Retainers and Aftercare

Following active treatment, it is vital to wear a retainer to keep your teeth in their newly aligned position. If you don’t, they could start moving and may need straightening again.

We provide fixed and removable retainers after active orthodontic treatment as a belt & braces approach to retention. you must wear retainers for as long as you want straight teeth.

Your removable retainers should be worn every night for the first year and then we will advise you at your retainer reviews if you can continue with 2-3 nights a week.

BONDED RETAINERS

These discreet retainers are fine wires, which are securely bonded to the back surface of the teeth to keep them in position.

Bonded retainers are particularly advantageous as they are hidden from view and, as they are fixed permanently in place, you won’t forget to put them in! They are especially recommended if you had very twisted or rotated front teeth.

REMOVABLE RETAINERS

There are two types of nighttime removable retainer, the Hawley and the Essix.

One consists of a hard plastic plate and wire and the other is made from thin, plastic that fits snugly over your teeth.

We will determine which retainer, or combination of retainers, will suit you best.

SEPARATORS

Separators are small elastic rings or metal springs that are placed between the back teeth. Over the next few days, they create small spaces between those back teeth so that orthodontic metal bands can be fitted around them.

Initially, patients often feel a degree of discomfort but after the first couple of days, you will get used to them.

If a separator falls out, please contact us at Orthodontic Gallery.

FIXED BRACES

After initial placement of the braces, your lips will feel like they are sticking out. If the brace is rubbing against the inside of your lips or cheeks, you may need to apply wax from time to time to prevent mouth ulcers from occurring.

Slight discomfort of the teeth will begin a few hours after your braces are fitted. If necessary, you may wish to take mild painkillers such as the ones you would normally take for headaches. (Always follow the instructions on the packet with regards to how much you should take).

Occasionally, the end of a wire will work itself out of place and irritate the patient’s mouth. Use a pencil eraser to push the wire so that it is flat against the tooth.

If the wire cannot be moved into a comfortable position, use some relief wax to cover it.

Make certain you have your usual check-up appointments for ordinary dental treatment.

REMOVABLE BRACES

It may take a few days to get used to your brace. To begin with, you may find it uncomfortable whilst speaking and eating, but you must keep it in. You should soon forget it is there.

If you are wearing a transparent retainer, it must be removed before eating.

Your brace should always be in your mouth, including at night and for games, except for any contact sports and swimming, when it should be kept in a container in a safe place and worn immediately afterwards.

When the brace is out of the mouth, it should be kept in cold water.

To remove your brace, apply force to the clasps around the teeth at the back, with your fingers for an upper brace and your thumbs for a lower brace.

Keep your brace and teeth well brushed and clean before bedtime, on waking up and after meals.

Make certain you have your usual check-up appointments for ordinary dental treatment.

RETAINERS

It is absolutely essential for retainers to be worn according to the instructions provided by the orthodontist.

Your retainers are just as important as your braces. If the retainers are not worn as instructed, your teeth will move back towards how they were before treatment.

Retainers should be worn at night time long-term to make sure that your teeth stay straight. This is because we now know that teeth move throughout life.

Your retainers should be cleaned with a toothbrush and water, without any toothpaste.

Toothpaste will discolour the retainer. It is also important not to wash the retainers in boiling water. The retainers can also be freshened up by using a special cleaner which is available at Orthodontic Gallery.

You should never eat or drink when you are wearing the retainer.

Please note that fixed retainers encourage the accumulation of food and plaque. They need to be cleaned thoroughly daily and checked at six monthly intervals by your dentist or orthodontist.

TOOTHBRUSHES

Clean teeth and healthy gums are vital during treatment. You should brush your teeth a minimum of three times a day using two toothbrushes for about five minutes.

With the large headed toothbrush, use short, fast and firm forward and backward motions above and below your brace to clean the gum-lines.

Then, use the interspace toothbrush under the wire, between brackets and wires to make sure no food or plaque is left on the braces or teeth, which will cause permanent damage.

DISCLOSING TABLETS

Disclosing tablets indicate where food or plaque is gathering by staining them red. Brush your teeth until all the red stains are removed.

FLUORIDE MOUTHWASHES

Fluoride mouthwash helps to repair teeth, preventing white marks appearing on the teeth. It should be used once a day, just before going to bed.

WAX

If the brace is rubbing against the inside of your lips or cheeks, you may need to apply wax from time to time to prevent mouth ulcers from occurring.

The wax will act as a cushion between your lips and the braces and stops them rubbing.

EATING HABITS AND ORTHODONTICS

Your braces are delicately attached to your teeth and are very fragile. Special care must be exercised while eating and while playing so as not to loosen a brace or bend a wire.

If a brace is loosened or a wire is bent, a special appointment is necessary to fix your braces. Be very careful about what you eat and how you eat it.

Avoid sugar confectionery such as hard-boiled sweets, mints, sticky or chewy sweets and chewing gum.

Hard foods such as apples, carrots and crusty bread should be broken/sliced and eaten in small pieces with your back teeth. Otherwise, this may loosen the brackets.

Avoid chewing on pens, pencils and fingernails.

Drink plenty of still water and milk as opposed to fizzy drinks and sugary juices as they are acidic and cause erosion of the teeth, leaving permanent and unsightly white marks on them.