Home Care - Retainers & Appliances
Removable Appliances
The removable appliance is carefully designed to move or to hold your teeth. It is important that it is worn according to instructions and brought to each appointment.
Wear your appliance at all times, even while you are asleep. It may be removed while eating, swimming, or playing vigorous sports activities. In two or three days your speech will return to normal with the appliance in place. Avoid flipping your appliance with your tongue. This can cause damage to your teeth or breakage of your appliance.
Your new appliance may make your teeth sore for a day or two, especially after an adjustment. If you have a sore spot on your gums call our office so that we can adjust the appliance.
Clean your appliance by brushing it daily with toothpaste. Denture cleaner can also be used for a more thorough cleaning. If you are wearing a bonded wire retainer behind your front teeth, be extra careful to clean the wire and the area around it. Flossing should be done every day.
Never wrap your appliance in a paper napkin or tissue and set it down on the table. You or someone else may throw it away. Don't put it in your pocket when playing or you may break or lose it. Whenever it is not in your mouth it should be in its plastic appliance case.
Keep your appliance away from dogs or cats as they love to chew on them. Avoid storing them near any source of heat. Do not boil your retainer to sterilize it! If needed, bring it to the office and we will be happy to disinfect it for you.
An additional charge will be incurred for lost or broken appliances.
Orthodontic Brushing and Flossing
Brushing
- Brush after every meal
- Use a toothbrush with a small amount of toothpaste
- Use circular, vibrating motions around the gumline for about 10 seconds on each tooth
- Brush every tooth slowly
- Brush the lower teeth up and the upper teeth down. Also brush your tongue and the roof of your mouth
Flossing
- Floss nightly after brushing to remove the plaque missed by brushing
- Carefully pull waxed floss between wire and braces
- Floss carefully around the braces
- Floss carefully around the gum area
- Floss around each tooth
Results
Proper Oral Hygiene
Improper Brushing and Flossing
