Aftercare Following Orthodontic Treatment
You will always be given verbal and written aftercare instructions when you start Orthodontic Treatment at Pure Dental Health, however, should you forget what you’ve been told or lose your written instructions you can check that you’re doing all that you can to ensure your teeth, gums and orthodontic appliance are looked after by following the advice below.
Hygiene: Brush your teeth, gums braces and wires thoroughly after each meal and before going to bed. We recommend that you carry around a travel toothbrush. Poor oral hygiene can result in puffy, bleeding gums and permanent white spots on teeth. Inflammation and bleeding gums will delay your treatment. An interproximal brush is the best way to clean around your braces and can be purchased from reception; a demonstration will be given at your hygiene appointment. Use this brush between your teeth at the gum line. We do reserve the right to suspend or delay treatment if your oral hygiene is poor.
Please keep your teeth and braces clean.
Hard Food: Do not eat hard food such as popcorn, ice, boiled sweets, hard crusts etc. Those foods can break the brackets. Cut up foods such as meats, apples, carrots etc before eating them. (If abuse is noted on multiple periodic treatment visits, a fee of £100 may be applied to replace brackets). Remember to eat sensibly when wearing a brace.
Coloured Foods: Some foods/drinks will stain the elastics on your braces, so try to avoid any foods/drinks with strong colourings for example tomato based foods, curries, coffee and tea, it’s advisable to have these kinds of things perhaps the day before your next visit, as we can always change your stained elastics to new clear ones.
Soreness: After the braces are put on the teeth they may be sore, usually for the first 2-4 days. Ibuprofen or paracetamol may be taken to relieve this. If the soreness continues even after eating soft food, please phone for an appointment so any necessary adjustments can be made. If the inside of the lips or generally the soft tissue areas are sore, the wax provided can be used as a cushion over the braces until the lips become accustomed. Taking painkillers prior to your adjustment appointments can help minimise the discomfort.
Jaw Joint: There are some patients who will develop popping/clicking or other problems in their jaw joint during or after orthodontic treatment. This is very rare. Usually, orthodontic treatment provides a positive effect on the jaw joint. You should understand that pre-existing joint conditions can manifest as a popping or clicking after orthodontic treatment but orthodontic treatment by itself has not been shown to cause popping/clicking of the jaw joints.
Cleanings: You will get three hygienist appointments for a professional clean and home care advice during your treatment. If you have an appointment for a cleaning scheduled, keep it! This is not required but highly encouraged.
What if I get problems? Problems with fixed braces are unusual. However, if anything happens that makes the brace very uncomfortable and cannot be controlled using the remedies recommended above, or you notice that it is broken, please call us and ask for an appointment. If a bracket or the wire starts to cause any discomfort, just apply the orthodontic wax as demonstrated.
Smile Care Pack: Contains a packet of interproximal brushes, Interspace Toothbrush, Soft/Ortho Toothbrush, Orthodontic wax and a bottle of Fluoriguard mouthwash. This pack is complementary.
