Treatment with fixed appliances

AFTER FITTING FIXED APPLIANCES

Within a few hours of having fixed appliances fitted, you may experience some sensitivity or mild discomfort in your teeth due to the activity of the appliance. This period typically lasts for several days, up to a week at most. To alleviate these symptoms, you can take pain relief medication that you are accustomed to. The same may occur after adjustments, but to a lesser extent. Initially, some components of the fixed appliance may feel uncomfortable - they may cause pressure on the cheek mucosa, lips, or tongue. Over time, your mouth will adjust to their presence. You can use protective wax to help (especially initially). Try to dry the problematic area (e.g., using a tissue); take a piece of wax from the wax stick, warm it between your fingers, and form a small ball; then apply it to the area causing discomfort (bracket, wire, hook, wire...).

During treatment, we also utilize auxiliary devices, including inter-maxillary rubber bands ("elastics" that you will apply yourself in your mouth - it is essential to follow the wearing schedule as instructed by your doctor. Non-compliance can significantly prolong and complicate the treatment!)

DIETARY HABITS

You should anticipate some changes in your dietary habits. It is advisable to avoid very hard foods such as hard bread, nuts, carrots... It's best to cut such harder foods into smaller pieces to reduce the likelihood of damaging any part of the fixed appliance.

ISSUES WITH THE APPLIANCE

In case of any issues with the appliance (loose bracket, wire...), please inform us in advance. This way, we can ensure enough time for the appliance to be repaired at your scheduled appointment. Otherwise, we might have to find a new appointment for you, which would mean an unnecessary additional trip for you.

FIRST AID WITH FIXED APPLIANCE... OR WHAT TO DO WHEN:

✓ I have a loose bracket - please contact us. If the bracket is accessible and its movement along the archwire bothers you, you can try gently removing it from the elastic ligature (rubber band) holding the bracket to the wire. However, in some cases, the bracket is also connected to the wire with a tie wire; in such cases, you will not be able to remove the bracket.
✓ I have a loose ligature - please contact us. If it is a ligature on your last tooth, you may be able to remove it from the archwire. However, it may then bother you at the end of the wire.
✓ I have a loose bite - if only one of the two bites has become loose and you still cannot bite down on the lower brackets, it is not a problem as long as it does not bother you. However, if both bites become loose, please contact us - damage to the opposing appliance may occur.
✓ The end of the wire is poking me - try to use protective wax. If there is no improvement, please contact us.
✓ The wire is poking "between the brackets" - in such cases, it may be a short wire end, such as tying a bracket to the archwire or connecting certain teeth together. You can carefully push such a wire end towards the tooth, for example, using tweezers - this end will no longer bother you. Otherwise, contact us.
✓ My spring has started to come out - try to gently turn the spring back onto the archwire with gentle movements against the direction it is coming out. If you are unable to do so, please contact us.
✓ My hook that I use for intermaxillary elastics has come loose - please contact us. Unfortunately, a damaged appliance may not function properly, so if possible, it is ideal to come in for a check-up earlier than your scheduled appointment.

DENTAL HYGIENE DURING TREATMENT WITH A FIXED APPLIANCE
Maintaining perfect dental hygiene during treatment with a fixed appliance is even more crucial than without it. Once you learn how to perform proper dental hygiene, it will not only result in a beautiful smile without unnecessary cavities or fillings but also save you from spending uncomfortable hours in the dentist's chair and, last but not least, a lot of money. Additionally, healthy teeth move more quickly! Inflammation in their surroundings slows down movement. We believe that at least for this reason, you will be positively motivated to successfully complete orthodontic treatment with healthy teeth as quickly as possible. Working with clean teeth is much easier for us than with dirty teeth. Ideally, teeth should be cleaned after every meal; it is absolutely essential at least in the morning and evening. The basis is a toothbrush densely packed with soft bristles - first, brush large circular movements over the teeth, fixed appliance, and gums - this removes the most accumulated debris of the day. Rinse your mouth thoroughly at this stage. Toothpaste is more of a supplement. As many areas in the mouth clean themselves, it is necessary to focus on areas that do not have this luxury. One of these areas is where the "tooth meets the gum." This area is often overlooked during cleaning. Tilt the brush at an angle of approximately 45°, as if trying to gently push it under the gumline. If you manage to position the brush correctly, you will feel a gentle pressure in the gum area. Perform 5-10 small circular movements (more like vibrations) in this area. Then, move the brush away from the teeth again, move to the next section, and apply it again in the same way. Repeat circular movements. Clean both the upper and lower dental arches from the outside and inside of the teeth. To clean less accessible tooth surfaces, you can use a single-tufted brush. It has a very small head, making it easier to manipulate in the mouth. However, its bristles are hard - it is therefore intended for cleaning hard dental tissues (enamel), not soft tissues (gums). Another essential tool is an interdental brush. Even with a fixed appliance, you can continue to use it as you were used to. However, it is also suitable for cleaning areas where it is more difficult for you to "maneuver" with a standard soft toothbrush (e.g., around brackets, under elastic chains, under hooks of some brackets or canines...). For this purpose, a wider interdental brush than usual for cleaning interdental spaces is more suitable. If you were used to using dental floss to clean interdental spaces, unfortunately, using it with a fixed appliance will be more complicated for you, but not impossible. You need to use special dental floss - Superfloss or Bridge&Implantfloss. It is a piece of dental floss with one end reinforced, so it can be threaded through interdental spaces even if you have a fixed appliance/retainer attached. Unfortunately, using floss picks with dental floss is not possible with a fixed appliance attached.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us.

FAQ:

Can I use an electric toothbrush?

• Yes, but we recommend sonic toothbrushes over rotary ones. It is essential to check whether the bristles of the brush are soft enough. When cleaning with an electric toothbrush, extra caution is required compared to a manual toothbrush. Expect more frequent replacement of brush heads compared to cleaning teeth without a fixed appliance (the bristles sharpen faster and may start to injure you - at that point, it is necessary to replace the brush head).

My gums bleed, what should I do?

• If you notice bleeding gums during cleaning, it means that gingivitis is developing or has already developed in that area. In such cases, it is necessary to clean the affected area particularly thoroughly, several times a day.

Should I use mouthwash?

• Mouthwash is only a supplement. It can be recommended only for a short time, e.g., if you are unable to clean your mouth perfectly due to illness.

Thank you for your cooperation.