Your First Week with Braces
Please read these instructions carefully following the placement of orthodontic bands and/or
brackets to minimize discomfort that you may experience as the first pressures are applied to
the teeth.
- Over the counter medication- Relieve the tooth tenderness by selecting a pain reliever/anti-
inflammatory of your choice. This may be started about two hours after the patient leaves the clinic and may be taken every four hours during the day for two days, if required. - Wax or Brace Relief- Wax applied over the orthodontic appliances softens the feel of the braces against the mouth to ease any irritation, especially as you become accustomed to the braces. The wax is harmless it does not matter if small amount is swallowed.
- Rinse- your mouth several times daily with a solution of warm salted water (one teaspoon salt in one glass of warm water). This will soothe the soft tissues of the mouth. You may use this as often as desired.
- Eat Nutritious, Soft Foods- Foods that require minimal chewing effort are recommended. See the diet sheet for suggestions of foods to avoid.
- Clean teeth and Braces- Braces should be cleaned no less than half an hour after each meal and before bedtime. See the oral hygiene instruction sheet for the proper method.
Common Terms used in Orthodontic Care:
- Molar Band – Stainless steel band around the back tooth.
- Molar Tube – Stainless steel round tube on the cheek side of the molar band or molar tooth.
- Bracket – Small, silver or ceramic attachment on each tooth.
- Arch wire – Main wire joining all the teeth together.
- Elastic Ligature – Small clear or colored elastic holding the arch wire to each tooth.
- Elastic Chain – Clear or colored chain of elastic joining several teeth together.
- Ligature Wire – Thin silver wire around one tooth or joining several teeth together.
Visit the CAO (Canadian Association of Orthodontics) website for more in depth information, pictures and videos for taking care of your braces and/or reach out to us at Courtice Family Dentistry, If there is any concerns or questions.
General Braces Information
Since Orthodontic treatment extends over a considerable period of time, it is essential that a
cooperative relationship exists between the patients, the parents, and the orthodontic team. To
attain an optimum result, in the shortest time possible, we ask you to;
- Keep All Appointments. Missed adjustment appointments delay completion time. If for some reason you are unable to keep your appointment, please notify us as soon as possible. If by any chance, you do miss an appointment, call us immediately to reschedule another one.
- Follow All Instructions Carefully. Wear the elastics, headgear, or removable appliance as prescribed.
- See your Family Dentist for your regular cleaning and checkups. Bands and brackets do not cause decay and will not be placed over an area where there is decay. However, decay can occur on areas unprotected by the bands or brackets and these areas should be checked at least every six months.
- Avoid Hard Foods, Sticky Foods, and Foods High in Sugar content. Please check the Diet Suggestions bellow.
- If a Band or bracket comes loos, do not wait for your next appointment, Call the office as soon as possible.
- If a band or wire bother your lips, gums, cheeks, or tongue, place a small piece of soft wax or a cotton over the offending bracket, tube, or wire. Such irritation will usually disappear after a day or two. If it does not, please call the office for a comfort visit.
- Brush your Teeth and the Appliance. Poor oral hygiene habits or improper brushing techniques can result in undesirable effects to the teeth and surrounding gums. Check the oral hygiene form provided
- General Soreness. Sometimes after appliances are placed or after periodic treatment visits, a patient may complain of a general soreness of the teeth. Tylenol (1-2 tablets) may be taken every four hours as needed. If the soreness dose not subside after 3-4 days, please phone the office to discuss if an adjustment appointment is needed.
- Cooperation. The length of time of treatment varies with the severity of the malocclusion, the cooperation of the patient, and the tissue response to tooth movement. Maximum amount of cooperation will achieve the best results in the minimum amount of time.
Once again, please remember to avoid hard and sticky food. Your orthodontic treatment can be delayed by several months if you continue to eat these foods. Your diet is most important while undergoing orthodontic treatment.
Oral Hygiene for the Orthodontic Patient
Proper oral hygiene involves brushing and flossing of the teeth. This is often the most
overlooked and neglected part of your orthodontic treatment. If the brushing of the teeth and
massaging of the gum tissue is not maintained appropriately, it will be inevitable that areas of
PERMANENT decay and decalcification (soft, white areas on the enamel) will develop around
the orthodontic brackets. The gum tissues will also become red and puffy and will bleed
spontaneously with contact. If this becomes excessive, it occasionally becomes necessary to
recontour the gums surgically. It should be stressed that these decalcification marks are
permanent and will be on your teeth for life. In the rare occasion where it is not possible to
brush, at least rinse your mouth thoroughly with water.
