What to Expect When Getting Train Track Braces?
Your initial consultation
Your dentist will carry out a full and comprehensive dental examination — this may include some X-rays to assess the current condition of your teeth and jaw and facial bones. Some photos and impressions may also be taken of your teeth at this initial appointment, both for your own record and to allow your dentist to keep track of your treatment as it progresses. This record keeping can also be carried out instead at your next appointment just before your chosen braces are fitted, if that is preferred or more appropriate in your individual case.
At this evaluation visit your dentist will assess your suitability for conventional Train Track Braces and answer all questions or concerns that you have. They will then be able to provide you with a detailed treatment plan, including the expected duration of the course, what you can expect from your treatment, any risks or complications that you should be aware of, full guidance on the care and maintenance of your preferred braces, and a breakdown of the total cost of your braces treatment and how it functions in detail with our various available payment plans.
Fitting your braces
Once your dentist has ensured that an initial record of your teeth before any treatment has begun has been preserved in pictures and physical impressions, they will begin to place the braces.
No injections or drilling are required at any stage during this appointment. Your dentist will simply use air and water to clean and dry your teeth and your chosen ceramic tooth-coloured or metal ‘brackets’ of the braces will be stuck to your teeth with a special dental glue. These brackets are then linked together with a metal orthodontic wire, which is what applies tension to the teeth to encourage them to move into their planned, ideal positions. The entire appointment will only take about 20 to 30 minutes, although if you are having both upper and lower braces fitted, this may be carried out over two appointments depending on your specific case and whether a time delay between the two stages is recommended by your dentist.
Once your braces are securely in place, your dentist will ensure you are familiar with the specific care and maintenance instructions for your braces, and our front-of-house team will schedule your first check-up monitoring appointment before you leave the clinic.
It is quite normal to experience some slight tenderness after having your braces fitted. This is a good sign that your teeth are beginning to move and is nothing to be concerned about. The majority of any discomfort experienced takes place immediately following your braces between fitted or adjusted, and any tenderness or sensitivity should ease after 24 hours and can be effectively managed at home with over-the-counter pain relief medication.
Regular check-ups
It is essential to attend regular check-ups during your orthodontic treatment. This allows your dental team to monitor your progress (including regular documenting of your alignment progress in a picture record) and to make adjustments to your braces. This will periodically involve tightening or even changing your wires, or re-positioning a bracket. Routine check-ups typically last between 10 to 20 minutes and are scheduled every 4 to 6 weeks depending on each patient’s case. Our dentists and front of house team will always advise of when you should return for your next check-up before you leave the clinic.
Aftercare and Getting the Most from Your Braces
On the successful completion of your orthodontic treatment plan with Train Track braces, your dentist will discuss your options for long term maintenance of your new smile. Without the consistent use of either a removable or fixed retainer your teeth will revert back to their original position, and so to prevent this once your braces have been removed you will either need to wear a removable orthodontic retainer every night (included in this final review). We also offer a fixed retainer that is permanently bonded to your teeth, if preferred, and your dentist can advise on this option and on the importance of maintaining correct retention over your lifetime, to reliably stabilise and maintain your newly straightened smile.
Once you have undertaken intensive orthodontic work like Train Track braces, it is vital to keep to a regular 6-monthly appointment schedule with your dentist to ensure there is no loss of progress and to offset any potential issues or risks and maintain everything as it should be. These regular check-up and cleaning visits will maximise the lifespan and aesthetics of your freshly straightened teeth as well as your overall oral health and smile.