Please help us be prepared for your first appointment by completing either the Adult or Child Orthodontic Acquaintance Form.

Print the appropriate form, fill it out, and return it to our office. The following forms are in pdf format. If you're unable to read pdf files, download the free Acrobat Reader pdf viewer from Adobe.

• Adult Form
• Child Form

Patient Instructions

Rubber Bands (Elastics)

If Dr. Sperber has prescribed elastics to be worn as part of your orthodontic treatment, they will be a very important part of your treatment plan if you would like to have your braces removed on schedule. Elastics move teeth in ways that cannot be accomplished with archwires alone. Without proper elastic wear, it is unlikely we will obtain the results you want.

If you're not sure how to wear your elastics, please call our office. Do not wait until your next appointment to find out that the elastics may have been moving teeth in the wrong direction.

Rubber bands can be worn when eating, although they may make your jaws sore. If you take them out before eating, be sure and replace them right away after your meals. Elastics need to be changed approximately 3 times each day. This is because they lose their stretch as they are left in your mouth during the day.

Continuous wear is a must! "Off and on wear" is the same as not wearing them at all. Remember to always have an extra pack with you at school, work, etc… If you run out of elastics, call our office right away. You have been given a specific type of rubber band to use. Do not use any other type of rubber bands unless otherwise instructed.

Broken Brackets or Loose Bands

In the event that a bracket or band comes loose from a tooth, it is important for you to call our office immediately. We may need to reschedule your appointment to allow more time to fix the breakage and keep you on track for your results.

Brackets and bands are expensive to replace. To help control orthodontic costs, if the band or bracket comes off the archwire, please bring it with you to your repair appointment. Often it can be repaired, cleaned and replaced.

When braces are broken, treatment completion is often delayed. Help us give you the results you want in the quickest possible time!

Headgear

Headgear is usually recommended when the top jaw is too far in front of the lower jaw. Headgear is used for two purposes. First, headgear can slow down the growth of the top jaw so that the lower jaw can "catch up" in growth. Second, headgear can move the top teeth back so they will fit better with the lower teeth.

When hooking up your headgear, remember that the loops on the facebow (the stainless steel part of your headgear) point upwards. Slide one side into the molar tube first, then the other. While holding the facebow with one hand, hook up your strap to the mark indicated by Dr. Sperber.

When removing your headgear facebow, remember not to pull both sides out at once. This will usually bend the facebow and will make it difficult to place it in the molar tubes the next day. Also, do not rock the facebow up and down when removing it. This can loosen the bands. If a band becomes loose, call the office as soon as possible to schedule a repair.

Headgear should be worn 12-14 hours per day! This is often difficult to achieve but necessary for the headgear to work properly. At first, you may "build up" time by wearing the headgear for shorter intervals. You may also loosen the notch on both sides for a limited time. When you first begin wearing headgear, your molar teeth may become sore. This is normal. As you become accustomed to your headgear, you will notice that teeth will not be as nearly as sore as they were at first.

Most importantly, headgear should be worn every day! Inconsistent headgear wear is like not wearing headgear at all. Never attempt to adjust your headgear yourself. If you have trouble fitting your headgear, please call our office for an appointment.

Always bring your headgear to your orthodontic appointments for adjustments.

Removeable Retainer Care

• The retainer should be worn at all times. Remove it only when eating and brushing your teeth.
• Your speech will return to normal after a few days of wearing the retainer.
• Don't pop the retainer in and out with your tongue. Remove the upper retainer by pulling down by your molars. Remove the lower retainer by pulling up on the metal loops by your cuspids.
• Keep your retainer clean by brushing it with your toothbrush and toothpaste. Occasionally, soak it in denture cleaner using warm water.
• When it's not in your mouth, keep your retainer in the case (not wrapped in a paper towel or in your pocket). If it gets thrown in the garbage, don’t try sterilizing it by boiling it! Clean it with antibacterial soap and rinse well.
• Keep your retainer away from pets. It makes a very expensive chew toy!
• Don't leave your retainer in the hot car, it will warp.
• Don't ever stop wearing your retainer! Your teeth will shift.
• Bring your retainer to every appointment.

• A fixed retainer will remain in your mouth permanently or until Dr. Sperber approves its removal.
• When brushing, be extra careful to clean the wire and the inside of your lower teeth. Remember to floss at least once a day with a floss threader between the retainer and gums. You use the floss threader in the same way you flossed with braces.
• If you notice one of the bonds has come loose, call the office immediately!