Orthodontic treatment is beneficial for many reasons, but it can take its toll and we are here to guide you through the treatment process and ensure you feel happy and confident and remain pain-free while your braces are on.

Potential problems with orthodontic treatment

Orthodontic treatment is really effective and important for oral health, confidence and aesthetics, but sometimes, there are issues to deal with along the way. Treatment is designed to move the teeth and this requires force, which can sometimes be painful. If you suffer from tooth pain, which occurs most commonly when the braces are first fitted or adjusted, it is advisable to take over the counter pain relief medication and to avoid hard and chewy foods until the pain subsides.

Many patients find that their speech is mildly affected when they first have their braces fitted; this may include developing a lisp or finding it more difficult to pronounce certain words or sounds. Although this can be embarrassing, especially if your job or your course at college involves speaking aloud, these problems are usually very short-term and the more you practice speaking, the better your speech will get. Most people find that their speech returns to normal after a couple of days; in the long-term, wearing a brace actually improves the clarity of speech in most cases.

Eating can be difficult when you’re not used to wearing braces, but again, this will only be a temporary effect and you’ll soon get used to chewing and biting with your braces. For the first few days, it’s a good idea to stick to soft foods.

Staining is an issue, which can worry many dental patients who have fixed braces; this is because it can be difficult to clean the teeth when you have braces, especially around the brackets. We are here to help you keep your teeth clean and prevent staining and we can recommend cleaning techniques and specially designed products for braces. We can also offer intensive cleaning treatments and tooth whitening once the braces have been removed.