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What are Food Traps and How to Solve Them

December 3, 2022/in Uncategorized /by Feil Orthodontics

A food trap is a space in your teeth where food can get stuck while eating. These can be noticeable and annoying or subtle and hidden where you don’t even know they’re there. While food traps can happen to anyone, you’re more likely to have them if your teeth are crooked, crowded, or misaligned. That’s where we come in! At Feil Orthodontics, there are several ways to address food traps, including treatment with clear aligners. Let’s explore the effects of food traps and how our team can help you avoid them.

The side effects of food traps

There’s typically nothing to worry about if food gets stuck between your teeth, but if it happens often and goes unnoticed, you can face serious side effects. If food particles are constantly building up between your teeth, more bacteria will accumulate. Bacteria increase your chances of developing cavities and gum disease.

As bacteria build up, your body will start to send more blood to the area to fight off the bacteria, which can cause swelling, redness, and bleeding when you brush. Left untreated, you may experience bone loss and gum recession.

Causes of food traps

Several things can cause food traps, including:

Gaps between your teeth: Ideally, your teeth grow side by side with limited space between them, reducing the risk of food getting caught. However, teeth aren’t always perfect, so gaps between your teeth provide the perfect trap for food.
Teeth grinding: If you grind your teeth, you increase wear and tear on your teeth which can create food traps.
Teeth alignment: Improper alignment of the teeth can make all kinds of nooks and crannies where food can get trapped.
Cavities: The hole can make a food trap if cavities form between your teeth. This can cause a cavity on the neighboring tooth due to more bacteria and debris.
Damaged teeth: Teeth that are broken or chipped have little holes and pockets where food can get trapped. Jagged edges and pits also make it easier for food to get caught.
Receding gums and pockets: If you have receding gums or deep pockets in your gums, food debris can build up in the spaces. Periodontal pockets create openings around the teeth under the gum line. They are common gum disease symptoms and can lead to severe infections when left untreated.
Tooth supra-eruption: If your teeth emerge too far above the gumline from the jawbone, your root is exposed. This area of the tooth is more vulnerable to decay, affecting how securely your tooth fits in the bone.
Impacted teeth: If you have a tooth that doesn’t fully emerge from your gums, this can lead to food traps. This is common among people whose wisdom teeth don’t erupt.
Partially erupted teeth: If a tooth is only partially erupted, it can create food traps around the gums.
Poorly shaped restorations: If you have restorations in your mouth that were not shaped or performed correctly, it can easily create a food trap. This is very common in cases where the restoration is over-contoured or has an overhang.
Damaged crown or filling: Defects or damage to crowns or fillings allow food to get trapped in or around the tooth and gaps.

Eliminate food traps with clear aligners

There are several options to correct food traps, depending on your unique case. Here at Feil Orthodontics, one of the best ways to treat food traps is by aligning your smile with clear aligners.

With clear aligners, you get a series of clear, custom, removable aligners that fit snugly over your teeth to provide a constant gentle pressure that shifts your teeth. There are no additional food traps since the aligners cover every surface of your teeth.

You’ll need to remove your aligners when you eat or drink anything other than water, so it’s important to be mindful of the food traps we’re treating. Thoroughly brush and floss after every meal and snack to eliminate those pesky food particles that linger after eating. If you can’t brush, rinse your mouth with warm water a few times until you get to your toothbrush.

Learn more about clear aligners with Feil Orthodontics

If you’ve been dealing with cavities, tooth sensitivity, or bad breath, food that’s built up in food traps could be the culprit! Contact our Bismarck, Mandan, or Beulah office to schedule a free consultation with Dr. Feil and find the perfect solution for your unique smile.

Tips for a Healthy Smile

November 10, 2022/in Uncategorized /by Feil Orthodontics

Here at Feil Orthodontics, we create healthy smiles that look incredible and feel amazing. We use the latest orthodontic technology and work on perfecting our technique daily, but another element is necessary to achieve the best results—you! These tips for a healthy smile will help you maintain an excellent oral hygiene routine and help ensure that you get the straightest smile in the shortest amount of time possible. Knowing how to care for your smile between orthodontic visits is the first step!

