FAQ: Braces

Yes. During the first 2–7 days after the wires are placed, pressure, soreness and sensitivity are completely normal. The teeth are adjusting to the new forces and the bone around them begins to remodel.

What helps during this time:

• soft foods such as pasta, mashed potatoes, yoghurt or soup,

• cold drinks or cold compresses, as cold reduces the pressure,

• child-appropriate pain relief if needed – but only after consulting us.

If the pain does not improve after a week or becomes very severe, please contact us.

Many fixed braces use NiTi (nickel–titanium) wires. They are super-elastic, deliver gentle and consistent forces, and are thermo-active: they become fully active at body temperature (about 37 °C / 98 °F).

What this means in everyday life:

• When it is cold, for example with cold water or ice, the wire is slightly less active and your child feels less pressure.

• When it is warm, for example with hot soup or tea, the wire briefly becomes more active and the feeling of pressure increases.

This is not a fault – it is exactly how the wire is designed to work, with gentle, continuous forces.

For the first few days, eat only soft foods until chewing feels comfortable again.

Generally well tolerated:

• soft bread and pancakes,

• potatoes, pasta and rice,

• yoghurt, quark and soups,

• ripe bananas and soft fruit,

• chocolate in small pieces, as long as it is not sticky.

Better avoided:

• hard foods such as nuts, hard crusts, raw carrots or whole apples – apples are best cut into small pieces,

• sticky foods such as caramel, toffee or chewing gum,

• popcorn, as the kernels can damage brackets and teeth,

• frequent sugary snacks when there is no chance to brush afterwards.

A rule of thumb for parents: if you bite into something and think “this is really hard or sticky”, your child should rather not eat it.

Brushing takes more time with braces, but it is essential to prevent cavities and white-spot lesions (decalcification).

We recommend:

• Brush at least twice a day, ideally after every meal.

• Take about 3–10 minutes – thorough is better than quick.

• Use a soft toothbrush or an electric toothbrush with a small head, and fluoride toothpaste.

How to brush around the brackets:

• Angle the toothbrush – once above and once below the brackets.

• Loosen plaque with small, vibrating movements.

• Always clean along the gumline.

Interdental brushes under the wire and between the teeth, special orthodontic floss (Superfloss) and, if needed, a fluoride mouthwash at night are also helpful.

For school or on the go, pack a small travel toothbrush in a case.

Yes, very often. Many patients feel pressure or soreness during the first 1–3 days after switching to a new aligner – a sign that the teeth are moving.

What helps:

• Put the new aligner in during the evening, so most of the adjustment happens while you sleep.

• Drink cold water or, if needed, hold a cold pack against your cheek.

• Stick to soft foods for these days.

If the pain is very severe or lasts longer than a few days, please contact us.

For the aligners to work well, you should wear them for 20 to 22 hours a day. Take them out only to eat, to drink anything other than water, to brush your teeth and to clean the aligners.

If you wear them for much less, the next aligner may no longer fit properly and your teeth may move back.

Always take your aligners out to eat. While you are wearing them, please drink water only.

Not suitable with aligners in your mouth:

• juice, soft drinks, iced tea and energy drinks,

• milk and cocoa,

• coffee, tea and other coloured drinks,

• hot drinks, as they deform the aligners.

Otherwise the aligners may stain or warp, and the risk of cavities increases.

This is how to clean your aligners properly:

• Brush the aligners twice a day with a soft toothbrush and cold water.

• Use cleaning tablets regularly – clear ones without strong dyes.

• Always brush your teeth before putting the aligners back in.

Avoid hot water, aggressive cleaners, alcohol, washing-up liquid and vinegar. Abrasive toothpaste is not suitable either, because it makes the aligner cloudy and scratchy.

Aligner treatment may be possible after gum disease has been diagnosed and brought under control.

The condition of the gums and supporting bone must be assessed carefully before treatment begins and monitored throughout treatment.

After tooth movement has been completed, retainers are usually required to help stabilise the result.

Without appropriate retention, teeth can gradually move again.

The type and duration of retention will be discussed with you individually.

This is uncomfortable but not an emergency. Here is what to do:

1. Cover the area with orthodontic wax.

2. Gently push the wire back towards the tooth using the end of a pencil, a spoon or a fingernail.

3. If the wire sticks out a lot, a parent may trim the very last millimetre with disinfected nail clippers as a temporary solution – only in a true emergency.

4. Call us so we can schedule a repair appointment.

This happens often, especially after hard or sticky foods.

• If the bracket is still attached to the wire, simply leave it there. If it rubs, cover it with wax.

• If it has come off completely, keep it and bring it with you in a small container.

This is not a medical emergency. We should reattach the bracket at the next opportunity, though, because otherwise this tooth will no longer move as planned.

During the first 1–2 weeks, the braces may rub against the inside of the mouth. This is normal.

What helps:

• orthodontic wax on the irritated areas,

• rinsing with chamomile or sage tea or a mild mouthwash,

• soft foods for a short time if an area is badly irritated, so the tissue can recover.

If sores do not heal or become very painful, please contact us.

No need to worry. Elastics are important for correcting the bite, though.

Forgetting them once is not a problem. Forgetting them often means the treatment takes longer or the final result may be worse.

