MENU
phone phone Call 01883 712 201 person person For Dentists CONTACT US
FOR DENTIST CONTACT US

Orthodontics Information

Here you will find all the information that you need to understand when selecting an orthodontic treatment.

Retainer aftercare instructions

Removable retainers

Initially, full-time wear of your retainers is critical because the bone and muscles are adjusting to the new positions of your teeth. You must wear your retainers essentially for 24 hours a day for the first 6 months and only remove them for eating, drinking and cleaning. Then you would have to wear them every night for another 6 months.

In the long term, it is advisable that you continue to wear your retainers for at least 2 nights or more a week forever! If you do not follow this instruction, there is no guarantee that your teeth will remain beautifully straight. The responsibility is yours!

Where to store and keep retainers clean?

Once you have been given your retainers, it is best to buy a retainer box for you to keep them in when you are not using them. Never wrap them up in tissue, as they could potentially get lost! If you have a pet dog, you must place them out of reach as, believe it or not, they like the smell of them and tend to chew it! When cleaning your retainers at night, you must clean them gently with a small soft toothbrush and cold water! Or you could buy a product called retainer brite, which is available at the practice.

Fixed retainers

Small wires are glued to the inner surfaces of the upper/lower anterior teeth. These types of retainers are normally prescribed by your orthodontist and can be fixed onto the teeth forever. If, however, you would like them removed, please book an appointment with the orthodontist to remove them. It is essential that they are kept clean, and a hygienist visit is recommended to keep them well-maintained to prevent tartar buildup.

Having fixed retainers does not remove the need to wear your removable retainers. It does mean extra security, especially if you lose or damage your removable retainers.

What are retainers?

These removable appliances (braces) are designed to keep your teeth in the position left at the end of treatment. It takes up to one year for the teeth to fully establish stability (to stay where they are). This is because the bones and the gums supporting the teeth will need to catch up with the movement of the teeth. Retainers are worn under the supervision of the Orthodontist for one year; after this period, it is up to you to wear the retainers regularly to ensure the teeth do not relapse (move back to the start position).

What will I expect once the retainers are fitted?

During the first few days, your speech may be affected. This is temporary and should not last longer than 2 weeks of continuous wear. Rarely, there may be some discomfort on the inside of your mouth. However, this is temporary. If there is persistent irritation, you can contact your surgeon.

Do I wear the appliance full-time?

Yes, except when you eat, when you play contact sports, when you clean your teeth, and when you play wind instruments. The wear of the appliances may be reduced over time, but only when your orthodontist has instructed. If you do not wear your retainers as advised, your teeth will relapse.

How do I take care of my appliance?

The cleanliness of the appliance is essential. You can use a toothbrush with COLD water (DO NOT use hot/boiling water as this will distort the retainer and will need replacing at a charge) to clean your brace before wearing it again; we advise against using toothpaste as this is abrasive and can wear the retainer down. You can also immerse the appliance in a cleaning solution such as ‘Retainer Brite’ for a few minutes occasionally.

You must keep your appliances safe whilst not wearing them to avoid breakages (in a hard case, which you can purchase from our reception). Breakages of your appliance may result in a relapse of your teeth; therefore, you will need to contact your surgery ASAP should you break or lose your retainer. If the retainer cannot be fixed, there may be a charge for replacing the appliance.

Can I eat normally?

Yes, but you must avoid foods with high sugar content, acidic drinks and fizzy drinks.

Who do I contact in case of an emergency?

Please do not hesitate to contact the practice on 01883 712 201 to arrange an emergency appointment.

Congratulations! You have had your fixed braces removed.

To keep your teeth lovely and straight, you must wear your retainers as instructed! Your teeth may return to where they were before you started the orthodontic treatment.

Removable retainers

Initially, full-time wear of your retainers is critical because the bone and muscles are adjusting to the new positions of your teeth. You must wear your retainers essentially for 24 hours a day for the first 6 months and only remove them for eating, drinking and cleaning. Then you would have to wear them every night for another 6 months.

In the long term, it is advisable that you continue to wear your retainers for at least 2 nights or more a week forever! If you do not follow this instruction, there is no guarantee that your teeth will remain beautifully straight. The responsibility is yours!

Where to store and keep retainers clean

Once you have been given your retainers, it is best to buy a retainer box to keep them in when you are not using them. Never wrap them up in tissue, as they could potentially get lost! If you have a pet dog, you must place them out of reach as, believe it or not, they like the smell of them and tend to chew it! When cleaning your retainers at night, you must clean them gently with a small soft toothbrush and cold water! Or, you could buy a retainer brite product available at reception.

Fixed retainers

(Small wires glued to inner surfaces of the upper/lower anterior teeth). These retainers are normally prescribed by your orthodontist and can be fixed onto the teeth forever. If, however, you would like them removed, please book an appointment with the orthodontist to remove them. They must be kept clean, and a hygienist visit is recommended to keep them well-maintained to prevent tartar buildup.

Please be aware, as written in your contract of treatment, that there will be a charge of £71.11 for pre-appliance for broken and lost retainers. Please also note that after being discharged by the orthodontist a year after the NHS retention, £100 will have to be paid for repairs or replacements of removable retainers. To replace the fixed retainers, they are £200 each.

If you have any enquiries, please do not hesitate to contact the practice.

How to care for your removable appliance.