Issues like cavities, gum disease, and noncompliance can interrupt your progress, leading to longer treatment times or subpar results. Keeping your mouth healthy and your appliance in good shape plays a large part in the success of your treatment. Let’s take a closer look at how you can brush up on the basics of oral care!

eVisit your dentist for regular checkups.

Regular visits to your dentist are an essential part of caring for your smile. Your dentist is your primary oral health provider, and they’ll help you maintain clean and healthy teeth and gums and can identify any potential issues with your dental health.

During routine checkups, your dentist will clean your teeth and examine your mouth, teeth, jaw, and gums. We encourage seeing your regular dentist once every six months for a cleaning and checkup to keep your smile in great shape.

Follow Dr. Feil’s guidelines.

Dr. Feil is a trained orthodontic expert, so you can trust what he says about your smile! For example, if you need elastics with your braces or aligners, change them as directed in between your checkups. Have you recently completed your treatment with us? Remember to wear your retainer to keep your newly straightened smile in place!

If you’re wearing aligners, we’ll give you several weeks’ worth of aligners at a time, but if your current set runs out before your next appointment, we’ll arrange to pick up the next set earlier. If you can’t get your new aligners right away, you can continue wearing the last set for 10-12 hours each day instead of the usual 20-22 hours. This will help extend the life of your aligners until an appointment is available and keep your treatment plan on track.

Limit your sugar intake

A balanced diet can help decrease your risk of developing cavities with the vitamins and nutrients to support healthy, cavity-resistant teeth. Limit sugar-heavy foods, juices, and candy that erode enamel and leave harmful bacteria. It’s okay to enjoy these things in moderation; remember to brush your teeth and rinse well afterward to wash away the sugar.

Brush and floss like a pro

Brackets and wires make it easier for food particles to become trapped, which can lead to a buildup of bacteria and plaque. This means your teeth are more susceptible to cavities when wearing braces, tooth decay, and gum disease. These can delay your treatment progress and affect your final results, so paying attention to how you’re brushing and flossing throughout your orthodontic journey is essential!

Stick to the following guidelines for healthy teeth, a bright smile, and fresh breath.

Brush three times a day, ideally after each meal and once before bed. If you’re in braces, brush around every part of them.
Use a toothbrush with soft bristles and fluoridated toothpaste.
Brush gently at a 45-degree angle toward the gum line, moving the toothbrush across every surface of every tooth to effectively remove bacteria and any trapped food particles.
Floss every night before bed to remove bacteria and any food accumulated throughout the day. Use tools like floss threaders and Waterpiks to clean hard-to-reach areas.
Replace your toothbrush every 3-4 months or sooner if you have a cold or other illness.
Use antimicrobial and fluoride mouthwashes to help further improve your oral health.

Special tips for Aligner patients

If you’re an Aligner patient, you’ve got a bit of extra responsibility in caring for your aligners and oral health. Always rinse them off before putting them back in your mouth, and clean them well with gentle soap and cold water at least twice a day.

If you notice any buildup, you can soak your aligners in a retainer or denture cleaner to remove it. Don’t forget to keep your aligners away from any heat sources, including hot water, to avoid warping and help them maintain their natural shape.

Give your smile the best with care from Feil Orthodontics

It’s always important to take good care of your teeth and gums, but it’s an essential part of your orthodontic treatment when you’re in braces or clear aligners. By following our tips for a healthy smile, you’ll be able to boost your oral health while working towards a straighter smile!

If you have any questions or concerns about orthodontic care, our expert team is always happy to walk you through your treatment plan’s ins and outs. Want to learn more about how to care for your smile proactively? Get in touch with us today to schedule a FREE consultation or follow-up appointment with Dr. Feil in our Bismarck, Mandan, Beulah office!

Four Reasons to Get Adult Braces

October 14, 2022/in Uncategorized /by Feil Orthodontics

Here at Feil Orthodontics, we often hear from adults who have spent years feeling unhappy about the appearance or function of their teeth. Many worry that the chance of improving their smile is long gone, and they’ll be stuck feeling self-conscious about it forever. If this sounds like you, we have good news—it’s never too late to achieve a healthier, more confident smile!

More adults are exploring how orthodontic treatment can help correct crooked teeth, overbites, and underbites. Although the most obvious benefit of treatment is a beautifully straight smile, there are many lesser-known advantages to adult braces in our Bismarck, Mandan, and Beulah offices. We’ll explore some of these below, so keep reading to learn more!

