Teeth straightening for adults can be a straight forward procedure when you follow the guidance provided to you by a professional dental practitioner. The type of aftercare required to make sure your appliance is well maintained for excellent results, will depend upon the teeth straightening treatment you receive from your orthodontist. Therefore, it’s important to ask your orthodontist any questions you may have so you understand how to carry on straightening teeth at home after your appointments.
If you would like further guidance on straightening teeth at home, continue reading.
Cleaning Your Teeth Straightening Treatment
When you have a brace or an aligner fitted, it’s important to keep them clean so they continue to work and so your smile stays fresh! Keep to a routine when wearing fixed braces, as food can easily become trapped in the wires, so we advise that you brush your teeth after each meal. To further brace and teeth cleaning, consider using interdental brushes to clean hard to reach areas and remove smaller food debris.
Aligner wearers, will find the aligner itself is easier to clean because it can be removed while brushing the teeth and eating. As recommended on the Invisalign website, brush and rinse your aligner in lukewarm water daily. To clean it, use the Invisalign™ Cleaning Crystals or special cleaning tablets. Again, with aligners it is recommended that you brush your teeth after each meal before fitting your aligner back into your mouth.
Implement a Daily Routine
Following the orthodontist’s guidance when straightening teeth at home with your new appliance is crucial to your treatment, so creating a daily routine could make it easier. Know when your teeth and appliance should be cleaned and have your dental care tools within easy reach. If you have habits such as chewing on pens or nails, try to avoid this. It is also key to know which foods to avoid if you are wearing fixed braces, as foods which are sticky, hard, crunchy or chewy can disrupt your brace treatment.
Brace Care During Busy Periods
As we approach the festive season, naturally your calendar may begin to fill up with invitations. During this busy time of the year, as well as any other busy periods and holidays, your care routine for straightening teeth at home shouldn’t be de-prioritised. Instead, have a small toiletry bag which contains everything you need for your dental and brace care routine, which you can conveniently use each night, at work when necessary or easily pack for last minute plans.
Handling Brace Discomfort
When you first have braces fitted, it is normal to experience tender teeth or a sore throat during the first week or so, but it will eventually wear off. The pain can be caused by rubbing, so try using orthodontic wax as prescribed to help reduce the contact and if the pain continues, speak to your orthodontist.
If you require a brace repair because you have a broken wire, loose bracket or part of the brace has gone missing, contact our team as soon as possible. This is so we can arrange a special appointment for a brace repair, to avoid further discomfort and delay to your treatment.
Teeth Straightening for Adults
At Marsh House Orthodontics we are a specialist orthodontic practice in South East London, offering treatment options for adults and children. We use the latest braces and appliances, and you’ll be looked after by our highly skilled specialists. If you are interested in teeth straightening for adults, book a consultation with us.