Living with Braces
APPLIANCE CARE
A few simple care measures can help protect your braces and reduce your costs and treatment times.
Taking CARE of your fixed braces
An important part of ensuring your braces work effectively is keeping them in the best condition throughout treatment. Once your braces have been fitted by one of our experienced orthodontic team, we’ll talk you through the brushing and cleaning that is required to ensure you get the best possible results.
You will also need to attend your appointments regularly to ensure that the braces are working properly. It’s important you keep them clean and avoid eating foods that can damage them. It’s also really important to follow these instructions because problems can arise with the teeth and gums if both tooth brushing and diet are poor.
Top tips:
- Hard, sticky or crunchy foodstuffs must be avoided such as crusty bread, pizza crusts, toffees, boiled sweets, ice cubes, nuts etc. Chewing gum should also be avoided.
- Food such as apples and carrots will need to be cut up into small pieces.
- Avoid biting fingernails and nibbling on pen tops!
- Lastly and very importantly, avoid products with high levels of sugar such a fizzy drinks and sweets. Still water is best!
Download the guide here to Brace-Friendly Food & Drinks
Please watch the following presentation from one of our Orthodontic Therapists:
PATIENT INFORMATION LEAFLETS
For further information about the care of your appliance, please select and download the document most appropriate to your treatment or appliance from the choices below:
- Bonded Retainer Long-Term Maintenace
- Care of your Retainers
- Care of your Fixed Brace
- Care of your Functional Brace
- Long-Term Maintenance
EMERGENCY CARE
The British Orthodontic Society (BOS) regularly provides useful, updated guidance for patients to help with emergencies at home, please use:
https://www.bos.org.uk/News-and-Events/COVID19-BOS-Advice/Patients-Advice
Here are some tips for the more commonly encountered problems:
Fixed appliances
It is normal to encounter tenderness and mobile teeth for the first few days after the braces are fitted or adjusted. Most people usually find it just a minor irritation. Occasionally, a few patients may find the use of a regular pain killer such as paracetamol or ibuprofen helpful during the initial few days.
Ulcers may be caused by a new bracket or the sharp end of a wire rubbing against the lips and cheeks. Pick out a small lump of wax provided to you, roll it into a small ball, dry the offending bracket or end of wire with tissue paper and place the ball of wax over to cover up the sharp offending part of the brace. This will give the ulcer a chance to heal and the lips and cheeks to get used to the presence of the brace.
If the wire has come out of the tube at the back, please tuck it under the hook at the back and stick it down with wax for the time being.
If a bracket has come loose from the tooth, it should still be attached to the wire and is usually not an emergency. Please phone the practice during surgery hours to see if you can wait until the next appointment or if we should see you sooner for a repair.
Removable and Functional Appliances
Sometimes a removable or functional brace may crack, a small piece of the plastic may break off, or a wire component may fracture. Provided that the brace still fits and is not loose in the mouth, please continue to wear it but call the practice during surgery hours to arrange a repair.
If a distorted wire component or a broken brace is causing discomfort or is loose and potentially dangerous to be worn, please stop wearing it and ring during surgery hours at first opportunity to arrange a repair.
If a headgear becomes loose, does not fit well, or comes off during the night, please stop wearing the headgear immediately and ring the practice during surgery hours to arrange an appointment for it to be checked.
Please feel free to get in touch with us if you have any questions or problems with your braces on 01635 528820 or email us at mak@newbury-orthodontics.co.uk.
