Care of Your Removable Brace

The success of your treatment depends on wearing your brace as much as possible. All removable appliances are to be worn full-time unless instructed otherwise. Full-time means virtually 24 hours a day, including eating, sleeping and going to school or work. The only time the brace is to be removed is after meals to clean both your teeth and the brace and during sports and games (including swimming).

1. Frequently, there are problems in the early stages with a brace and it is quite common to want to seek an extra appointment to sort these problems out. Do try and persevere for at least a week.
2. Take care of your brace. Avoid hard sticky foods as they may damage it.
3. On the rare occasions when you are not wearing the brace, keep it in the box that you have bought. It will not get broken or lost there. It will break if you put it in your pocket and sit on it. If you lose it, you will have to pay for it out of your own pocket. The orthodontist cannot replace it free of charge.
4. Practice reading aloud with the brace in the mouth, this will help your speech to rapidly return to normal. Swallowing may be difficult at the start and saliva can pool at the back of the mouth. This will improve as your wear the brace more.
5. If the brace breaks or is uncomfortable, continue to wear it if possible and telephone (0118) 9411628 immediately for an appointment. Small bits of plastic can sometimes break off the brace. This is of no concern if the appliance stays in. Any sharp edges can be smoothed with sandpaper or an emery board. If a metal part breaks, continue to wear the brace and ring the surgery for advice. If the brace is broken beyond repair, you will have to pay for its replacement.
6. Some initial discomfort from the brace is quite common. Wearing the brace as much as possible will quickly accustom the mouth and discomfort will ease.
7. Some appliances have platforms at the front that deliberately keep the back teeth apart. This is a design feature of the brace which may make it difficult to eat with but you must persevere with it to get full benefit from the brace.
8. If you have a brace with a screw that you must turn, turn it the number of times instructed. The orthodontist can easily turn the screw back to see if it has been turned enough. Do not turn the screw and then not wear the brace because the brace will quickly lose fit and you will have to return to the start. Always turn the screw the way the arrow points. Do not turn the screw to try and tighten the brace if it is loose, this is not what it is for. Seek an appointment if the brace will not stay in your mouth.
9. You should continue to see your own dentist for regular check ups