To our Orthodontic Family and Friends,
In light of the rapidly changing status of the pandemic, we know you might have some questions about the covid-19 pandemic and how it may affect your orthodontic care. With that in mind, our team has put together these FAQ to help you gain some amount of clarity in this part of your life. We are here to support you and will continue to find new ways to provide you with top notch orthodontic care.
When can I be seen again?
Although it seems like we are getting closer to a date where we will all be able to return to our “normal routines” in the not too distant future, we are still required by the State, County and California Dental Association to suspend all non-essential care at this time. We are closely monitoring the situation with the plan to re-open and return to our regular schedule as soon as we have been cleared to do so. Although we are to remain closed for routine procedures, if you have an urgent need during this time, such as pain or injury, we will continue to be available for emergency appointments. If that is the case, please call our office so we may determine the best course of action for your specific situation. Helpful information on how to handle basic emergencies from home and other tips can be found in previous posts to our website newsfeed and at the following location on our website: https://www.drkbraces.com/emergency-information/.
Why does the orthodontic office need to close?
Due to the nature of the COVID-19 pandemic and the sweeping recommendations of numerous health and government officials, we must close our doors to all elective procedures for the safety of our community. Elective procedures are defined as any procedure that does not involve treating a medical or dental emergency.
How should I proceed if I am wearing braces or an appliance?
Please make sure you keep good oral hygiene by brushing and flossing after snacks, meals and before bed. Also remember, DO NOT eat forbidden foods to avoid any breakage. Your braces will continue to straighten your teeth all day and night. If wearing any elastics or appliances, continue to do so as directed. Proper elastic wear will continue to correct your bite.
How should I proceed if I am wearing Invisalign aligners?
Please make sure to keep wearing your active aligners as instructed to continue progressing your treatment. Make sure to use your chewies and bite and hold to seat the aligners in areas where you may see visible space between your tooth and the aligner. For best use, bite into your chewie for 10 seconds and work it around your teeth lightly biting holding for a 10-minute session.
If you no longer have new aligners to continue to your next week of treatment, continue using your last stage aligners to ensure that your teeth stay in position until we are able to provide you with more aligners. Keep your aligners clean and avoid all drinks other than water while wearing them. Always remember to wash your hands before placing and removing your aligners or elastics.
What should I do if I am scheduled to start treatment soon?
We
are excited about all our patients to take this big step and I look forward to
working with you to help achieve a healthy and beautiful smile. We are hopeful
that this schedule alteration will be short. When this situation has
stabilized, we are going to be ready for you!
What about getting my braces off?
Although dental care is very safe for patients and providers with standard universal precautions and hospital-level sterilization protocols, cleaning teeth and the removal of orthodontic bonding materials produces aerosols that can possibly contain biological material. A deferral of removing braces is a good practice at a time like this. Always brush and floss thoroughly to maintain your dental health as we await the passing of this situation. We will resume the removal of braces when we are advised that it is safe to do so.
I have a routine monitoring appointment upcoming (retainer check, growth monitoring, recall examination, or new patient consultation).
These appointments are very important, but by their nature they have become elective at a time like this. We will maintain all appointment records within our computer system and will reschedule them appropriately when the community situation returns to normal.
We are told to wash our hands frequently; how should we handle wearing aligners, retainers, elastics, etc?
It is important to continue wearing your aligners and your elastics to maintain your treatment progress, or your treatment results if you are currently wearing retainers. Follow recommendations by washing your hands thoroughly with soap and water before and after removing or placing your aligners, retainers, or elastics. These items can also be washed or cleaned in a diluted soap and water solution. An old toothbrush is ideal for this purpose. After cleaning the appliance, rinse thoroughly in cold water to minimize the soapy taste, just like when doing the dishes.
I lost or broke my retainer or aligner. What should I do?
It is always important to wear your retainers after your treatment is complete and your aligners if you are undergoing Invisalign treatment. If you happen to lose or break your retainer or aligner, call the office and leave us a voice mail or send us an email and Dr. Kardovich will contact you and determine how to best proceed.
Finally,
To stay updated on the latest news about our office and schedule and to maintain a centralized place for resources such as this, we will be updating our website.
You can also find this information on our social media.
Thank you for your understanding, and we are truly grateful that you have chosen to support our small business. We wish you all good health, and we can’t wait to see you again in person real soon!
Dr. Kardovich and Team