Six Of The Best Foods to Eat During Your Treatment with Braces

11/12/201907/12/2016 by Mark Vaughn

(and eight you shouldn’t eat)

Many orthodontics patients with braces are unsure of what foods are restricted in their diets. Many also believe the list of foods to avoid is longer than it actually is. Dr. Peter Chapman of Chapman Orthodontics shares some ideas about what foods are safely enjoyed and which foods are best to avoid eating while wearing braces or during orthodontic treatment near Danville, IN.

It is true that during your treatment with braces there are limitations on what you can eat in order to maintain good dental hygiene and the integrity of the hardware. But the time (and money) invested with braces is well worth coping with these limitations. The payoff is a perfectly straight, healthy, and attractive smile.

What foods can be enjoyed during your treatment?

There are many delicious food options that can be eaten while wearing braces near Danville, IN including:

Bananas
Yogurt
Soup
Cheese
Pasta
Mashed Potatoes

Dr. Peter Chapman wants to make sure that every patient with braces eats healthy food and gets enough daily nutrients. Here are some meal ideas that are safe for patients who are wearing braces. Perhaps there is a family favorite among some of these delicious meal options:

Lasagna. Lasagna is a great dinner because it provides many food groups in one dish, is tasty, and is soft on your braces.
Grilled Chicken and Vegetables. While meat from a bone can cause damage to your braces, deboned meats like chicken breast can be eaten. Chicken pairs nicely with vegetables like broccoli.
Chicken Noodle Soup. Chicken noodle soup gives you many necessary nutrients because of the variety of ingredients that can be added. Soup is also a filling and tasty meal and will not damage your braces.

What foods should be avoided?

While wearing braces, the three types of food that should be avoided are hard, sticky, and chewy foods. These types of food should be avoided because they can get stuck in your braces easily and be difficult and sometimes painful to get out. Some food categories that should be avoided are:

Gum
Popcorn
Ice
Caramel
Pretzels
Raw vegetables
Steak
Hard candies

Some of these foods do not have to be completely avoided, however. Foods like vegetables, steak, and pretzels can be broken or cut up into smaller pieces and then eaten safely.

There are many foods which are nutritious, delicious, and are friendly to your braces. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Peter Chapman and Chapman Orthodontics near Danville, IN, or for more information, please call: (317) 852-5566

How Often Do I Need to Visit an Orthodontist?

15/01/202130/11/2016 by Mark Vaughn

Orthodontic treatments can help a patient achieve a life-long healthy and straight smile. The length of treatment is always as different as each patient and their treatment goals. Dr. Peter Chapman and the team at Chapman Orthodontics near Speedway, IN can help give you a better understanding of the processes of orthodontic treatment and which approach may provide their patients with the best outcomes possible.

Schedule a consultation

During the consultation visit, Dr. Peter Chapman will complete a new-patient exam and diagnose your orthodontic treatment needs. This assessment usually lasts about an hour and allows the doctor to evaluate your needs as a patient and answer all of your questions about your proposed course of treatment. X-rays and/or photographs of your teeth may be taken and will help Dr. Peter Chapman identify which treatment option is the best for you.

Once you’ve decided on a course of treatment, Dr. Chapman will provide you with an estimated cost of treatment, a timeline for how long the course of treatment will take, and any options for finishing your treatment.

The time that you have to actually wear your braces will vary depending on your needs and the type of treatment indicated. The typical treatment time is 23 months. Some patients have their braces on for only six months, while other patients can have them for longer than three years.

Getting your braces

Dr. Chapman and his team will walk you through the entire course of treatment from beginning to end, schedule a series of appointments to get you started, and can discuss with you options for funding your treatment. The team will review your dental records and show you samples of braces, Invisalign aligners, and other appliances that may be integrated into your treatment.

The appointment to affix your braces to your teeth takes about 2 hours and can be scheduled almost immediately after your consultation. A Chapman Orthodontics associate will first prepare your teeth for the brackets, and then your orthodontist will carefully position each bracket on each tooth. Because this is such a critical step in the process, Dr. Peter Chapman invests a lot of time sweating the details (including bracket type, positioning, and wire selection) to help each of his patients achieve the best treatment outcome possible.

Throughout your treatment, the Chapman Orthodontics team will help you schedule routine checkups; brief appointments to adjust your brackets, answer questions, and check your progress. These meetings usually average 15 to 20 minutes and take place every 8 to 10 weeks. If you’re using Invisalign aligners, these checkups occur every 4 to 6 weeks.