Decay and decalcification will not be a problem around the brackets if the teeth have been
properly cleaned. Orthodontic bands and brackets do retain food and plaque between the gum
line and the bracket; it is YOUR responsibility to remove this debris with your brush.
Follow the technique outlined below to properly remove any debris from the danger area near gums:
- Clean the brackets with back and forth movement of the brush along the length of the arch wire.
- Position the bristles on the tooth between the band / bracket and the gums- rotate in a circular motion – move back and forth.
- Brush the biting surfaces of the teeth in the usual way.
- The insides of the teeth should be brushed with the bristles angled away from the gum line sweeping from the gum toward the biting surface.
- Massage the gums – hold the brush at a 45 degree angle, with the bristles on the gums and sweep away from the gums toward the biting surface of the tooth.
- Brush the tongue and cheeks.
- Use the proxa-brush to clean under the arch wire and between the teeth.
- Floss once a day, preferably at night when you have more time. Using a floss threader or Superfloss will make it easier.
Use a brush that has soft bristles – it does not have to be a special “orthodontic ‘’ brush, a
Proxa-brush can also be purchased at your local drugstore with a ‘’cone ‘’ shaped bristle tip that
will make it easier to clean under the wire as mentioned above. Change your toothbrush every
3-4 months. Use a Fluoridated toothpaste.
Diet Suggestions for Orthodontic Patients
The following information should be read and understood by both patient and parent/guardian
so that orthodontic therapy can be completed in the least possible time with the best possible
results.
The suggestions made below are very important since they are intended to help eliminate decay
and damage to the braces. For this to be successful, we would like to eliminate foods with
excessive sugar that stick to the teeth or braces and those that are hard or very sticky.
During orthodontic treatment, brushing your teeth after half an hour of eating a meal and before bedtime is most important and therefore, it is advisable to limit eating to mealtimes. If frequent snacks are to be eaten, the mouth must be rinsed with water after each snack. For this reason, snacks should consist of foods that are less sticky and self-cleansing. The worst kind of snacks are ‘’sweets’’ and soft drinks (Coke, Pepsi, etc.). We ask that you avoid soft drinks altogether during orthodontic treatment.
Preferred Foods:
- Raw vegetables (Carrots, Celery..etc.) cut in to small pieces.
- Fresh Fruits (Apples, Pears..etc.) cut in to small pieces.
- Milk, Soup, Unsweetened fruit juices.
- Pasta, Rice, Potatoes, Cheese
- Meats – Do not chew the bones.
- Burger – Cut to small pieces.
- Potato chips (Thin).
- Chocolate bars – Soft-No Nuts.
Foods to Avoid:
- Gum – Bubblegum, Trident, Sugarless gum …..etc.
- Toffee – Licorice, Jellybeans, Starbursts ……etc.
- Caramels – Tootsie Rolls, Snickers, Raisins, Caramel apples ……etc.
- Hard Things – Ice cubes, Pens and Pencils, Pretzels, Hard candy, Hard corn chips, Tortilla chips, Hard bagels, Outer crust of pizza, Popcorn seeds, Granola bars …..etc.
- Corn on the cob – Cut the corn from the cob first.
When orthodontic brackets or braces receive a blow from hard or sticky food, they seldom come off immediately. The cement seal that attaches them to the teeth cracks, then gradually crumbles away over time and this will result in the bracket being dislodged from the tooth. Most breakages are due to diet. Orthodontic brackets do not “Fall Off”. They become dislodged and loosened by lack of attention to the above details.
Should you have a brace come loose or if a wire becomes bent or broken, please call the office
immediately so that an appointment can be scheduled for the repair if necessary. It is most
important that you let us know in advance about a broken appliance so that sufficient time is
set aside when you come to the clinic. If broken appliances are ignored for some time, your
treatment time will be extended and there is a risk of damage occurring to the teeth in the form
of decalcification. If you have any questions about the information contained here, please feel
free to discuss your concerns with Dr. Vijay Singh
I/ We understand that above mentioned may delay orthodontic treatment and proper care/ maintenance is required to have a successful orthodontic treatment. Any Questions I/we may have about treatment have been answered by the orthodontic staff and Dr. Vijay Singh.