Improved chewing & digestion

It can be difficult to bite and chew your food effectively when your teeth and jaws are out of alignment. If left untreated over time, it can contribute to excessive wear and tear on your teeth and may weaken the muscles of the jaws. This can cause painful chewing, which has the potential to exacerbate any issues you’re already having.

You may be surprised to find a connection between your stomach and your smile, but it’s important. Your teeth are a crucial component of the digestive process, and chewing your food is the first step. Your whole digestive system can suffer if you can’t chew properly because of misaligned teeth.

When your teeth can’t properly break down food, it will pass through the digestive system much more slowly. Chewing may also be painful if you’re experiencing tooth or jaw pain related to a bad bite. This may even limit what and how often you can eat.

Improved speech

The alignment of your teeth and jaws can affect your speech. Misaligned teeth can influence the placement of the tip of the tongue, which is essential to properly form certain sounds, including ‘t’, ‘n’, and ‘d.’ As an experienced orthodontist, Dr. Feil can identify speech issues related to misaligned teeth. He’ll also assess the severity of these issues and create an effective treatment plan based on your specific needs and goals.

Improved jaw alignment

Misaligned teeth can have a noticeable effect on your jaw muscles and joints. If the jaws are forced to compensate for bad positioning, the joints will adapt in response. However, the new position will often cause further damage. This is why we tend to see both jaw issues and misaligned teeth in patients. Some of the symptoms you may experience with improper jaw alignment are:

headaches or migraines
a jaw that seems to pop or “creak”
pain in the jaw, neck, or shoulders
sleep disorders

The personalized treatment plan Dr. Feil creates for you will help minimize or even eliminate these symptoms by properly aligning your teeth and jaws. This approach will give you a smile that feels as good as it looks!

Improved oral health

Brushing and flossing are essential for maintaining oral health, but when your teeth are crooked or crowded, they can be difficult to clean. This can cause a build-up of plaque and bacteria, increasing the risk of tooth decay, gum disease, cavities, and gingivitis.

While these are common dental ailments, they’re also preventable! Orthodontic treatment with Feil Orthodontics can move the teeth into more optimal positions, making it much easier to maintain an effective oral hygiene routine.

Treatment options for every smile

Our cutting-edge technology and efficient techniques in our offices in Bismarck, Mandan, and Beulah give adult patients more treatment options than ever. These are more comfortable and customizable than ever before, so Dr. Feil can give you the results you desire without surgery or extractions in most cases. We offer the following treatments for a total smile transformation.

Traditional metal braces

Traditional metal braces are an orthodontic staple and with good reason! This is one of Dr. Feil’s most efficient treatments, particularly for more severe or complicated cases. Modern braces use high-quality stainless steel, but innovations in the design mean they’re much more comfortable than previous versions. The total treatment time also tends to be shorter than it used to be.

Clear braces

These braces work the same way as traditional braces but use clear, white, or tooth-colored brackets. For an almost invisible treatment option, we can use them with matching elastics or ties! This makes them a good choice if you’re concerned about the appearance of your treatment. Clear brackets are more delicate than metal braces, so we generally recommend them only for older teen and adult patients in Bismarck, Mandan, and Beulah.

Invisalign

The Invisalign system uses a series of clear removable aligners to move the teeth instead of brackets and wires. These are made of a soft but strong thermoplastic resin material and customized to fit comfortably over your teeth. For Invisalign treatment to succeed, the aligners must be worn for 20-22 hours each day and switched out for the next in the series every 1-2 weeks.

Because Invisalign aligners are removable, you can eat and drink whatever you want while in treatment. Your oral hygiene routine will be a whole lot easier, too! Adult patients at Feil Orthodontics love the freedom and flexibility that Invisalign aligners offer them.

All of these options can be a great fit for busy adults! You can trust Dr. Feil to recommend the treatment method they feel will work best with your smile, lifestyle, and goals.

Get the smile you’ve always wanted with Feil Orthodontics

Feil Orthodontics is proud to offer patients the full package: expert care, clear communication, a rewarding orthodontic experience, and exceptional results. If you’d like to learn more about how an aligned bite can benefit you, get in touch today to schedule a FREE consultation at our office in Bismarck, Mandan, or Beulah!