Instructions for Orthodontic Patient
Brush your teeth, and braces after every meal or at least twice a day.
Brush your teeth before coming for the Orthodontic appointment. Poor oral hygiene may lead to gum disease and discolored teeth. Use a special
ORTHODONTIC TOOTH BRUSH & ANTI-PLAQUE TOOTH PASTE to clean your teeth and braces. Also use MOUTH WASH frequently everyday.
Do not play with appliances or touch the braces with your fingers, tongue, lips, cheeks, pencil etc., you may break them.
Do not eat any hard foods, for e.g., ends of tandoori roti, supari, popcorn, mutton/chicken bones, corn (bhutta) etc. during the course of the treatment. It can break, bend or loosen your appliance.
Do not eat any sticky food for example, chocolates, sweets, chewing gum, bubble gum, toffee, candy etc. as long as the braces are on your teeth. It get stuck in your appliance and loosen it.
Do not cut food items, bigger than mouth, with your front teeth e.g., burger, pizza, apple, guava, carrot, radish etc. Cut apple/burger etc. into smaller pieces to eat it.
In case any bracket comes off, keep it very carefully and bring it along with you on your next appointment. If any of the back (molar) brace or corner (canine) brace comes off, please call us immediately during working hours and visit the clinic.
If any of the wires hurts your lip, look in the mirror and tuck it towards the teeth with your fingernail. If any part of the braces or wire is hurting your cheek or lip, put some wax or cotton on the brace or wire end, till you can visit the clinic.
Your elastics have to be worn all the time i.e. day and night, except while brushing. As soon as you finish brushing, put the elastics on again immediately and check in the mirror if they are properly placed. Change the elastics as per instructions.
Wearing elastics is very important because it helps in gentle constant movement of your teeth to the desired position. If you do not wear them the movement gained by your and doctors' efforts in past 24 hours can be lost i.e. you'll be back at square 1. So take care. If any of the elastic breaks, change it immediately. Keep the packets very carefully at home, carrying only a few to school/college. Never add more elastics than instructed.
You will have some discomfort and pain initially for which you can take any pain killer as prescribed. You may have semi solid/liquid diet for the first few days till you can eat normal food. If you have any problem during the treatment, please do not hesitate to call us.
Breakage of appliance is usually due to the carelessness and mishandling on the part of patient. So be very particular about the maintenance.
Treatment time will be increased, if you do not keep appointment schedule and follow instructions. So be cooperative.
Relapse of finished treatment may occur if the Retainers are not worn for the required duration of time. Use Retainers as advised.
If you cooperate you'll have expected, effective results and obviously look better.