Oyster Orthodontics Blog

The most common question patients ask us is “When will my braces come off?”. More often than “What can I eat with braces?” or “Can I still play my favorite sports?” Patients want to know how long they’ll have to deal with braces at all. It’s an understandable question. Braces are hard to brush and floss around, they come with food restrictions, and they can be a source of embarrassment for teens at school or

At some point during your treatment, something will go wrong with your braces. At home, on vacation, or running on a sports field, it can spark fear to feel your braces start to break. These orthodontic “emergencies” are actually relatively minor, even if they don’t seem that way at the moment! Your orthodontist is well equipped to reattach a wire or a bracket, or adjust a loose or poking piece of metal. But, it’s always

As we know, it’s common for young children to put anything and everything into their mouths. This curiosity about the world around them is normal, and unless it carries into later childhood, is beneficial to development. Habits like nail-biting, thumb sucking, using a pacifier excessively, and tongue thrusting as you swallow all have negative long-term effects on your oral health. What’s more, these bad oral habits can cause disease or other health problems all over

Flossing isn’t the most exciting part of your nightly routine, but it’s essential to your oral health. Maintaining that excellent oral health is an integral part of your orthodontic journey! Before we get into how to become an expert braces flosser, here’s some more information about why flossing is so critical in the first place. Flossing is just as important as brushing your teeth to prevent gum disease, cavities, and bad breath. Flossing helps eliminate

A common first step of orthodontic treatment is an expander. Expanders, or palatal expanders, are orthodontic appliances that increase the space between the halves of the upper jaw. While that sounds scary and painful, expanders are very common and relatively painless! Many young, growing orthodontic patients have expanders, and they can help make sure you don’t have to undergo surgery later!   In This Post, We’ll Cover What is an Expander? Do Expanders Hurt? Why

One of our most common questions from patients is “What can I eat with my braces?” or “What foods do I have to give up?” and we have a few simple guidelines to share. Getting braces is a big change, and on top of the wires, brackets, or Invisalign trays, there’s a whole new set of habits you must get used to.  Luckily, we’re here to help and answer any questions you may have during