-Pack your oral hygiene kit: Your oral hygiene kit should include your toothbrush, interdental toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, floss threaders, orthodontic wax and more. These things will help you keep your braces and smile clean and fresh. Cleaning your teeth, gums and braces regularly can help keep them in tip-top shape.

-Pack your mouthguard: Your mouthguard can help you if you participate in high-contact activities. In fact, it can help you avoid a broken appliance and knocked-out and broken teeth! This is possible because it can absorb the force applied to your smile and braces when you suffer a blow to the face.

-Avoid chewy and sticky foods: These foods are very harmful to the braces and smile. This is because they pull the brackets off the teeth and cling to the braces and promote dental issues, like cavities. So, it’s best to avoid these foods and stick to more braces-friendly foods.

For more information and details about braces in El Paso, Texas, please contact our orthodontic team at Rivera Orthodontics. We are here to help you in any way we can, even if it’s just by answering your questions. We look forward to hearing from you and giving you the information you seek!

The post Want a Good Spring Break With Braces? Use Our Tips first appeared on Rivera Orthodontics.

-Straighten your smile

-Improve your oral health (Crooked teeth create areas in the smile that trap harmful bacteria that can cause dental problems.)

-Make oral hygiene easier and more convenient (Brushing and flossing is easier when you don’t have hard-to-clean spaces in the smile.)

-Align your teeth without being noticeable

-Give you a smile you love and a smile you’re proud of

-Treat minor alignment issues (Because aligners aren’t invasive, they aren’t used for major alignment problems.)

-Improve your self-confidence and self-esteem

-Allow you to align your teeth with comfort

Do you have any questions about orthodontic aligners in El Paso, Texas? Or would you like to schedule an appointment to see if this treatment is right for you? If so, contact our orthodontic team when you get the chance. All you need to do is reach out to Rivera Orthodontics at 915-592-5853 and we will be more than happy to help you!

The post The Things Orthodontic Aligners Can Do for You first appeared on Rivera Orthodontics.

One reason why it’s important to have a braces-friendly diet is because it helps you maintain functional braces, and you need functional braces to have a top-notch smile. If you eat chewy and sticky foods that are damaging to the braces, your brackets and wires can break. This delays your treatment time because the appliance no longer works effectively. So, please do your best to stick to foods that are OK for the braces as well as avoid the sticky, hard, and chewy foods that are not.

Another reason why having a braces-friendly diet is important is because it helps you avoid dental issues, like tooth decay, gum disease, and enamel erosion. Having dental issues can cause pain, delay your treatment time, and add complications to the entire process.

For more information and details about having a braces-friendly diet in El Paso, Texas, please contact Rivera Orthodontics at 915-592-5853 when you have the opportunity. Our orthodontic team will be happy to give you the information and help you need as long as you reach out to us!

The post Why is a Braces-Friendly Diet Important When I’m Aligning My Smile? first appeared on Rivera Orthodontics.

— First, check to see if the bracket still has contact with the wire. If it does, keep it in place and stabilize it by covering it with a piece of orthodontic wax. If it doesn’t, take the bracket out of your mouth and keep it in a safe place. Make sure to bring it with you to your next appointment. If the bracket slid out of place when it broke, move it back into position with a cotton swab.

— It is common when a bracket breaks that a wire will protrude out of place. If this happens, it’s best to clip the wire with a pair of fingernail clippers. As you do this, make sure to clip the wire as close to the bracket as possible. This will help you prevent cuts inside your mouth.

— Call our office and make an appointment with Dr. Jaime Rivera. The sooner you make an appointment, the sooner you’ll get back on track toward the beautiful and straight smile you desire. When you make an appointment, make sure you explain the situation so our team understands what is going on.

Taking swift action when something happens to your braces will help protect your smile while keeping you on track for a healthy, beautiful smile. If you have any questions or if you would like to learn more about what to do when you have broken a bracket in El Paso, Texas, please call Rivera Orthodontics at 915-592-5853. Dr. Jaime Rivera and our orthodontic team have the tips you need to succeed, and we look forward to hearing from you!

The post What to Do When a Bracket on Your Braces Breaks first appeared on Rivera Orthodontics.

Orthodontic treatment can help you in many ways. In fact, there are many reasons why you should align your crooked smile, and those reasons are:

Reason No. 1: You’ll finally love your appearance

Once you align your smile, you will no longer feel embarrassed or ashamed of your teeth. Therefore, you will have the confidence you need to smile every chance you get and you’ll never feel self-conscious while you pose for pictures or laugh at a joke.

Reason No. 2: Your chances of having dental issues will decrease

Oftentimes, when you have crooked teeth, you have a high chance of suffering from dental issues. This is because plaque and food particles can become easily trapped in the hidden crevices between your misaligned teeth. Then, because your teeth are tough to clean, those substances will begin to create tooth decay and gum disease.

Reason No. 3: Your mouth will function properly

If you have straight teeth, you will have a proper bite, which means you will be able to chew and eat your food better. You will also be able to speak better, which can greatly boost your self-confidence.

To learn more about orthodontics, or to schedule an appointment with your orthodontist, Dr. Jaime Rivera, please call our office today at 915-592-5853. As you can see, orthodontic treatment can help you and your smile, giving you the self-confidence you need and deserve. We look forward to helping you work toward your dream smile!

The post Orthodontics: The Reasons Why You Should Have a Straight Smile first appeared on Rivera Orthodontics.