When you start your journey with braces, it’s only natural to feel a mixture of nerves and excitement. But this big step can be a smooth one with the help of the team at Embrace. We will do our best to help you feel comfortable, confident and relaxed all the way through treatment.
Your fitting appointment at Embrace will be one hour long. We will clean your teeth to prepare them for your braces, and fix a bracket to each tooth. You don’t need to be numb for this, because this appointment shouldn’t cause you any discomfort.
After your braces are fitted, one of our dental assistants will show you how to keep your braces clean. They will also explain what to expect during treatment, and share some great tips and tricks with you.
After you are first fitted with braces, they may feel bulky in your mouth. Your teeth may also be tender as they adjust to the pressure and begin to move toward their desired positions. Both of these things are completely normal, and your mouth will adjust within a few days.
During this adjustment phase, we recommend eating softer foods for your comfort. You can also try over-the-counter pain relief. Continue to practice speaking (or singing) with your new appliance so your mouth can adjust and your speech can return to normal more quickly .
If you develop some soreness on the insides of your cheeks and lips, you can press dental wax on the offending brackets to prevent them from causing irritation. This too will go away as your mouth tissues toughen up over time.
At your fitting appointment, we’ll show you the correct brushing technique to keep your braces clean.
If you use an electric toothbrush, angle the head to ensure contact with the gum line and brackets. Hold the brush still and let the toothbrush do the work. If you use a manual toothbrush, you will brush in gentle circles at the gums and use a scrubbing motion around the brackets.
We recommend brushing three times per day (morning, afternoon and night), spending three minutes brushing each arch (six minutes in total). If you notice your gums are puffy or bleeding, you need to brush more in that area.
For your regular daily flossing, you can simply thread the floss underneath the archwire between every bracket. If you need a little help, there are floss threaders you can purchase. We also recommend interdental brushes to really get a good clean under your archwires.
If you play a contact sport such as football, netball, basketball, martial arts, etc. we can provide you with a mouthguard for protection. This will protect both your appliance and the tissues inside your mouth from injury.
If you play a musical instrument, we can issue you with a comfort cover to place over your braces.
If you want to have the swiftest smile results possible, it’s important not to eat anything that could dislodge your brackets. This includes foods that are chewy, sticky or hard. It’s also best to avoid soft drinks and other sugary drinks, as they can erode the enamel around your brackets.
That’s not to say you need to avoid all your favourites during treatment. In fact, you can eat most foods with some minor adjustments. For more information, check out our list of what to eat with braces.
You will be asked to come to our clinic for regular adjustment appointments to help move your teeth into alignment. Please arrive at these appointments on time, as being late by five minutes or more could cause us to reschedule.
When you arrive, please let our receptionist know. Or, if you’re at our Belconnen practice, you can even sign in on the computer! We will also have tooth brushing stations that you are welcome to use prior to your appointment.
Book your free consultation with our team today to take the first step in your braces journey. And, if you still have questions about braces, feel free to contact our friendly team.
You have the option of choosing an initial orthodontic consultation (payable), a free video consultation or free Invisalign® assessment. There’s no obligation to go ahead with treatment, whatever option you choose. Please fill out the below form and choose your preferred consultation type.
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74 Emu Bank
Belconnen Australian Capital Territory 2617
Australia
36 Bougainville Street
Manuka Australian Capital Territory 2603
Australia
107/43 Hibberson St
Gungahlin Australian Capital Territory 2912
Australia
