Care To Be Taken AFTER Orthodontic Treatment

a. Retainer Instructions

Our teeth have a natural tendency to move back to their original position after a tooth straightening procedure. In fact, teeth are at the biggest risk of moving back in the first few weeks and months after your braces come off. Your retainer keeps your teeth in their new, aligned position. You don’t want to undo all those months of wearing and caring for your braces! Always wear your retainer as instructed by your orthodontist. The retainer can be either fixed or removable as advised by the orthodontist.

Here’s what to expect with a retainer:

• Fixed retainer is a wire which is cemented on the inner side of the teeth, oral hygiene is of utmost importance while using a fixed retainer.
• For a removable retainer the orthodontist will take impressions of your teeth as soon as your braces are off. This impression is used to make your retainers.
• We tell you to wear your retainers full-time to start, and eventually transition to wearing them only at night.
• It may take a week or so to get used to wearing your retainer, but soon you’ll hardly even notice it’s there.
• Wear your retainers full time, until instructed otherwise.
• Take your retainers out when eating… and always put retainers in their case! (Most appliances are lost in school lunch rooms or restaurants.)
• · Clean retainers thoroughly once a day with a toothbrush and toothpaste. Use warm but not hot water. Brushing retainers removes the plaque, and eliminates odours. Efferdent or other orthodontic appliance cleaners can be used, but do not take the place of brushing.
• When retainers are not in your mouth they should ALWAYS be in a retainer case. Pets love to chew on them!
• Initially, you may find it difficult to speak. Practice speaking, reading, or singing out loud to get used to them faster.
• Retainers are breakable, so treat them with care. If retainers are lost or broken call us immediately.
• If you have any questions or concerns about your retainers, or your retainers need adjusting, call us. Do not try to adjust them yourself.
• Always bring your retainers to your appointments.
• Remove retainers when swimming.
• Keep retainers away from hot water, hot car dashboards, pockets, the washing machine, and napkins.

b. Get Professional Cleaning

Professional cleaning is required for proper cleaning of the braces and to get stain-free teeth. Cleaning of teeth is not proper while wearing braces and the stains are inevitable. You may be excited that you are going to get perfectly straight teeth but the removal of braces make your teeth look yellow and stained.

The professional cleaning can make your teeth perfectly white which is quicker and effective by using products like whitening toothpaste and bleaching agents.

c. Floss Your Teeth Regularly

Flossing your teeth with braces is quite difficult and tools like floss threader can be used. The tools are quite handy and easy to use. These tools are great for cleaning the teeth properly and to keep them sparkling clean.

Rinse the mouth thoroughly

It is vital to rinse the mouth properly as gums can get inflamed during orthodontics. Rinsing your mouth helps to keep your mouth clean and a mouth rinse is great at supporting the gum health.

d. Use The Prescription-strength Toothpaste As Recommended By Your Dentist

Dentists recommend prescription-strength fluoride toothpaste for the patients who are at a higher risk of developing cavities and prevent the unsightly round white spots from forming around brackets. Also, the prescribed toothpaste is effective in cleaning teeth.

e. What To Eat After Braces Removal

Don’t eat anything very hot or freezing cold for a few days to a few weeks after your braces are removed. As noted above, your teeth are going to be sensitive for a little while, so it’s best to avoid needlessly aggravating that sensitivity. It’s also a good idea to avoid heavily crunchy or chewy foods during this time, as your teeth are still adjusting to their new positions.

f. Whitening Teeth After Braces Removal

We know you want pearly white teeth to go with that newly straightened smile, but you need to be patient on whitening teeth after braces. Wait about a month or two after getting your braces removed before attempting any whitening treatments. Your teeth will be sensitive after braces removal, and whitening products can cause discomfort as a result.

g. Final Step Of Dental Care After Braces Removal

Smile! You have new reasons to, after all. Your teeth are straight, your bite is aligned, and the clunky brackets are no longer in the way of a happy, comfortable set of teeth.