Concluding Treatment

When your course of treatment with braces is coming to an end, your doctor will schedule you for a “debanding.” Removing your braces will take a little over an hour, and you will be pleased at how easy and comfortable the process is. It is then important that you arrange with your dentist to have a thorough cleaning, check-up, and fluoride treatment after the removal of your braces.

To hold your teeth in their new position, Dr. Chapman will evaluate which retainer is appropriate for you and make you a set of retainers and recommend a practice for wearing them. Most patients are advised to wear their retainers indeterminately in some capacity. The general rule is, “Wear your retainers for as long as you want your teeth to stay straight.”

Go show the world your healthy, gorgeous, new smile!

Before you leave the office after your final treatment, you will be given a photo of how your teeth looked before you had braces so that you can compare how your beautiful smile looks now.

If your dentist recommends braces for you, then Dr. Peter Chapman and the team at Chapman Orthodontics near Speedway, IN can help. Give them a call: 317 – 852 – 5566

How Do I Know if I Chose the Right Orthodontist?

11/12/201916/11/2016 by Mark Vaughn

If you’re seeking an orthodontist for you or your child, then don’t make a commitment too quickly; every orthodontist is different. Some may prefer to use a specific treatment plan over others, and some may charge their patients more for treatments more than other orthodontists do.

Orthodontic treatment (especially with traditional metal braces) means that you’re making a big commitment for multiple years, so we understand the importance of doing your research. Be sure to search for and select the orthodontist that meets your individual needs and criteria. Dr. Peter Chapman of Chapman Orthodontics is here today to help you choose the right orthodontist near Danville, IN.

Ask your family, friends, and Dr. Peter Chapman.

The first step to finding the right orthodontist for you is to simply ask around. You can always ask friends or family if they know about a good orthodontic practice that they might’ve used for their treatment.Your family’s dentist also can help point you in the right direction. Dentists usually are knowledgeable about the other dentists and orthodontists in your area. Once you’ve considered your options and have narrowed it down to a few orthodontia providers near Danville, IN, you should call to ask them a few questions. Their answers will be helpful in determining if their practice is right for you.

There are several questions that you should ask your prospective providers.

What are the possibilities of orthodontic treatment?
What are common problems that you treat?
How often will visits take place?
How long will treatment last?
What are your office hours? (Many orthodontists have limited hours, meaning that working parents may have to take time off or kids will have to be taken out of school.)
How many orthodontists work in your office?
How long have you been in Chapman Orthodontics?
What is the cost of treatment, and how do you determine the cost?
What insurance plans do you accept?
Do you offer a free consultation?
Can you provide references from current or past patients?
Is the orthodontist using the most recent technology in their procedures?

Be aware of your surroundings.

Pay attention to the office around you and remember to take mental notes on what you see and experience. Are the office staff and hygienists friendly? Is the office staff professional? Are they flexible to work with? Are the orthodontist and office accessible for advice or emergencies?

Think about what type of orthodontic treatments are available to you.

Most orthodontists offer four main common treatment options, including a few different types of braces:

Metal braces are the traditional and most common option. They are most often used for children under 12 years of age.
Ceramic braces are clear or tooth-colored and are usually self-ligating. They work the same as metal braces, but are much less visible making them more popular with adults. However, they cost more than traditional braces.
Lingual braces are the most inconspicuous as they are fixed to the back of (behind) the teeth, enabling them to remain completely unseen. The downside to lingual braces is that they are usually much more expensive, and very few orthodontists offer them due to the associated costs and longer treatment time.
Clear aligner systems like Invisalign are made of smooth plastic, are virtually invisible, and can be taken out to eat, brush, and floss. One big advantage to aligners is that they are now practically the same cost as traditional metal or ceramic braces. However, they are only used in treatment for teens and adults.

If you’re an adult looking to restore your or your child’s sparkling, beautiful smile, then look no further than Dr. Peter Chapman at Chapman Orthodontics near Danville, NY. To schedule a consultation with the Chapman Orthodontics team, call them today at: (317) 852-5566

How Do I Keep My Invisalign Clean?

11/12/201919/10/2016 by Mark Vaughn

person-inserting-invisalign-clear-aligner

If you have recently been fitted for Invisalign near Avon, IN, the team at Chapman Orthodontics would like to congratulate you on getting one step closer to a confident and healthy smile! Dr. Peter Chapman knows that while Invisalign is in your mouth doing the important work of straightening teeth, it’s also crucial to keep your Invisalign tray clean. The Chapman Orthodontics team recommends that their patients follow these tips to keep their Invisalign clear aligners clean and working properly.

