Family Friendly & Specialty Dentists in London, UK
Your complete guide to caring for your braces or aligners, ensuring successful treatment and a beautiful smile.
These actions will help manage discomfort and protect your new orthodontic appliances.
These activities can damage your braces or aligners and slow your treatment progress.
After getting braces or aligners, your teeth may feel sensitive. Here's what we recommend to eat or avoid.
These soft foods are gentle on sensitive teeth and won't damage your braces.
These foods can damage braces or cause discomfort.
As you adjust, try these orthodontic-friendly foods.
These foods can still damage your braces.
Safe foods throughout your orthodontic treatment.
Always avoid these foods during treatment.
| Care Aspect | Details | Frequency | Tools/Products |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Oral Hygiene | Brush after every meal, clean around brackets and wires, use special flossing tools, rinse with fluoride mouthwash, and for aligners - clean them morning and night. | Daily | Orthodontic brush, floss threaders, proxabrush, water flosser |
| Adjustment Visits | Regular appointments for wire changes or new aligners, progress monitoring, and treatment plan updates. | Every 4-6 weeks | Orthodontist visits |
| Appliance Care | Keep rubber bands fresh, apply wax as needed, maintain aligners, wear retainers as directed, and protect braces during sports. | Ongoing | Orthodontic wax, rubber bands, mouthguard |
| Emergency Care | Monitor for loose brackets, poking wires, aligner damage, or unusual pain. Contact orthodontist for any concerns. | As needed | Emergency orthodontic kit |
| Product | Brands | What it Takes Care of | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orthodontic Wax | Oral-B, GUM | Irritation prevention | Protects soft tissue from brackets and wires. |
| Orthodontic Toothbrush | Oral-B Ortho, Colgate Ortho | Bracket and wire cleaning | Special V-shaped bristles for cleaning around braces. |
| Proxabrush | GUM, TePe | Under wire cleaning | Small brush for cleaning under wires and between brackets. |
| Orthodontic Water Flosser | Waterpik Ortho, Philips AirFloss | Deep cleaning | Special tips for cleaning around braces and aligners. |
| Floss Threaders | Oral-B Super Floss, Plackers | Under wire flossing | Helps thread floss under orthodontic wires. |
| Aligner Cleaning Kit | Invisalign, SmileDirectClub | Aligner maintenance | Special cleaners and tools for clear aligners. |
| Fluoride Mouthwash | ACT Braces Care, Colgate Phos-Flur | Cavity prevention | Extra protection for hard-to-reach areas around braces. |
| Emergency Care Kit | DenTek, GUM Ortho Kit | Emergency repairs | Tools for handling common orthodontic issues. |
| Orthodontic Relief Wax | Oral-B, DenTek | Comfort care | Extra wax for irritation relief and protection. |
| Rubber Bands | American Orthodontics | Bite correction | Elastics for correcting bite alignment. |
| Sports Mouthguard | Shock Doctor Braces, Under Armour | Sports protection | Special design to fit over braces during sports. |
| Retainer Case | Invisalign, Essix | Appliance storage | Safe storage for aligners and retainers when not in use. |
Initial soreness typically lasts 3-5 days after getting braces or a new aligner. Each adjustment may cause mild discomfort for 1-2 days. Over-the-counter pain relievers and orthodontic wax can help manage any discomfort. The soreness indicates your teeth are moving as planned.
Use an orthodontic toothbrush to brush after every meal, angling the brush to clean above and below brackets. Thread floss under wires with floss threaders or use a water flosser. Proxabrushes help clean between brackets. For aligners, clean them morning and night with appropriate cleaning solutions.
If a bracket becomes loose, keep it in place with orthodontic wax if possible and contact your orthodontist. Don't try to fix it yourself. Save any pieces that fall off and bring them to your appointment. Continue gentle brushing and avoid foods that could cause further damage.
Most patients need adjustments every 4-6 weeks for traditional braces. For clear aligners, you'll typically change to a new set every 1-2 weeks as prescribed. Regular appointments help monitor progress and ensure your treatment stays on track.
You can continue playing sports but must wear a special orthodontic mouthguard to protect your braces and teeth. Remove aligners for contact sports and use a regular mouthguard. For wind instruments, you may need time to adjust your playing technique with braces.
Treatment time varies by individual case, typically ranging from 12-24 months. Following your orthodontist's instructions, wearing rubber bands as directed, and maintaining good oral hygiene can help ensure your treatment stays on schedule.
After treatment, you'll need to wear retainers to maintain your new smile. Initially, you may wear them full-time, then only at night. Consistent retainer wear is crucial to prevent teeth from shifting back to their original positions.
It's best to wait until after braces are removed to whiten your teeth. For aligner patients, whitening can be done during treatment. Discuss your options with your orthodontist, as they can recommend the best timing and methods for your situation.
