have been loosened can actually result in setbacks in your progress, and you will need to visit your dentist to get the braces tightened as soon as possible. Therefore, you should temporarily remove foods that are extremely hard from your diet once your surgery is complete.

Remove all of Your Food Debris with a Water Flosser

One of the biggest challenges when it comes to wearing braces is finding a way to completely remove all of your food debris. When you wear braces after surgery, you will notice that food can become easily attached to the wires on your braces. These areas are tough to reach with a traditional flossing thread and toothbrush. Cleaning can be made easier by using a water flosser to force the debris out of hiding. The force from the water will make sure to remove any food and contaminants that are near your gum line. Debris accumulation is one of the quickest ways to develop an infection when wearing an orthognathic device. This is even more common while recovering from surgery because gum tissues are still healing and are susceptible to bacteria.

Your after-surgery braces are the foundation for your new smile and alignment. Therefore, it is important to ensure that they remain as healthy as possibly. Use these tips and talk to a dentist like those at Woodbine Dental Pa to help you accomplish this.