Saliva and plaque may collect on the Invisalign trays, and that creates the perfect home for harmful or odor-causing bacteria. It is important to clean your aligners every time you take them out. (You take your aligners out before you eat, right?) Brush your aligner the same way you brush your teeth; with a little bit of toothpaste and a toothbrush. You should also brush and floss your teeth while you’re at it. That will help to reduce bacteria also.
Soak your aligner in a product like Invisalign Cleaning Crystals, Retainer Brite, or even denture cleaner once or twice a week. Avoid a colored denture cleaner; it may stain or color your aligners.
Avoid foods that may stain your aligners. Tea, coffee, wine, and sodas stain the aligners most often. Hot drinks may warp the plastic trays into a position that no longer fits on the teeth, thus extending treatment time.
Wear Invisalign conscientiously. Invisalign clear aligners need to be worn to work. The trays are removable to eat, but they need to be worn to be effective. Do not keep the Invisalign tray out of your mouth for longer than is necessary to eat, brush, or floss.

Keeping your Invisalign aligners clean is easy, and it’s a very important part of the overall treatment. Just remember, whenever you brush your teeth, brush your aligners too. To make sure you remember, the team at Chapman Orthodontics recommends that you make a small Invisalign cleaning kit for when you’re on the go. Include a toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss to keep your teeth and Invisalign sparkling clean!

If you have any more questions on keeping your Invisalign clean, or anything else Invisalign related, give Dr. Peter Chapman a call. You can reach Chapman Orthodontics near Avon, IN by visiting our website or calling: 317 – 852 – 5566

What You Need to Know Before Choosing Braces in Wayne Township, IN

18/01/202112/10/2016 by Mark Vaughn

Dr. Peter Chapman and the team at Chapman Orthodontics develop orthodontic treatment plans that are personalized for each patient’s needs. These plans may include treatment methods and approaches that are best suited to the patient’s needs and treatment goals near Wayne Township, IN. Traditional braces, ceramic or lingual braces, and Invisalign clear aligners are options Chapman Orthodontics offers their patients in the Marion County, IN area.

If you have chosen orthodontic treatment with braces, you should know:

There are different types of braces

When it comes to choosing the right kind of braces for you, Dr. Peter Chapman is the expert and will show you all your options before beginning treatment. Some of the most commonly employed types of braces include:

Traditional metal braces: traditional braces are one of the most commonly seen types of braces. They function with a series of metal brackets and wires that gradually shift your teeth to the desired position.
Ceramic braces: ceramic braces function with the same process as traditional metal braces, except the brackets are made of ceramic instead of metal. These are often desirable for people who would like their braces treatment to be less conspicuous and noticeable.
Invisalign: the Invisalign system consists of a series of clear, plastic aligner trays. Your trays are molded specifically to fit your teeth, and Dr. Chapman will help determine the appropriate intervals for you to have your trays changed. With each new set of Invisalign aligner trays, your teeth will move closer and closer to your desired alignment.

Oral hygiene is crucial

Braces can often trap food in and around the teeth. Regardless of what you’re eating, the location of your braces will cause some food debris to get stuck. It is important to brush thoroughly and completely while being treated with braces. Dr. Peter Chapman suggests brushing after every meal, before bed, and upon waking. It is important also to floss well during treatment. You may want to purchase a braces-friendly flosser, like a Waterpik, to eliminate food debris between your brackets and wire.

Some foods to look out for

There are some foods that you may need to be careful with during your treatment with braces. Some foods, like gum, sticky candy, popcorn, and bagels, can threaten the integrity of your braces, potentially breaking brackets and hindering your teeth-alignment process.

Eventually, caring for your braces will become second nature, and adjusting to your new lifestyle will be easy. You may find that your new oral health care habits stick around after your braces are removed.

Chapman Orthodontics and Dr. Peter Chapman help their patients decide which orthodontic treatment options fit best with their budgets, schedules, and treatment goals. If you have more questions, need further information, or to schedule an appointment, call Chapman Orthodontics at: 317 – 852 – 5566

Dr. Peter Chapman and the team at Chapman Orthodontics are experts in braces. If you have any questions pertaining to braces, clear braces, Invisalign, or Invisalign Teen in Wayne Township, IN, Brownsburg, IN, Plainfield, IN, Avon, IN, Marion County, IN, or the 46202 zip code area, or would like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Peter Chapman contact Chapman Orthodontics at: 317 – 852 – 5566

How To Brush and Floss Teeth with Braces

14/01/202118/09/2016 by Mark Vaughn

Dr. Chapman and the team at Chapman Orthodontics in Brownsburg, IN are orthodontics experts and can help explain to you why you should always maintain good oral health by brushing and flossing your teeth while wearing braces.

