Cleaning of Appliance
You must keep your teeth and appliance thoroughly clean. Food debris and plaque left in the mouth will cause permanent damage to your teeth and gums. Clean your teeth twice a day. Start at the back of your mouth and with small circular actions work your way around the brace, paying particular attention to the area of tooth between the bracket and gum. Your toothbrush should be soft with a small head and fluoride toothpaste must be used. An interdental toothbrush should be used to help you remove plaque from under the wire. A fluoride mouthwash following tooth brushing must be used daily to help protect the teeth from damage or decay.
Diet
Hard and sticky foods can damage your brace and repeated damage will prolong the treatment. Apples, carrots, crusty bread etc must be chopped into small pieces before being eaten. Polo mints, toffees, any hard chewy sweets or nuts must not be eaten for the duration of your treatment. Fizzy drinks, including the diet ones are very acidic and will damage your teeth. Try to save them for special occasions and have diet squashes, milk or water instead. Sugary foods should be kept to mealtimes only, to avoid any damage to the teeth.
Problems
The brace can initially rub the insides of your lips. The wax provided will reduce discomfort if applied on the offending area of the brace. Your teeth may also ache and feel loose for a few days after the fitting of the appliance – a simple pain killer should ease this. Should one of the brackets (small blocks stuck to the teeth) become loose this is not an emergency and can be attended at your next appointment. If, however, a band (the ring that surrounds the back teeth) becomes loose or you are in pain, please contact the surgery and arrangements will be made to see you as quickly as possible. Always ring the surgery first so we can advise you of an appropriate time for you to attend to minimize the waiting time.
Appointments
You will need to be seen at approximately 4-6 week intervals. It is most important to keep all appointments as problems can occur if appliances are left unsupervised for long periods and treatment time will be prolonged. If you know that you will be unable to attend an appointment please let us know as soon as possible so that we can re-allocate you with the minimum delay. Failure to attend without prior notice wastes a considerable amount of our time and there is a charge for appointments not kept.
Dental Treatment
You should continue to see your own dentist for routine dental care during your course of orthodontic treatment.