  • Once you have been given the removable appliance, it is best to purchase a box to keep this in while you are not using it.
  • NEVER wrap them up in tissue, as they could potentially get lost!
  • If you have a pet dog, you must place them out of reach as, believe it or not, they like the smell of them and tend to chew it!
  • When cleaning your retainers, gently clean them with a small soft toothbrush with cold water.
  • You could purchase a product from our shop at reception called RETAINER BRITE, which will help keep your retainer clean.

How to care for your teeth and fixed braces.

The importance of looking after your teeth and braces:

Everyone’s saliva contains millions of bacteria. These bacteria stick to the surfaces of teeth and quickly multiply to form a layer called plaque.
Plaque is a soft, colourless substance which is difficult to see until the coating is quite thick. It collects on the surfaces of teeth, mainly next to the gums and between the teeth. Plaque causes dental caries (tooth decay) and periodontal disease (gum disease).

Do I need to clean my teeth?

YES! Orthodontic treatment will not normally begin unless you clean your teeth properly.

In fixed orthodontic appliance treatment, the brackets are more difficult to clean; therefore, it is extremely important to care for your fixed brace by carefully brushing it and having a sensible diet.

Caring for your fixed braces

To facilitate the cleaning of your teeth and gums, use a small-headed toothbrush. Manual or electric, but always use ‘bottle’ brushes (Tepes) to clean the underwire.

  • Rinse thoroughly with mouthwash.
  • Start at the top between the wire and gums. Press firmly enough so that the bristles spread into the gaps between the teeth. Move the brush head thoroughly but gently around all the teeth. Repeat the same process on the other side of the wire.
  • Now clean all the inside surfaces (tongue side) of the teeth in the same way.
  • Last of all, clean the tops of the teeth under the wire with the bottle brush.

Eating and drinking

Eat sensibly when wearing a brace. Avoid hard or sticky food such as:

  • Pizza.
  • Chewing Gum.
  • Toffees.
  • Hard Mints.
  • Hard Crusts.
  • Whole Carrots.
  • Biting into apples.

These may break and bend the wires, and this will slow down treatment and will delay it by an average of 2 months.

Also, avoid the following:

  • Fizzy Drinks.
  • Acidic Drinks.
  • Sugary Drinks.
  • Fruit Juices.
  • Sweets.
  • Sugar.

They can dissolve surface enamel. This will cause permanent damage to teeth.

What will happen if I don’t brush properly?

Permanent damage to the tooth enamel can occur if the teeth and brackets are not kept clean. The enamel will decalcify, leaving unsightly white marks.

Remember to:

  • Brush thoroughly but gently after every meal, even snacks with fluoride toothpaste.
  • Take your toothbrush to school, college, university or workplace if needed.
  • Rinse your mouth with a fluoride mouthwash twice a day.
  • See the hygienist regularly.

A replacement tooth/teeth on a retainer will be needed during implant treatment.

This acts as a temporary tooth, which may be needed for several months depending on the course of healing of the implant.

  • The retainer prevents possible tooth movement.
  • Please remember you must wear this for your 3D (CBCT) scan.
  • Cosmetically, it will replace the tooth while you wait for your final treatment restoration.

How long should I wear the appliance?

Essix retainers should be worn for a minimum of 12 hours a day. Apart from eating and brushing your teeth, you should wear the retainer as instructed by your dentist.

How do I take care of my appliance?

Cleanliness of the retainer is essential. You can clean with a toothbrush with COLD water (DO NOT use hot/boiling water as this will distort the retainer and need to be replaced at a charge). You can also immerse the appliance in a cleaning solution such as ‘Retainer Brite’ for a few minutes.

You must keep your appliances safe whilst not wearing them to avoid breakages (in a hard case, which you can purchase from our reception). Breakages of your appliance may result in the movement of your teeth. Therefore, you must contact your surgeon ASAP should you break or lose your retainer

Can I eat normally?

Yes, but you must avoid foods with high sugar content, acidic drinks and fizzy drinks.

Back to Orthodontics

popular treatments

General Dentistry

Cosmetic Dentistry

Teeth Straightening

Dental Implants

Advanced Dentistry

CONTACT US

Get in touch

TESTIMONIALS

Exceeding expectations

star 1

“We always have such a great customer journey at Priory House from the reception desk through to our super talented dentist Dr Howell. He has recently done the most fantastic work on building up my teenagers teeth. She and I totally trusted him to do a good...”

C. Warde

star 1

“A full recommendation for the Priory! I knew straight away I was in safe hands with my dentist Dr Gethin Howell and nurse Millie White. I was fitted with composite bonds top and bottom , I'm extremely happy with the end result. A very caring team so...”

C. Harmony

star 1

“I was very pleased with my experience at priory house. I was very anxious at first but my dentist Dr Mohan and his nurse Amy made me feel at ease. I feel much better about coming back next time. Highly recommend to anyone trying to find a...”

S. Stan

star 1

“My family and I started using this practice back in 1996, then in 2014 moved away from the area. Having tried out two local practices over the last 9 months, I realized that Priory House would be hard to match, and I have now returned to them,...”

M. Jones

star 1

“Being an extremely nervous patient, particularly with dental treatment I can’t recommend Priory House highly enough! All the team are incredibly patient and understanding of this, and go out of their way to make me feel at ease. I’m never rushed through treatment and always have my...”

A. Leadbetter

VIEW ALL TESTIMONIALS Leave us a Review

instagram instagram Instagram

thumb1 instagram
thumb2 instagram
thumb3 instagram
thumb4 instagram
thumb5 instagram
thumb6 instagram
Google Rating
4.3
Google Rating
Google Widget Icon