What to Expect After Insertion of Your Fixed Braces

When teeth are being moved into alignment, it is natural to have some discomfort initially. The level of discomfort varies between individuals. Here are some things to bear in mind:

1. As the teeth straighten, and you adapt better to the braces, these discomforts subside.
2. Some of the teeth may feel slightly mobile during treatment - You are advised to go on soft diet for 2-3 days until the discomfort subsides and you are able to chew better with the new appliance in your mouth.
3. If you are unable to tolerate the discomfort or pain, you can take some mild painkillers eg. Paracetamol (if you are not allergic to them), for the first few days
4. You may find yourself biting on parts of your lower braces at the start of your treatment, especially when you have severely crowded teeth or a deep overbite.

You may initially experience oral ulcers due to the insides of your lips, cheeks and tongue rubbing against the braces. These ulcers take about a week to heal.

1. Use the soft wax given to you to cover parts of the braces that are irritating your soft tissues. It is safe for use in the mouth and is non-toxic even if swallowed. Remove it before toothbrushing. When using it, adapt it around the braces, with the area as dry as possible.
2. You may buy over-the counter ulcer medication and gels to apply on the ulcer to speed up the healing and for pain relief.

Speech is usually not affected with braces that are cemented on the front of your teeth. Braces on the inside surfaces of your teeth affect speech for a variable amount of time.

If you play a wind instrument (e.g. flute), it may take a while for you to adapt to playing the musical instrument with braces in your mouth.

Please take extra care if you play contact sports, where direct injury to the lips or teeth can result in cuts to the insides of your lip and cheeks, as well as, dislodge your braces. You may use a sports mouth guard in certain types of strenuous contact sports.

1. Try to avoid eating foods high in sugar (e.g. chocolates, candies, etc) to prevent tooth decay. If you really need to have them occasionally, please brush your teeth immediately after.
2. Avoid sticky foods like toffee, caramels and chewing gum. They are difficult to clean off totally.
3. Cut your hard foods up (e.g. apples) into bite sized pieces and chew slowly.

If your braces come loose or break off, please call the clinic to arrange for an earlier review appointment.

1. If the dislodged metal bracket is still securely tied to the rest of the braces, leave it alone and have your orthodontist handle it.
2. If the dislodgement results in a loosely hanging piece of braces, remove it gently with your fingers if you can and see your orthodontist at the earlier appointment.
3. When teeth move and straighten, or when spaces close, the wires of the braces become loose and they may sometimes slip out and poke you. If it hurts you, cover it with a small piece of soft wax provided and call the clinic for an earlier appointment.

It is essential that you take good care of your teeth and braces in order to achieve a good result and ensure that treatment progresses smoothly and treatment duration is minimized.

1. Brackets and wires trap food and plague easily. This means that the risk of tooth decay and gum disease is higher if you don't maintain a good standard of oral hygiene.
2. Your teeth also move faster when the brackets and wires are free of debris that stick to your teeth and your gums are healthy.

1. Toothbrushing after every meal is highly recommended. A tip is to keep a spare toothbrush in your bag to use when you are in school or at work too.
2. The toothbrush should not be too large and should have soft bristles. Never buy medium or hard bristle as they damage the gums and cause gum recession.
3. It is time to change the toothbrush when the bristles start to fray. This is usually every 3-4 months.
4. Both manual and electric toothbrushes are fine. Use whichever you have been comfortable with all along.
5. You will need to supplement your normal toothbrushing with interdental brushing, using a small interproximal/ interdental brush. You can follow through with flossing once a day, using a floss threader.
6. Fluoride mouth rinses are recommended, particularly if you have been prone to tooth decay previously.