The decision to undergo orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances, commonly known as braces, marks a significant step toward achieving a healthier, straighter smile. While the brackets and wires shift your teeth, your daily care is paramount to the success and speed of the treatment. Maintaining excellent oral hygiene, adjusting your diet, and managing minor issues are all part of the commitment. This guide provides details to help you navigate daily life with your new appliance.
Mastering Daily Oral Hygiene
The introduction of brackets and wires creates numerous tiny crevices where food particles and plaque can easily become trapped. Effective cleaning requires a systematic approach that addresses the unique challenges of the orthodontic hardware. You must brush after every meal and snack, using a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste, aiming for a minimum of two minutes of brushing time.
The proper technique involves angling the toothbrush to clean both above and below the archwire and brackets. First, angle the brush head downward toward the chewing surface to clean the top edge of the brackets and the wire. Next, angle the brush upward toward the gum line to clean the bottom edge of the brackets and the tooth surface beneath them. Use gentle, small circular motions rather than aggressive back-and-forth scrubbing to avoid damaging the appliance or irritating the gums.
Flossing is non-negotiable and requires specialized tools to maneuver the floss under the main archwire. Floss threaders or specialized orthodontic floss with firm ends allow you to pull the floss beneath the wire to clean between the teeth. Alternatively, a water flosser uses a pressurized stream of water to dislodge debris and plaque from around the brackets and wires.
Diligent hygiene is your defense against enamel demineralization, often appearing as white spots on the teeth when the braces are removed. When plaque is left to accumulate, the bacteria produce acid that leaches calcium and phosphate from the enamel, resulting in these chalky, opaque areas. Using a fluoride rinse daily or a high-fluoride toothpaste can help strengthen the enamel and prevent this permanent cosmetic damage.
Navigating Dietary Limitations
Avoiding certain foods is necessary to protect the fixed appliance from damage, which can cause delays in your treatment schedule. Foods are generally categorized by the type of mechanical stress they place on the brackets and wires.
Hard foods must be avoided because the force required to bite them can easily snap a wire or dislodge a bracket from the tooth surface. Examples of hard foods include:
- Ice
- Nuts
- Hard candies
- Hard crusts
Similarly, crunchy items like popcorn kernels or hard taco shells can fracture the adhesive bond or lodge painfully between the appliance and the gum tissue. If you wish to eat raw vegetables or firm fruits like apples, they should be cut into small, bite-sized pieces and chewed carefully with the back teeth.
Sticky and chewy foods pose a different threat to the appliance. Treats that adhere tenaciously to the brackets and wires include:
- Caramels
- Taffy
- Licorice
- Chewing gum
This adhesive quality creates a strong pulling force that can bend the archwire, pull off ligatures, or loosen a bracket. Furthermore, these foods cling to the metalwork, making thorough cleaning nearly impossible and creating an environment for bacterial growth and cavities.
Troubleshooting Common Discomfort and Issues
It is normal to experience soreness and discomfort, particularly in the first week after the initial placement or following a routine adjustment appointment. This initial tenderness results from the biological process of teeth moving through the jawbone. Over-the-counter pain relievers can help manage this discomfort, and choosing a diet of soft foods, like mashed potatoes, smoothies, and soft cheeses, will reduce pain when chewing.
A common issue is irritation caused by the hardware rubbing against the soft tissues of the cheeks, lips, or tongue. If a bracket or a wire end is causing an abrasion or sore, orthodontic wax provides relief. To apply, dry the irritated section of the brace, roll a small, pea-sized piece of wax into a ball, and press it firmly over the offending component to create a smooth barrier. The wax is harmless if accidentally swallowed, but it should be removed before eating and brushing.
Sometimes, the end of the archwire may shift and begin poking the cheek or gum, especially as the teeth move. A temporary fix can be achieved by gently trying to tuck the wire back into place using the clean eraser end of a pencil or a cotton swab. If a wire is broken or a bracket comes loose, this requires professional attention. Contact your orthodontist immediately for an urgent repair appointment.
Essential Maintenance and Follow-Up Visits
The success of your treatment relies on consistent attendance at all scheduled adjustment appointments. These visits are necessary for the orthodontist to monitor progress, make necessary changes to the archwire, and apply new forces to guide the teeth into their desired positions. Missing these appointments can slow down the overall treatment timeline and potentially complicate the final results.
You may be given auxiliary appliances, such as small elastic bands, which must be worn exactly as instructed by your clinician. These elastics provide specific directional forces that the fixed appliance alone cannot achieve. Non-compliance with the wearing schedule directly impacts the rate and quality of correction, potentially prolonging the treatment period.
As the teeth near their final alignment, the focus shifts to the retention phase, which aims to stabilize the newly corrected bite. Upon the removal of the fixed appliance, the teeth are prone to shifting back toward their original positions, a phenomenon known as relapse. This final stage requires the consistent use of a retainer, which maintains the finished result and is the concluding step in the overall orthodontic process.