How To Look After Your Braces At Home

Whites Dental Waterloo

Example Icon 0208 616 0590

Example Icon 172 Blackfriars Rd, London SE1 8ER

Whites Dental Marble Arch (W2)

Example Icon 0203 576 2325

Example Icon 52B Kendal St, St George's Fields, London W2 2BP

Millions of people around the world straighten their teeth using orthodontic braces. Braces aren’t just for teenagers; adults also are just as interested in straightening their teeth with braces. We will go so far as to say that a vast majority of our brace patients are adults over the age of 25. Straightening your teeth can be life-changing for many people; it can transform your smile and give you the confidence to smile freely again. The process can take anywhere between 3–4 months to sometimes over a year to complete. With advances in orthodontic technology, a number of brace options are available to both adults and teenagers. Regardless of what brace option you have decided to use, it’s important that you look after your braces at home, to ensure you get the maximum benefit from the treatment.

We provide below some guidance on how to look after your orthodontic braces from home.

Invisalign braces – Wear your Invisalign aligners as advised by your orthodontist. If you are on your last set of aligners and need more, contact your dentist for advice. Wear them 22 hours per day, remove them while eating and brushing, and clean them regularly to avoid cracking or yellowing.

Fixed braces – Follow your orthodontist’s guidance on maintaining your braces. Avoid hard or chewy foods like corn on the cob, ice, or chewing gum, which can damage brackets or wires. Maintain excellent oral hygiene to prevent tooth decay and caries.

Elastics bands for fixed braces – Continue wearing your elastic bands until your top front teeth are roughly 2mm in front of the bottom ones. After this, switch to wearing elastics at night only to maintain the position.

Functional appliances (twin block braces) – Continue wearing them unless advised otherwise. Do not turn the screw unless directed. Continue treatment for 9 months from the fitting date.

Retainers – Wear your retainer nightly as instructed. If you miss a night, make up by wearing it during the day. After one year post-treatment, you may reduce wear to every other night—but increase usage if teeth feel like they’re shifting. Clean your removable retainer with liquid soap and cold water, or Retainer Brite. Continue to brush as usual if you have a fixed retainer.

Broken/lost retainers – Contact your orthodontist immediately. Continue wearing your removable retainer nightly if your fixed one comes off.

Brace wires digging in – Try tucking the wire into place using clean tweezers, or trim carefully with nail clippers or scissors if needed.

If you’re unsure whether your teeth are moving correctly, take a clear photo of your smile and email it to your dentist for advice.

If you’re interested in removable brace treatment or need guidance on your current orthodontic care, book a free orthodontic consultation by emailing [email protected] or calling 0208 616 0590. We offer consultations in-clinic, by phone, or video.

At Whites Dental, our orthodontic dentists in London provide a range of fixed orthodontic braces in London, including traditional fixed metal braces, Damon braces, Lingual braces, fixed ceramic braces, and Fastbraces. We are located in London Waterloo, right by Southwark Tube station and a short walk from Borough Market, Elephant and Castle, and London Bridge.