We’ve all been taught about the importance of brushing and flossing our teeth, typically in the morning when you wake up and at night before you go to sleep. But the one thing that you should never forget to do is clean your teeth properly, especially if you wear braces. While wearing braces, whether you’re a teenager or an adult, maintaining good oral health care Chapman Orthodontics helps ensure a successful treatment outcome.

Brushing and Flossing When Wearing Braces

With braces, food often gets caught in the brackets and wires, and then lingers on your teeth, creating plaque and tartar. These conditions can also cause serious and unwanted complications during your orthodontic treatment, such as:

Swollen gums
Cavities
Permanent stains on your teeth
Yellowed teeth
Bad breath

While wearing braces, not only is it important to brush your teeth multiple times a day but to brush them in the correct way. To get the best brushing results, make sure you brush your teeth and braces from every angle.

While brushing your braces on and around your top teeth, make sure to brush them with the toothbrush angled downward.

When brushing your braces on and around your bottom teeth, make sure you brush them with the toothbrush angled upward.

This helps to ensure that each tooth and every part of the tooth–the front surfaces, the chewing surfaces, and the back surfaces of your teeth–get completely clean. These techniques will also improve your brushing skills and give you a better cleaning treatment each time you brush.

Dr. Chapman stresses that cleaning your mouth, teeth, and braces effectively is an important part of your orthodontic treatment. If you don’t put the effort into your cleaning regimen while you are wearing braces, you may not get the outcome that you were hoping for: a clean, healthy, straight, white smile.

Flossing

Just brushing your teeth is not enough when you’re wearing braces. Flossing is a necessary (even if it’s a bit more awkward and difficult) and important step toward optimal oral health and the best orthodontic treatment outcome.

For people who wear braces, the Name Orthodontics team recommends using a waxed floss. Some tools designed just for flossing are made with a stiff tip to reach food stuck under the wire of your braces.

To be certain you are flossing effectively, remember these tips:

Thread the floss under the wire before passing the string between the teeth.

Rub the waxed floss up and down each surface of the tooth and don’t skip cleaning each and every gap.

Weave the floss through the individual gaps between the teeth (no blood should be seen. If you see blood, you may need to floss a little more gently).

Be sure to massage the gums with your toothbrush during brushing.

Finish things off with a good and thorough mouthwash rinse.

Both brushing and flossing your teeth properly are crucial steps in your orthodontic treatment with braces. You’ve already spent a lot of money on your braces to straighten your teeth and improve your smile. So why not maintain your oral health to ensure you get a healthy, beautiful smile?

If you’ve been searching for an orthodontist in Brownsburg, IN that can help you achieve a beautiful, glowing smile, then look no further than Dr. Chapman! To make an appointment for a consultation at our office, contact Chapman Orthodontics at: 317-852-5566

What Is the Perfect Age to Begin Taking My Child to the Orthodontist?

16/01/202011/09/2016 by Mark Vaughn

As a child develops, one of the first things parents begin to feel concern about is their child’s oral health. Dr. Chapman of Chapman Orthodontics in Brownsburg, IN is often asked if a child may eventually need orthodontic attention, what the signs are to look for, and at what age should a child begin treatment. No two cases are the same. Dr. Chapman has the answers to a few of the most important questions that you may have.

How to Ensure You Are Getting the Best Invisalign Treatment in Indianapolis, IN

14/01/202116/12/2015 by Mark Vaughn

Over the years, Invisalign has become more and more popular with both teens and adults. The aligners are clear, almost invisible, which makes them less noticeable than bulky traditional braces. Invisalign aligners may be less of a hassle than metal braces, but it is still extremely important to take all the necessary steps to keep your teeth clean. This will help make sure your orthodontic treatment is as effective as possible. Here are some tips on how to maximize your Invisalign treatment in Indianapolis, IN from Dr. Peter Chapman of Chapman Orthodontics.

