How To Care For Your Fixed Braces

20th January 2016

How To Care For Your Fixed Braces

Taking care of your fixed appliances is very important to avoid any damage to the teeth.

CLEANING

• It is important to clean the teeth correctly after every meal making sure to clean around the brackets, wires and gums.
• Always clean 4 times a day including after every meal and before you go to bed.
• Use a fluoride toothpaste and mouthwash whilst fixed braces are in your mouth.
• Use a small interdental toothbrush to clean any remaining plaque off your teeth.
• Disclosing tablets can be used to indicate areas where food/plaque is gathering. The areas of plaque will turn red and show you the areas that were missed and not brushed properly. Brush the teeth afterwards until the red stains are removed.
• Concentrate on the area between your gums, the brackets and underneath the archwire.

EATING

• Avoid chewy foods such as chewing gum, toffees and chewy sweets.
• Cut up hard foods such as apples and crusty bread which could cause brackets to loosen.
• Avoid sweet drinks, fizzy drinks, sugary foods and sweets which may damage your teeth.

PROBLEMS

• The fixed brace will cause you some tenderness and discomfort for 4-5 days as pressure is placed on the teeth, this is normal.
• Mild painkillers such as Paracetamol or Ibuprofen will help.
• If the brackets rub your lips and cheeks you may need to use brace relief (wax).
• Your teeth may feel wobbly, do not worry, this is quite normal.

BREAKAGES

• If you have repeated breakages of your appliance, the treatment will take much longer.
• If a bracket breaks, please try and remove the small elastic band that is holding it onto the wire then remove the bracket. If the wire should break and dig into you, it may be necessary to cut the wire with a wire cutter.
• Please ring the surgery if breakages do occur for advice and make an earlier appointment.
• Always keep any bits that come off and bring them with you to your appointment.