Fitting, tightening and wearing removable braces
Removable Brace Guide
Getting your braces fitted
Removable braces are usually worn only on your upper teeth. They are kept in by metal clips that fit over the teeth at the front and back. It does not hurt to get a removable brace fitted.
Visit 1
An impression is taken of your upper teeth. This is a short appointment lasting only five minutes. The impression is sent to our technician, who will then make the brace for us. This takes about one week.
Visit 2
The brace is fitted over your upper teeth very easily. We will show you how to take it in and out and you will have the opportunity to practice.
When should you wear your brace?
If you want your teeth to straighten , you should wear the brace all the time, including at mealtimes and while sleeping. The only times the brace should be taken out are:
- When cleaning your teeth morning and night
- After mealtimes, to clean the brace
- If playing contact sports e.g. rugby, martial arts.
If you are playing football, hockey, or going swimming, you should keep your brace in if possible.
It is a good idea to take a small toothbrush to school so that you can brush your brace clean after meal times. If you need to take the brace out for sports, keep it safe in a box so that it does not get lost or broken. We sell boxes at reception for £1.
Please note:
If your brace is lost or broken beyond repair, you will have to pay for a replacement. Removable retainers are £90 each and Bonded Retainers are £120 each.
Instruction on taking care of your braces
We will give you detailed instructions on how to take care of your brace after it has been fitted at Visit 2. We will also give you an instruction sheet to take home.
For more information please logout and visit our Removable Brace support page.
Over the next few days
You should expect your teeth to be a little bit tender at first, as they start to move. Also, you may get ulcers on the inside of your lips and cheeks but these clear up after a few days. You will find it difficult to talk with the brace in at first. However, if you keep wearing it all the time as we instruct, you will learn to speak properly within a few days.
Getting your brace tightened
We will need to see you every six weeks to tighten your brace. You will be asked to take the brace out and your orthodontist will adjust the wires on the brace while it is outside the mouth.
After it has been adjusted, your orthodontist will ask you to put your brace back in. This process takes about five minutes and after each visit, your teeth may feel a little tender again but not as much as after the braces were first fitted.
When your treatment has finished
When your teeth are straight, we will take some more impressions and we may ask you to wear the brace at bed times only, to let the teeth settle into their new position. If this is the case, we will see you for two more visits at three month intervals.
After this, your treatment will have been completed and your orthodontist will tell you that you can stop wearing your brace.
We then may want to see you in a year or two, to see if you will need fixed braces. Alternatively, if you and your orthodontist are happy with the way your teeth look, or you do not want any more treatment, we may not need to see you again.
Adult Orthodontics
- Affordable Braces
- Quick Braces
- White Braces
- Invisible Braces
