Home » Caring for your Braces
Elastics (small rubber bands) are sometimes used during orthodontic treatment to help move your teeth and jaws into the correct position. They are usually worn between the upper and lower teeth and play an important role in improving your bite and overall result.
It’s normal to experience some discomfort when you first start wearing elastics, but this usually settles within a few days as your mouth adjusts. If you have a latex allergy, please let our clinical team know.
It’s very important to wear your elastics exactly as instructed. They provide gentle, continuous pressure, and not wearing them as advised can slow down your treatment or affect the final outcome.
If you run out of elastics, please do not purchase them yourself. Simply message us through the Dental Monitoring app or pop into the practice to collect more.
If elastics are not worn consistently, this is considered a lack of compliance. In some cases, treatment may not progress as planned, and we may need to remove your braces early and accept the best result achieved at that stage, which may not be ideal.
The frequency of your appointments can vary, as we use the Dental Monitoring app to track your progress remotely. This allows us to review your scans and only book appointments when your teeth are ready for the next stage of treatment.
Everyone’s teeth move at a different rate, so your treatment plan is tailored to you. It’s best not to compare your progress with others, as each patient’s journey is individual.
Now you have your brace fitted you might find cleaning a bit trickier, but excellent oral health is essential to prevent damage to the teeth and gums.
You will need to brush your teeth three times a day, ideally after eating. This may mean you have to take a manual toothbrush or mouthwash with you to school or work. It is fine to use either a manual or electric toothbrush with a brace, just remember you will need to charge your electric toothbrush more often and the heads of both brushes will need to be replaced regularly.
Using inter-dental brushes (TePe’s) to clean under the wire and around the brackets will help to keep the harder to reach areas of your brace clean. You will also need to use disclosing tablets regularly to highlight any areas that you may have missed when brushing.
Fluoride mouthwash can be helpful in reducing the risk of damage to the tooth surface and minimising the risk of ‘white marks’ on the teeth. We do recommend an alcohol-free daily mouthwash with a fluoride level of at least 225ppm. We are always happy to advise you on your oral hygiene and answer any questions you may have.
If you play contact sports, it’s essential to wear a mouthguard to protect your teeth, whether you have a brace or not.
Mouthguards help prevent damage to your teeth and braces during activity. A custom-made mouthguard offers the best fit and protection, as it is made specifically for your teeth. Alternatively, you can use a shop-bought mouthguard that can be moulded at home.
To help protect your smile during treatment, we offer both custom-made and stock mouthguards, which are available to purchase from reception.
When you have a brace fitted, it’s important to remember that it can be damaged, so some foods need to be avoided.
Hard or sticky foods, such as chewing gum, toffees, sweets, nuts, and crusty bread (like pizza crusts), can break or damage your brace and should be avoided. Crunchy foods, including raw fruit and vegetables, should be cut into small pieces and chewed carefully using your back teeth.
To help protect your teeth and brace, try to limit sugary foods and choose savoury snacks such as bread, cheese, or ham instead. We recommend sticking to water, milk, or sugar-free tea and coffee, and avoiding fizzy drinks, fruit juices, and squash during your orthodontic treatment.