Wear your Invisalign for 22 hours a day. Dr. Peter Chapman recommends that Invisalign is worn 22 hours each day in order for it to be effective and successfully shift your teeth. This means that your Invisalign can be taken out to eat, brush your teeth, and floss however they should be put back in your mouth as soon as possible afterwards. On another note, Invisalign should be worn when you sleep as your teeth can shift quite a lot if not worn and cause setbacks to your orthodontic treatment.
If Dr. Peter Chapman recommends rubber bands, wear them! When it comes to shifting your teeth, rubber bands are a crucial part of the process. If Dr. Peter Chapman recommends that you wear rubber bands with your Invisalign, wear them to not only speed up the process but also allow for a healthier and happier smile.
Use Chewies. Just like metal braces, Invisalign is a little uncomfortable and painful from time to time, specifically when putting in a new set every two weeks. Using chewies allows for any air gaps to be closed and for the aligner to fit more tightly and therefore more comfortably. This allows for your aligner to feel more like your teeth and less like something on them which is more comfortable in the long run. Ask the team at Chapman Orthodontics to find out what chewies they carry.
Always brush and clean your Invisalign. Just like traditional braces, Invisalign need to be constantly cleaned and cared for. Make sure that you brush your Invisalign every morning and night. This allows for the removal of any food which may be stuck and subsequently a tighter fit because no space is being taken up.
Always brush and clean your own teeth. Just as important as it is to clean your Invisalign, it is even more important to brush and floss your teeth. Doing so will allow for the removable of food which, just like it might be stuck in your aligner, could be taking up room and not allowing for the proper fit. It is also important to brush and floss your teeth to keep them clean and white for after your orthodontic treatment is complete. You don’t want to have to go through months of Invisalign near Indianapolis, IN just to have a less than perfect smile.
Always use your case. Whenever you take your Invisalign out of your mouth, make sure it ends up in a case provided by Dr. Peter Chapman. Leaving them in a napkin or on a table leaves more room for them to be thrown out or misplaced. If this happens, you would need to go back a week in your sets or skip forward to the next week, both of which disrupt your treatment.

In order to maximize your Invisalign treatment, it is extremely important to follow all of the advice that Dr. Peter Chapman gives you. The team at Chapman Orthodontics wants you to walk away from your orthodontic treatment with a happy, healthy, and straight smile! If you have any questions or are ready to begin treatment with Dr. Peter Chapman, please call Chapman Orthodontics in Brownsburg, IN at (317) 852-5566

How to Make Wearing Braces More Fun

14/01/202111/11/2015 by Mark Vaughn

As a parent, getting your child to do anything they don’t want to do can be a daunting task. And let’s face it, properly caring for their braces is probably not something your child wants to do. However, it is extremely important that braces are properly cared for, or treatment will not go as planned. The trick to getting them to want to take proper care of their orthodontic systems is to make it fun! So, Chapman Orthodontics has come up with a list of fun ways to get your child to take care of his or her braces.

Brushing dance party- Chapman Orthodontics recommends brushing at least twice a day all the time, but especially when children are undergoing treatment with braces. Proper brushing entails a full two minutes of thorough cleaning, something that many children fail to do. To get your child excited about brushing, make a playlist or CD with their favorite songs and set up a speaker by the sink. Play this song when they start brushing and dance around with them as they clean for the full two minutes. This will make brushing fun, and will help them keep their teeth spotless!
Braces-friendly baking- Dr. Chapman says that unfortunately, braces can restrict kids from eating certain foods. Taking hard candies away from kids can cause quite a fight, but these foods can be extremely dangerous to braces, and it is very important to follow the rules. So, Chapman Orthodontics suggests having a braces friendly recipe bake-a-thon. Go online and find sweets that won’t damage braces, such as gooey brownies, fruity cupcakes, or creamy ice cream sundaes, and set aside time to make these sweets with your child. Then, let him or her eat them as a reward for flossing well, for example. This is a great way to help your child stay optimistic about braces and make sure they are caring for their appliances properly.
Colored bands- Chapman Orthodontics offers the option of adding colored bands to traditional metal braces. These have been a huge hit among kids, as they allow them to customize their experience in a fun way! To make colored bands even more effective for kids, use them to incentivize your child. For example, for every 2 months they go without a break in their wires or brackets, or for every 25 times they properly brush or floss, promise them that you will set up an appointment with Dr. Chapman to have their colors changed. Then, when they have switched to new colors, have a photo shoot of their new, beautiful braces. At the end of orthodontic treatment, use these pictures to make a fun “Before, During, and After” scrapbook!

Starting treatment early is a great way to ensure a lifetime of beautiful smiles. But getting your child to properly care for his or her braces can be tough. By using some of these tips, you can get your child excited about caring for their orthodontic treatment in Brownsburg, IN. And, make sure to continue to schedule them for regular appointments at Chapman Orthodontics. Call us at (317) 852-5566 to set up your child’s next appointment with Dr. Chapman, or for some more fun ideas!