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Life with Braces & Post-Orthodontic Care

You’ve taken the first big step toward achieving a beautiful, confident smile you’ll be proud to share with the world. While adjusting to braces can feel a little challenging at first—especially during the first week—rest assured, it gets easier with each passing day. Soon, caring for and living with your orthodontic appliances will become second nature.

To help you through this transition, here are some simple tips for making life with braces more comfortable and manageable.

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Managing Discomfort

When your braces first go on, you may experience two different types of discomfort: an overall soreness (this may also occur after routine tightening of orthodontic wires) and some irritation from the wires and brackets themselves. The general soreness should start to go away in a few days. In the meantime, a warm, wet compress held to the jaw can be soothing. Over-the-counter pain-relievers such as ibuprofen (Advil®, Motrin®) or acetaminophen (Tylenol®) may also be helpful. During the first few days, try eating a softer diet of foods like oatmeal, pasta and soup.

If any wires or brackets rub uncomfortably on the insides of your lips and cheeks, try using the special wax you were given at the office. Place a small amount of the wax over any protruding brackets or wires to smooth those rough areas and make them less irritating. This discomfort will also subside over time, as the insides of your cheeks and lips toughen up in response to the presence of your braces. To help ease the irritation, try rinsing with warm saltwater (add 1 teaspoon of salt to 1 cup of water). Occasionally, the wire must be clipped to solve the problem. We can take care of this for you — just call the office and let us know you need to come in.

Eating With Braces

As you adjust to eating with braces, instinct will tell you which foods to avoid. These include things that are hard, sticky, crunchy or require biting into — like bagels, carrots and corn on the cob. However, there's no reason to give up healthy foods you love. Fruits and vegetables can be cut into smaller pieces, blended into smoothies, or softened in cooking to avoid causing damage to your braces.

Avoiding sugary foods and drinks is always a good idea for oral health, but it's even more important when you're wearing braces. That's because keeping your teeth clean can be more challenging with those brackets and wires in place. If particles of sugary foods like donuts or candy become trapped in your braces, or if plaque builds up on tooth surfaces you can't reach, tooth decay can quickly result.

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Oral Hygiene

So how do you keep your teeth clean while wearing braces? Brush at least twice each day with a soft-bristled toothbrush and toothpaste that contains fluoride, which will strengthen the teeth. Fluoride mouth rinses are also available for added protection against cavities. Braces can be hard on a toothbrush, so you may have to replace them more frequently as you go through your orthodontic treatment.

Cleaning between your teeth at least once a day (preferably before you go to bed) is also very important. There are several ways to do this. When using dental floss, a special tool called a floss threader can help you pass the floss beneath the archwire that runs through the brackets on your braces. You can also try an interdental brush, which is a tiny disposable brush that can reach into small spaces your regular brush can't.  Some people like using a water flosser, which shoots a pressurized stream of water at the teeth to dislodge food particles. We'd be happy to give you more detailed instruction on using any of these oral hygiene aids.

Post-Orthodontic Care

One day in the not-too-distant future, your braces will come off. You'll be free of bands and brackets, able to eat what you want and run your tongue over smooth, clean teeth. But, even on this happy occasion, please remember that you're not quite done with orthodontic treatment yet: The next phase, called retention, is just beginning. Retention is a critical follow-through stage that typically involves wearing an orthodontic appliance called a retainer. Several different kinds of retainers are available, all of which are custom-made just for you. We will recommend the type (or types) that will work best in your situation, and we'll tell you exactly when and how long you need to wear them.

But if your teeth are straight now, why do you need a retainer at all? Simply put, it's because if you don't wear one, your teeth will start moving right back to where they were!
Teeth aren't set rigidly in the jawbone — instead, they're held in place by a network of fibers called the periodontal ligaments. After they have been moved, it takes several months for the periodontal ligament to adjust to the new position. So if you want to keep that new smile — and not waste all the time, effort, and money it took to get it — it's essential to wear your retainer as directed.
Being fitted for a retainer usually happens on the same day your braces are removed. After your teeth are thoroughly cleaned, we may take another set of X-rays and/or bite impressions, to check how well your braces worked and to see how much your wisdom teeth have developed. Then, we'll discuss your retainer and start getting it ready.

Three Types of Retainers

The first is the Hawley retainer, a thin, tongue-shaped piece of acrylic custom-molded to your mouth, with a wire that helps hold your teeth in place. Hawley retainers are simple, durable, and easy to remove. They can even be personalized with different colors or designs, and in some cases, adjusted to correct minor tooth movements.

Another popular option is the clear plastic retainer, which resembles the Invisalign® tray system. Made from thin, transparent plastic, these retainers fit snugly over your teeth. Their biggest advantage is that they’re virtually invisible, making them an aesthetic choice. They’re also easy to remove, though they may not be quite as durable as Hawley retainers. Lastly, fixed retainers are sometimes recommended, particularly for the lower front teeth. Unlike removable retainers, these use a thin wire bonded to the back (tongue side) of the teeth, making them invisible to others. They can remain in place for months—or even years—and are often suggested when there’s a higher risk of teeth shifting back to their original positions.

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A Period of Adjustment

After a short time, most people adjust quite well to wearing a retainer. Some may find that they produce more saliva than usual for a day or so after first wearing any type of retainer — a normal reaction to a foreign object in the mouth. You may also find it a little harder to talk normally at first, but that problem will soon disappear. Of course, removable retainers should always be taken out when you eat or brush your teeth — a big change from braces!

At first, you will probably be told to wear your removable retainer all day, every day. This period of 24/7 retainer use generally lasts from several months to a year. Later, we may say that it's OK to wear it only at night. Finally, you'll probably need to put it on just a few nights a week.

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Maintaining Your Retainer

To stay fresh and germ-free, all retainers need proper cleaning. A soft toothbrush and a few drops of dishwashing liquid or other mild liquid soap can be used to clean most removable retainers. Denture cleaners, in powder or tablet form, as well as special retainer cleaners, can also be used. Fixed retainers are cleaned by brushing and flossing; a floss threader or interproximal brush can also be a helpful cleaning tool when needed.

Finally, remember to always carry — and use — a retainer case. You'd be surprised how many retainers end up folded in a napkin and accidentally discarded! Also, don't expose your retainer to excess heat by washing it in very hot water or leaving it on a heater: That can cause the retainer to warp and make it unusable. With proper care and conscientious use, a retainer can help you transition from braces to a permanent, healthy smile.

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