Caring for your removable appliance

  • Unless instructed otherwise, wear your brace at all times, including meals. Only remove the brace for cleaning and sports eg swimming and contact games.
  • Clean your teeth after all meals with the brace out of your mouth. Also clean the brace with toothpaste and a toothbrush.
  • Do NOT eat sticky hard foods eg toffees and chewing gum, as these will break the brace.
  • The brace may cause some discomfort to your teeth for the first few days. If this happens, take a pain relief tablet - what you normally take for a headache.
  • The brace may make eating and speaking difficult at first – This is completely normal.
  • If you take the brace out for sports then store it in a strong container, with your name and address on it. If you lose your brace or damage it so badly that it needs replacing there may be a charge for the new brace.
  • If the brace is broken or you cannot wear it for any reason then you MUST telephone the practice (on the next working day) for an earlier appointment. If possible continue to wear the broken brace. Do NOT wait until your routine visit to report the breakage.
  • You MUST continue to have regular dental check-ups with your own dentist.
  • A brace requires regular adjustments and you must therefore attend all the appointments given.
  • If you do miss an appointment then contact the practice as soon as possible.
  • If you do not wear the brace as instructed then the wrong teeth may move and this could result in failure of the orthodontic treatment.