Teeth Straightening By Orthodontic Experts
Call us on (0118) 9411628
Existing Patients - Patient Advice section - image of Kimberley
Everyone at Park Lane Orthodontics is so kind and friendly, they reassured me and relieved me of any doubts I had straight away
- Kimberley
Smile by Park Lane Orthodontics
Home >> Contact Us >> Existing Patients >> Patient Advice >> Fixed Braces

Care of Your Fixed Brace

What to expect

Your brace is fixed to your teeth and is made up of a combination of brackets and wires that during treatment use gentle force to move the teeth into alignment. Treatment times will vary depending on how complex the problem is, but on average will take around a year and a half to two years.

After the fixed brace is fitted, it is normal to experience some discomfort (lips rubbing against the brace, teeth tender to bite with) as the movement starts straight away. Normal pain relief such as Paracetamol or Ibuprofen is sufficient to keep this under control. You may wish to use an over the counter ulcer gel to help with the sore lips, and in our starter pack you will find some wax to put onto the brace to form a barrier between the brace and lips.

Fixed Brace animation
You may notice that your top teeth are resting on the lower brackets, or the orthodontist may have placed some glue on to the back teeth to stop you biting onto the lower brace. As the treatment progresses this interference will lessen but it is important that you take care when eating and biting together. Once the teeth begin to move and straighten you may notice that the wire is too long at the back and may be causing some discomfort. If this is early on in your treatment you may be able to trim the wire yourself with nail clippers, or contact the practice to make an appointment to have it trimmed for you. It is also normal to have gaps or spaces appear between teeth during treatment, but rest assured that these will be dealt with.
Fixed Brace animation 2

Your orthodontist may also ask you to wear special rubber bands during your treatment to help you get the best result from your braces, as such it is best to wear them as directed by the orthodontist and carry some extra ones with you at all times so you can replace them if they are lost or break.

You will usually have to come to the practice at regular intervals (anything from 6 to 12 weeks), and to make sure the treatment goes smoothly please attend all your appointments on time. Any parts of the brace that are broken can add time to your treatment, so please notify us as soon as a breakage occurs so time to repair the fixed brace can be made for you.

The orthodontist is responsible for your orthodontic treatment only so you must continue to see your own dentist during treatment to look after the rest of your dental health.

Fixed Brace Care

Diet

Damage caused by poor oral hygiene and diet including too many sweets and fizzy drinks

Your brace is not indestructible and is designed to be easily removed at the end of your treatment, so care must be taken when eating. Avoid eating or chewing anything that is hard or chewy and break food into smaller pieces rather than bite them with your front teeth. Crunchy or crispy foods such as raw carrots, celery or apples must be cut into bite sized pieces. Reducing the amount of sugar and acidic drinks is essential to protect the teeth, and where possible use a drinking straw if you wish to drink fizzy drinks, fruit juices or squash.

Cleaning your braces

Fixed Brace cleaning animation

At the time of your brace fitting you will be advised to purchase (or will be provided with) a pack of oral health products that have been put together to help you keep your teeth and gums healthy during treatment. If you can, you should clean your teeth after eating but if you are unable to do this rinse your mouth with water or chew sugar free gum to help clean food from the brace.

Most patients find it hard to keep the area between the brace and the gums clean, particularly at the back and below the front lower teeth. If you are finding cleaning hard to do, try using a smaller toothbrush (such as a baby or toddler toothbrush) to get into those hard to reach areas. From time to time it will be beneficial for you to check how well you are doing with your cleaning by using disclosing tablets to highlight the areas you might not be cleaning as well. You can then focus specifically on these areas. Finally, it is essential to use a 0.05% fluoride mouthwash once a day to help protect the enamel of your teeth.