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If you recently started orthodontic treatment, you may still be adjusting to your new braces. Believe it or not, you and your braces will become good friends over the coming months and years, so it's important to get your relationship off to a good start. Dr. Godwin has the following recommendations to prevent rocky times ahead:

Floss, floss, floss! Yes, it's a daunting task to floss around your braces, but it's the best way to prevent gum disease and other oral health problems. To make the chore easier, ask Dr. Godwin or our staff for floss threaders that can help you get dental floss into otherwise impossible areas. Just a few minutes per day will ensure that you don't face significant dental health issues when the braces come off.

Avoid sticky or hard foods. We know it's tough to forgo toffee, caramel, gum, and other sticky treats, but your braces will thank you. Sticky or hard foods can break a bracket or wire, so it's best to avoid them altogether to keep your orthodontic treatment on track.

Chew with your back teeth. If you're used to taking large bites with your front teeth, it might be time to switch your eating habits. Taking a large bite of food with your front teeth can leave your braces vulnerable to damage. Instead, cut large foods into small pieces and use your back teeth to chew. This is especially important with corn on the cob, which should always be cut from the cob.

Wear your rubber bands (aka elastics) as prescribed. While rubber bands may seem annoying, failing to wearing them according to Dr. Godwin's instructions can increase the length of your treatment by months. Wear them now to avoid problems in the future.

Be patient and give it time. While it does take some time to adjust to braces, it won't be long before your teeth and gums become accustomed to orthodontic treatment. So be patient because it will get easier. Teeth don't move over night, but before long you'll see amazing changes in your smile!

At Bel Air Orthodontics, we hear this question all the time, so we thought we'd give you an overview of how braces work.

Tooth movement is your body's natural response to continuous, light pressure applied by braces over a period of time. As the teeth move, the bone changes shape as pressure is applied.

Traditional orthodontic treatment works when we attach braces and their components onto your teeth. Braces may consist of brackets, bands, wires and other fixed or removable corrective appliances.

Brackets are the small squares that are bonded directly to the front of each tooth. Brackets act like handles, holding the arch wires that move the teeth. These wires are held in place by small elastic ties that fit around the brackets. As time passes during your treatment, these wires apply pressure on your teeth, which sets in motion the movement of your teeth into their desired positions.

When you first get your braces, the initial wire or two will typically be very flexible, but still strong enough to apply a constant force on your teeth. As your teeth straighten out over  time, however, you will notice we will use progressively thicker and firmer wires to help move your teeth in place for the ideal bite.

Each time you visit our office for an adjustment, we will swap out the wires in order to maintain the right amount of pressure on your teeth. This is why it's so important for you to keep your adjustment visits during your treatment. Most adjustment appointments are scheduled four to six weeks apart to give your teeth time to move at a steady pace and allow us to assess progress and ensure we keep your treatment plan on track.

As for rubber bands (a.k.a. elastics), most of our patients will need to wear elastics at some point during their treatment. Elastics are typically placed from one or more of the upper braces to one or more of the lower braces, pulling on your teeth to move them in a direction they need to move in order to achieve an optimal bite and a beautiful smile.

Not long ago, orthodontists had a single option - stainless steel brackets and wires- and that was about it. Today, however, we offer a variety of treatment options, from traditional  brackets to nearly invisible ceramics. With new, high-tech wires at our disposal, we can now move your teeth faster and more comfortably.

If you have any questions about wires, brackets or elastics, please give us a call. ask your questions during your next regularly scheduled adjustment visit. We always here to help.

Can you believe that summer is officially here? It's amazing how fast the school year flies by. Soon many of you will be heading off to summer camp, traveling on that well-deserved family vacation, or just spending time relaxing by the pool.

At Bel Air Orthodontics, summer is often our busiest time of the year. Our summer schedule is filling fast, so call now to schedule your next visit. Summer is a great time to start treatment, schedule a growth and development checkup, or make an appointment for that overdue retention exam. So, before you head off on that next summer adventure, give us a call.

We hope you have a fun-filled summer season!

Dr. Godwin was recently recognized by Baltimore Magazine in its selection of "Top Dentists" for 2015. Annually, Baltimore Magazine surveys more than 2,000 dentist in Baltimore and five surrounding counties to find out where they would send a member of their own family for dental treatment. The dentists who got the most nods from their peers are the ones who made the Top Dentists list.

Dr. Godwin was honored to be nominated by his peers as one of Harford County's top orthodontists for the sixth consecutive year. For the complete list of this year's "Top Dentists", which are categorized by dental specialty, pick up a copy of the June issue of Baltimore Magazine.