A stunning and straight smile – it is a dream for all of us. And, with dental braces fitted by a specialized orthodontist, it is a dream that is well within our reach. However, dental braces are not the type of treatment that you set and forget.
Dental braces straighten your teeth by applying gradual pressure. Each time the teeth change their position, your dental braces lose their grip. For this reason, tightening is required during orthodontic treatment.
If you are thinking about teeth straightening, you may want to understand dental braces tightening. In this detailed guide, Linea Clear will take a deeper look at this vital step in the process of fixing crooked teeth.
Dental Braces Tightening Process: What to Expect
When you visit your orthodontist’s office for dental braces tightening, your orthodontist will follow the steps outlined below:
Step #1: First, your orthodontist will remove the rubber bands that connect – and hold – the archwire to your brackets.
Step #2: Next, your orthodontist will remove the archwire.
Step #3: Your orthodontist will examine the teeth – and their positioning – more closely. This close examination will help your orthodontist determine whether you need a new archwire or not.
Step #4: Finally, a new archwire – or your old archwire – will be installed on the brackets. New rubber bands – also known as elastic ligatures – will be installed to hold your brackets onto the installed archwire.
While most people fear that dental braces tightening is painful, it is not. It is only in the final step where you may feel a slight discomfort. This discomfort, however, is only common among patients who are tightening their dental braces for the first time. Every time you visit your orthodontist for tightening, the discomfort should become less and less.
Frequency: How Often Should You Tighten the Dental Braces?
While different patients will have varying requirements, dental braces are generally tightened every 4 to 10 weeks. However, it is worth noting that the orthodontist will personalize orthodontic treatment to your special needs.
During your initial dental braces tightening appointment, the orthodontist will assess how severe your malocclusion is and then create a tightening schedule that will work for you.
Your personalized schedule may depend on your oral health and age, as well as teeth and jaw alignment. People with sensitive teeth or those who have just undergone treatment for teeth cavities may need tightening less frequently to reduce discomfort.
On the other hand, people with severely misaligned teeth may need more frequent tightening. However, even in the most severe cases, it is very unlikely that you will need tightening every two weeks for the entire orthodontic treatment period.
Significance of Dental Braces Tightening
For dental braces to improve your smile, they have to apply constant pressure to your teeth. With time – and as the position of the teeth changes – dental braces stop applying pressure. This, in turn, halts the teeth straightening process.
When the dental braces lose their ability to apply pressure, your teeth stop moving in the direction you want them to. This keeps you from getting the beautiful smile you have always wanted.
Dealing with Side Effects of Dental Braces Tightening
After tightening, it is normal to feel some discomfort, sensitivity, and pressure in your mouth. The pain and discomfort will ease up a few days after tightening. However, to make the discomfort go away sooner, you can use the tips outlined below:
Eat Soft Food
For the first 2 days after dental braces tightening, consume soft and mushy food. Hard foods can irritate your mouth, prolonging the discomfort.
Use Over-the-Counter Pain Meds
If the pain is unbearable – this is usually very rare – consider using some pain medications to reduce the pain. In most places, pain relief meds can be acquired over-the-counter without a prescription.
Go Easy with Flossing and Brushing
When on braces, you must use the right technique when brushing your teeth. Pushing or pressing your teeth may aggravate them and increase the dental braces tightening pain.
Massage & Chew
An increased blood flow may help you with relieving soreness and pain. Chewing food correctly and using your fingers to massage your jaw and gums may help increase blood flow.
Apply Dental Wax
Your orthodontist may advise you to use some orthodontic wax to protect the gums and inner cheeks from the tough surface of newly adjusted wires and brackets.
Apply A Cold Compress
If you feel pain after your dental braces tightening appointment, some ice packs can help. Simply press the ice pack against the affected jaw – this should help you relieve the pain and discomfort.
Use a Less Traumatizing Solution to Straighten Your Teeth: Get Invisible Teeth Aligners
While both dental braces and invisible teeth aligners use pressure to straighten misaligned teeth, transparent teeth aligners are more friendly to the jaw and teeth. What’s more, the invisible teeth aligners do not require tightening. Instead, you get a new set of transparent teeth aligners with each appointment – this means that you do not have to deal with an orthodontist prodding around in your mouth.
Invisible teeth aligners are also much better for your overall oral health. Research has shown that transparent teeth aligners do not complicate oral hygiene as much as dental braces.
A research study published in 2016 determined that patients who used invisible teeth aligners to straighten their teeth had better periodontal health than those using dental braces. What’s more, the research study determined that the patients using transparent teeth aligners had greater satisfaction during the orthodontic treatment than those using the dental braces.
The orthodontists at Linea Clear walk with you from the beginning of the orthodontic treatment to the end. They will help you prepare for the invisible teeth aligners. After installing the aligners, the team will ensure that you are not dealing with discomfort.
Every time you visit Linea Clear for your new set of invisible teeth aligners, the team will ensure you are getting the best results. By the end of the orthodontic treatment period, Linea Clear will ensure you have the best smile.
Ready to start straightening your teeth? Book your FREE e-consultation today. A specialized orthodontist will be assigned to your case and will walk with you until your smile achieves perfection.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What types of wires do orthodontists use when tightening dental braces?
Nowadays, orthodontists use exotic thermally activated wires during dental braces tightening. When cold, these wires are pliant and soft and tend to grow stiff as they warm up. This allows the orthodontist to put the wires in your mouth while soft – they stiffen and tighten up as they adjust to the warm temperature inside your mouth.
With these types of wires, there is no tightening needed. Orthodontists just replace the old wires with stiffer or larger wires, depending on how they want to move the teeth.
What should I do if the wire starts jabbing my cheek?
While some slight discomfort is to be expected after the dental braces tightening procedure, one thing you should not feel is the wire jabbing into the cheek. If you feel the wire jabbing your cheek, ask the orthodontist to fix it immediately. If you feel the complication later while you are at home, book an appointment with your orthodontist immediately.
The orthodontist can shorten the wire with clippers. This will keep the wire from damaging your cheek.
What should I eat after tightening my dental braces?
For the first few days after dental braces tightening, you must stick to soft foods. These include:
Soup
Yogurt
Porridge
Rice pudding
Soft fruit like bananas
Macaroni cheese
Vegetable and fruit vegetable smoothies.
Avoid hard and sticky foods like popcorn and chewing gum.
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