How Can You Improve Your Oral Health?

You know how important it is to see your dentist and orthodontist regularly. Oral hygiene can lead to improvements in other areas of your overall health, so it's important to keep up with your routine at home, not just when you're in the doctor's office!

You can play your role in the orthodontic process by:

1. Brushing for two minutes after every meal or snack or rinsing your mouth with water if you can’t brush.
2. Flossing at least once a day, ideally before you brush.
3. Seeing your general dentist every 6 months for check-ups.
4. Avoiding sugary foods and drinks that can contribute to tooth decay.

If you want to know if you're doing everything you can to protect your teeth, ask your orthodontist!

Should You Brush or Floss First?

Trying to perfect the perfect oral hygiene routine?

According to the American Academy of Orthodontics, “a simple two-step routine can not only effectively remove dental plaque and strengthen your teeth but can also help to minimize your time in orthodontic treatment.”

Remember: your oral health care doesn’t end after you leave your dentist or orthodontist office! You’re a big partner in the process to getting straight teeth and a beautiful smile.

Read more about how to be a partner in your oral health, here.

Continue to Improve Your Health During the COVID-19 Era

 We are working hard at keeping our patients informed about their treatment and on track. We are now utilizing Virtual Care Consultations for existing & new patients. Please let us know if you would like to utilize this technology by clicking here!

COVID-19 | Stieper & Brust Orthodontics

To our Stieper and Brust Orthodontic Family,

We at Stieper and Brust Orthodontics take your health very seriously. That is why we continue to monitor the situation regarding the COVID-19 virus.

In order to ensure the safety of our patients and dental team members, we continue to closely adhere to the CDC's guidelines regarding sterilization and sanitizing. Additionally, we are taking extra precautions by increasing our cleaning of waiting room surfaces, door handles, not serving food or drink, and more. We ask that only one parent be in the office at the time of their child's appointment and preferably stay in your vehicle. We would be glad to update you using the phone after the appointment. Additionally, we will be rescheduling certain appointments, decreasing the amount of people in the office at one time. We will be contacting patients directly for scheduling changes.

The U.S. Center for Disease Control recommends the following measures to reduce the risk of contracting COVID-19:

• Avoid contact with people who are sick
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth
• Stay home when you are sick
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, throw the tissue in the trash, and wash your hands
•  Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after using the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing.

For the safety and well-being of our patients and dental team we ask that if you or a family member are ill, please stay home and contact our office to reschedule your appointment. We are happy to help you find another convenient time.

Please know that we will continue to monitor developments and will communicate with you as necessary. Thank you and let us know if you have any questions.

The safety of our patients and our team is incredibly important to us and we are taking every precaution we can to keep everyone safe. We appreciate your help and understanding in this situation.

Sincerely,

Stieper and Brust Orthodontic Team

What Is the Best Way to Care for Invisalign?

Caring for your Invisalign is pretty straightforward. Most importantly, you want to prevent the buildup of odor and bacteria. This means taking care of them much like you take care of your own teeth.

Keep them clean! You can use Invisalign cleaning crystals, or a denture cleaner. Brush them just like you would your own teeth with a separate toothbrush before putting them back in.

As a rule, whenever you clean your teeth, clean your Invisalign too. Once in the morning and once in the evening is enough.

And remember to floss your teeth before putting your Invisalign back in!

Read more about Invisalign in Ann Arbor.

Do I Have to Change my Diet When Using Invisalign?

Nope! Because Invisalign is so easily removed, it’s designed to be taken out when you eat. This means you don’t have to limit yourself to certain foods or change what you eat. However, you may want to avoid certain foods that stick in the teeth. And remember to clean your teeth before putting Invisalign back in!

Read more about Invisalign in Ann Arbor.

To learn more about Invisalign®, contact your orthodontic experts at Stieper & Brust Orthodontics. Give us a call today at any of our five locations in Ann Arbor, Dexter, Chelsea, Saline, or Taylor and let us get your treatment started. We look forward to hearing from you soon!

Why Should You Continue to See Your Orthodontist?

Orthodontic treatment isn’t just about straightening your teeth, even though that is the biggest part. Other treatment includes:

• Monitoring changes in the jaw bones and facial bones
• Looking for any changes in soft tissue
• Regularly scheduled treatments and exams to develop a custom plan for care
• Assessments of tooth movement
• Assessments of overall oral health

Read more about why continuing orthodontic treatment is important to your overall oral health on our website!

Continuing Orthodontic Treatment is Important to Overall Oral Health

Do you wish your teeth were straighter?

Do you envy those people who have perfectly white, straight smiles?

If you’ve just started seeing an orthodontist, or are wondering if you should continue treatment, we’re here to help.

Straight, beautiful teeth is an outward sign of orthodontic treatment, but there are also many other reasons why you should continue to see your orthodontist, even after your teeth are straight!

Visit our website to see the full list!