Please make sure your child wears the elastics exactly as we have shown you – only then will the teeth move as planned.

For contact sports such as handball, hockey or martial arts, a mouthguard is strongly recommended.

After a fall or a blow to the mouth, please check whether any teeth are loose or pushed out of position, whether a tooth is broken, or whether there is heavy bleeding. If so, come to us straight away so we can check for dental trauma – outside our opening hours, go to the dental emergency service. We will repair the braces themselves afterwards at our practice.

Contact us immediately – or, outside our opening hours, the dental emergency service – if you notice:

• sudden, severe swelling or fever,

• signs of an infection or abscess,

• a wire stuck deeply into the gum or tongue,

• an accident with a dental injury, such as a loose or broken tooth.

These can wait until the next working day:

• loose brackets – if they do not hurt, even until the next regular appointment,

• poking wires,

• sore cheeks or lips,

• elastics that have come off or coloured O-rings that have been lost.

This is common and you can usually fix it yourself:

1. Find the exact spot where the aligner rubs – lip, cheek or tongue.

2. Gently smooth the edge there with a fine nail file or polishing file.

3. If the irritation is strong, wear the aligner less for a short time and let us know.

This is often normal in the first few hours, especially if the previous aligner was not worn enough.

What helps:

• Bite on chewies – small soft rubber rolls that help the aligner “click” into place.

• Wear the aligner consistently for several hours.

If it still will not seat fully, go back to the previous aligner and contact us. The treatment step may need to be extended.

If you already have the next aligner and it seats well without force, simply move on to the next planned stage.

If not, keep wearing the previous aligner and contact us. We will then order a replacement.

No, usually not. Stay calm:

• If the next aligner fits well, put it in.

• If it does not fit, keep wearing the previous one.

The only thing that matters is that you keep wearing an aligner, so the teeth do not lose their position.

No. Attachments are small bonded composite points on the teeth that help the aligner grip and guide the movement. Simply keep wearing your aligners as usual – we will replace the attachment at your next visit.

Only if several attachments are missing or the aligner no longer grips at all, please contact us earlier.

Most problems can wait until after the weekend or the holiday:

• If an aligner is cracked or lost, wear the previous or the next one.

• If an edge is sharp, smooth it gently with a file.

• For mild pressure or discomfort, cold and soft foods help.

For your holiday, we recommend: always take the previous and the next aligner with you. Keep the aligners in their case and never wrap them in a napkin – that is how they get mixed up or thrown away by mistake.

Seek help immediately in case of strong swelling or fever, a suspected infection, a severe injury in the mouth, or a fall or accident with a dental injury. In these cases, go to the out-of-hours dental emergency service first and then come to us for a check-up.

Retention aligner:

A removable plastic aligner worn after orthodontic treatment to keep the teeth in their corrected position.

Fixed retainer:

A thin wire permanently bonded to the inside of the front teeth, providing continuous stabilisation 24/7.

• Retention aligner: Statutory health insurance does not cover lost or damaged aligners. You always pay for a replacement aligner privately.

• Fixed retainer: As a rule, statutory health insurance does not cover it, so it is a private service. Only in rare, clearly justified exceptions can the insurer cover the costs.

No. There is no legal warranty – neither for the devices themselves nor for the long-term stability of the tooth position.

Why is there no warranty?

• Tooth position remains biologically unstable for a long time after treatment.

• Bone, ligaments, and soft tissues remodel differently in every individual – making long-term outcomes impossible to guarantee.

• Even with excellent treatment and consistent retention, teeth may shift slightly over the years.

• For medical and legal reasons, dentists and orthodontists are not allowed to guarantee a permanent, unchanged treatment result.

• Retention aligners should be worn exactly as recommended – often for many years, sometimes at night for life.

• A fixed retainer must be checked regularly and repaired or replaced if necessary.

• Repair or replacement costs are typically private expenses.

• Consistent retention is the key factor in preserving treatment results long-term.

• After the treatment is finished: Further treatment or a correction is usually paid privately, as no guarantee covers it.

• Patients with statutory health insurance: The insurer only covers treatment that is medically necessary again and approved. It does not cover purely cosmetic corrections.

• Broken or lost retainer: Replacement and repair are private services.

• Wear your retention aligner consistently – often for many years.

• Have us check your retainer regularly.

• If a retainer is damaged, have it repaired or replaced straight away.

No. There is no legal or medical guarantee of success for braces or orthodontic treatments.

• Biological differences: Every body responds differently – bones, teeth and tissue develop individually. This is why the result can never be predicted with 100% certainty.

• Medical advertising law: For legal reasons, dentists and orthodontists may not guarantee success, because medical results cannot be predicted with absolute certainty.

• Your cooperation: The result depends heavily on how consistently you cooperate – for example, by wearing removable appliances and following our advice on hygiene and appointments.

• Natural tooth movement: Even after successful treatment, teeth can shift slightly over time – even with retention.

• Orthodontic treatment can deliver very reliable and stable results, but never an absolute guarantee.

• We commit to providing professional, careful treatment, but not to a guaranteed final outcome.

• Clear communication, regular check-ups, and a consistent retention phase are essential for long-term stability.

Tooth movement after completing orthodontic treatment is possible – and any resulting costs are not covered by a guarantee.