Home Care

Brushing
You will notice that it is much harder to keep your teeth clean with braces. Food becomes caught in the brackets and between your teeth and can only be removed by brushing and flossing. If plaque remains on the teeth for any length of time, it can leave a permanent white scar on the surface. Brushing after meals should become part of your daily schedule. Use a soft toothbrush and brush at a 45-degree angle to the tooth in small circles above and below the brackets. Your toothbrush will wear out faster because of your appliances, so be sure to replace it whenever the bristles start to fray.
A waterpik can be a useful addition, but it cannot remove the sticky plaque that adheres to the teeth. A Sonicare ultrasonic toothbrush can be used to help remove plaque. Flossing is important with braces and is accomplished using reusable floss threaders.

You may also download this free iBraces Help App for your smart phone

Eating Habits
Proper diet is essential when you have braces or orthodontic appliances. Eating the wrong foods can damage or break your braces. Loose or broken braces will delay treatment time due to the fact that the tooth with the broken brace will not move. If you do have a loose or broken wire, bracket or appliance, call the office as soon as possible so that it can be repaired.

Please call the office even if it the SAME day as your appointment. Broken brackets take additonal appointment time to repair and we want to be able to continue treatment and do your regular appointment as well.

• Gum
• Caramel
• Laffy Taffy
• Jolly Ranchers
• Candy bars with caramel or nuts
• Starbursts
• Airheads
• Lollypops/Suckers

• Pizza Crust
• Ice cubes
• Nuts
• Bagels
• Hard Candy
• Popcorn
• Chips

Braces
Check your braces once a daily for anything loose or bent. If a bracket or band comes loose or you break a wire, please call our office so we can arrange an appointment long enough to repair it.

Sore Teeth
After braces are placed in the mouth, it is normal for the teeth to be sore for about 2 to 3 days. Tylenol or Advil/Motrin will help relieve this discomfort. Some irritation to the cheeks and tongue is normal, but if you feel anything sharp is poking you, please call our office.

Elastics
Attached to your braces, elastics (rubber bands) create the right amount of pressure to move teeth and correct your bite. In order for this force to remain constant, elastics must be worn all the time and changed at least twice every day. Any time missed in wearing your elastics will only prolong your treatment, so make sure to wear them as instructed. Remove them only when brushing your teeth or eating meals. Then put them back on immediately. If you forget to wear your elastics one day, don’t double up the next day — just follow your regular instructions.

Removable Appliances
A removable appliance is carefully designed to move or hold your teeth in place. It should be worn according to instructions and brought to each appointment. Wear your appliance at all times, even while you are asleep. It may be removed while swimming or engaging in vigorous sporting activities. In two to three days, your speech will return to normal with the appliance in place. Avoid flipping your appliance with your tongue. This can cause damage to your teeth or breakage of your appliance.

Your new appliance may make your teeth sore for a day or two, especially after an adjustment. If you have a sore spot on your gums, call our office so we can arrange to adjust the appliance. Clean your appliance by brushing it daily with toothpaste. Denture cleaner can also be used for a more thorough cleaning. Never wrap your appliance in a paper napkin or tissue and set it down on the table. You or someone else may throw it away. Don’t put it in your pocket when playing or you may break or lose it. Whenever it is not in your mouth, it should be in its plastic appliance case.

Keep your appliance away from dogs or cats, as they love to chew on them. Avoid storing it near any source of heat. Do not boil your retainer to sterilize it!. An additional charge will be incurred for lost or broken appliances. Please bring your retainers to all appointments.

Things to Remember About Your Retainer

• Wear your retainers as instructed to maintain your teeth in their new position.
• Don’t fold it in your napkin or leave it on the table at a restaurant. Garbage cans don’t make happy hunting grounds.
• Don’t put your retainer in your pocket. You might sit on it and break it. OUCH!
• Take your retainer out when swimming in a lake or ocean. If it falls out, you may not be able to find it. Wearing it in a swimming pool is OK.
• Animals and younger children love to play with it. Please make sure your retainer is in your mouth at all times. Your retainer should only be out of your mouth when brushing.
• Your lower retainer may be a fixed retainer bonded to your teeth. It is not considered permanent and can be broken or detached from your teeth if you are not careful with it.
• Bring your retainers to your check-up appointment. If anything happens to your retainers (i.e. it doesn’t fit, it’s broken, or it’s lost) please call us ASAP. If your lower bonded retainer wire comes out, keep it and bring it to your next appointment for rebonding.
• The first set of retainers is included in your treatment fee. Any repair to or replacement of your retainer, or rebonding of your lower retainer, will result in an additional charge.
• Keep things clean! Be sure to brush your teeth without your retainers in. Do not boil your retainer or put it in hot water. Brush your retainer with a toothbrush using toothpaste or water.