Avoid overly hard, crunchy, or sticky foods to avoid damaging your braces. For example, if you bite into an apple with braces, it could apply too much force to your brackets and wires, causing them to break or bend. Instead, try cutting an apple into small, bite-sized pieces. Check out our blog for more information about what you can eat with braces!  

Maintaining good oral hygiene is always important, but brushing and flossing require additional attention and tools while wearing dental braces. Brush your teeth after eating and use a floss threader between your wires to avoid cavities and tooth decay. You can find more details on how to take care of your braces here. Learning a new technique can be a bit tricky at first, but you’ll get the hang of it quickly!

Take your Invisalign aligners out to eat or drink and brush your teeth before putting them back in. In addition to keeping your teeth clean, you need to keep your aligners clean, too! Gently brush your aligners daily to prevent cavities, and soak them in denture cleaner as needed for a deep clean. 

Wear your aligners for 22 hours a day to avoid treatment delays or sore teeth from unwanted movement, and always keep your Invisalign case handy to protect your aligners when they’re out of your mouth.

Some patients require orthodontic appliances, such as spacers or expanders, during the early stages of orthodontic treatment. It is important to wear your appliance as instructed, and if your appliance is removable, gently brush it twice daily to prevent cavities.

Every patient finishes their orthodontic treatment with a retainer. Your orthodontist may have you wear your retainer full-time for several weeks before graduating to only nighttime wear. Remove your retainers to eat or drink, and brush your teeth well before putting them back in. It’s important to gently brush your retainers daily and store them in a case for safekeeping.

Check out some of the best soft foods to eat with braces here. Frozen soft foods, like popsicles and ice cream, could be just what you need! Cold can reduce inflammation and swelling, and while an ice pack wrapped in a towel against your cheek is a great remedy, enjoying your favorite cold treat is a fun alternative. 

Rinsing your mouth with warm salt water helps alleviate gum inflammation. Add ½ teaspoon of table salt to one cup of warm water, stir until it dissolves, and swish the mixture in your mouth for about 60 seconds before spitting it out. Try this remedy twice daily after brushing until your pain subsides. 

Peppermint has anti-inflammatory properties that promote healing and can help soothe braces pain. Try making a cup of peppermint tea and apply the used bag to the affected area for 5-10 minutes while still wet and warm. Be sure to let the tea bag cool a bit so you don’t burn your mouth!  

Giving yourself a gentle gum massage is a great way to ease soreness from braces. With clean hands, use your fingers to gently massage your gums in a circular motion. For added comfort, suck on an ice cube first to reduce swelling, but do not chew the ice as it could damage your braces.  

When all else fails, over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen and acetaminophen effectively reduce pain and swelling from braces. If you regularly experience soreness after adjustment appointments, taking a pain reliever about an hour before your appointment can help.  

If your wire has come out of the tube or bracket slot, you first need to assess if it is still in alignment with the bracket slot or if it has moved above or below it. If the wire is above or below the bracket, our team will address the problem so your tooth does not shift out of place. If the wire is aligned with the bracket, you can use disinfected tweezers to gently place it back where it belongs. Regardless of the wire placement, it is important to call us right away so we can help assess the severity of the problem and avoid treatment delays. 

If you notice a wire poking your gum or cheek, this could be due to your smile shifting into place. Dry the area as much as possible, then roll a piece of orthodontic wax between your clean fingers and press it against the wire that is bothering you. If you are experiencing mouth sores in the area your wire was poking, try oral anesthetics like Orajel.  

Sometimes, long wires can be trimmed at home with a disinfected nail clipper. We recommend that adults help kids or teens in braces with this remedy. With clean hands, dry the area as much as possible and gently pull your cheek away before clipping the wire. Use a Q-tip to collect the wire clipping from your mouth and apply orthodontic wax after to hold everything in place. Give our office a call so we can assess if a visit is needed. 

When a braces bracket falls off, please do not wait to call us or text a photo. Depending on the location of the bracket and phase of your orthodontic treatment, a quick trip to the orthodontist may be necessary. If your bracket is loose but not missing, please let us know and use orthodontic wax if the loose bracket is bothering you.  

Hydrogen peroxide is an excellent Invisalign stain-removal remedy if your aligners look yellow or brown. Mix equal parts hydrogen peroxide and lukewarm water, soak your stained aligners for 20 minutes, and rinse under water before putting them back in your mouth. They’ll look as good as new! 

Invisalign aligners are designed to fit comfortably to your teeth, but occasionally, patients experience gum irritation from an aligner’s sharp or rough edge. Use a clean nail file to gently smooth the bothersome edge until it fits comfortably. Our team is happy to assist with smoothing rough retainer edges, so please give us a call if you would like to schedule an office visit. 

If your Invisalign attachment comes off, don’t panic! Invisalign still works with missing attachments, so wear your aligners as prescribed. It’s important to let us know if you are missing an attachment so our team can assess whether an office visit is needed. Depending on your treatment plan and stage, Invisalign could become less effective with a missing attachment.  

Invisalign is highly durable, but accidents can happen. If your aligners are damaged, replace them with a set that fits. If you just moved up a level and your teeth have not fully adjusted, wear your previous set of aligners. If the next set fits comfortably, wear those instead. Call us right away so we can assess whether an office visit is needed! 

If your retainer is not fitting correctly, first assess why. If your retainer has bent, cracked, or broken, skip to the next question to determine the best next steps. If your retainer feels too tight because it has not been worn as prescribed, see if it still fits without applying too much force. If your retainer fits but is tight, wear it full-time until the fit is more comfortable. If your retainer no longer fits, call us so we can schedule an appointment and order a new retainer. 

If your permanent retainer breaks and you have a removable retainer, wear that full-time. If your removable retainer is broken but still fits comfortably, continue wearing it to minimize the risk of your smile shifting while you wait for your new one. An office visit may be necessary if your retainer breaks and no longer fits or is lost without a backup. Whether it’s permanent or removable, if you experience issues with your retainer, please let us know right away. 

Appliances are made to fit comfortably in your mouth, but if you notice your appliance is too loose or tight, please let us know. You can assess a few things at home to try to eliminate the need for an office visit. If your appliance has not been worn properly, either by forgetting to wear it or playing with it, the fit will likely change. Start wearing your orthodontic appliance as instructed and see if the issue resolves as your mouth adjusts. If not, our team will either walk you through ways to adjust the appliance at home or schedule an appointment for our team to correct the fit if needed.   

If your orthodontic appliance is lost or broken, your teeth could be at risk for significant shifting. If your appliance is broken but still fits comfortably, continue to wear it as prescribed. Please call us right away so our team can assess the severity and schedule an office visit.