Having a Cleaning With Braces On?

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Funtobeme
Posts: 27
Joined: Sat Aug 17, 2013 10:46 pm
Location: Seattle, Wa

Having a Cleaning With Braces On?

#1 Post by Funtobeme »

My teeth feel gross. And now with all this on, my teeth feel grosser. Even though I take way better care of them now than at any other point in my life thus far. bleh.
I like to get a cleaning every six months but time did not allow for it before my braces went on. At my next scheduled "tightening" I will have the arch wires removed and my teeth cleaned. I'm dreading it!! My teeth feel so loose I can't imagine them blasting away to clean them :( Any advice or experience having a cleaning while braced would be appreciated!

scraggy
Posts: 120
Joined: Fri Sep 13, 2013 11:38 am
Location: England

Re: Having a Cleaning With Braces On?

#2 Post by scraggy »

Hi.
When I've have cleanings I've taken a mild pain killer 30 mins before appointment.

Also brush teeth with sensitive toothpaste before you go in.

But try not to worry just tell them what you can and can't tolerate.

kathydell
Posts: 268
Joined: Thu Jun 06, 2013 2:02 pm

Re: Having a Cleaning With Braces On?

#3 Post by kathydell »

I do the Tylenol about 1/2 hour before the appointment but I haven't had any challenge at all with a dental cleaning with the braces on. It doesn't eliminate the grossness 100% but it does feel a lot better when you get the cleaning. The other thing I've found helps is when they take your wire off at routine adjustments, ask if you can run to their brush sink and brush with the wire out. It's just another way get the brackets cleaner without the wire in the way.

Snowglobe32
Posts: 1224
Joined: Fri Oct 02, 2009 9:05 pm

Re: Having a Cleaning With Braces On?

#4 Post by Snowglobe32 »

I had all but one of my cleanings with my wires out (braced for almost 4 years, 3 cleanings a year). The one time my wires were still on, I didn't feel like my cleaning was all that great. But that is strictly a personal preference. A lot of people don't have their wires removed because it isn't easy to coordinate ortho and dentist appts. It was easy for me because my ortho and dentist are down the street from each other.

The hygienist said it was much easier with the wires out, she could get all around the brackets really well. Plus, since I had ceramic upper brackets, I liked being able to see the difference when the wires were out. I didn't really feel any pain with any of the cleanings, if anything, it was better the next day.

JohnsonSon
Posts: 48
Joined: Mon Jul 29, 2013 8:16 pm

Re: Having a Cleaning With Braces On?

#5 Post by JohnsonSon »

I just had my first cleaning since I had my braces put on. They did some kind of water powered / below the gum-line cleaning that they do for people with braces and then the regular cleaning after that. Didn't feel a thing and was out of there in 20 min.

Funtobeme
Posts: 27
Joined: Sat Aug 17, 2013 10:46 pm
Location: Seattle, Wa

Re: Having a Cleaning With Braces On?

#6 Post by Funtobeme »

JohnsonSon wrote:I just had my first cleaning since I had my braces put on. They did some kind of water powered / below the gum-line cleaning that they do for people with braces and then the regular cleaning after that. Didn't feel a thing and was out of there in 20 min.
How long have you been braced? Did any of your teeth hurt before you went in?

Matilda
Posts: 605
Joined: Sun Jul 21, 2013 11:46 pm

Re: Having a Cleaning With Braces On?

#7 Post by Matilda »

I've had 2 dental cleanings with my braces on. The hygienist worked around the metal. She flossed my teeth as well. No problems whatsoever!
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sirwired
Posts: 2104
Joined: Thu Oct 30, 2008 10:05 am

Re: Having a Cleaning With Braces On?

#8 Post by sirwired »

An experienced hygienist should have no problem. Mine has to use a special attachment for the polisher and it takes her a little longer, but other than that, it's pretty normal, and my teeth look like they always have after a cleaning. (I haven't been able to floss regularly since my ortho put me in tie wires (catches and cuts the floss), so my gums felt like hamburger, but that wouldn't be fixed by pulling the archwires.)

Winkos
Posts: 50
Joined: Sun May 19, 2013 12:32 pm

Re: Having a Cleaning With Braces On?

#9 Post by Winkos »

I had mine cleaned a few weeks ago with the wires on. Like JonsonSon they used an ultrasonic cleaner and scraped a little. After that the floss and polish. They still do not feel clean to me. I had two teeth I asked the hygenist to look at closely because they always feel "dirty" but she said they weren't. The most important thing for me was the gum measurements which were all normal.

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djspeece
Posts: 2098
Joined: Mon Oct 29, 2012 9:36 am
Location: North Canton, Ohio USA

Re: Having a Cleaning With Braces On?

#10 Post by djspeece »

I had the same problem. I have some teeth that were already a bit sensitive to cold etc. and the first hygienist I had apparently had graduated from the Bogu (apparently French for Bogus) Arm Strong School of Dental Hygiene and Hell, and it was rough and uncomfortable. Since I go to a relatively large practice, others were available and in the future I made appointments with other hygienists who listened when I told them about my issues. Well not all of my issues, lord knows that would be an all day conversation, but you get it.
I mentioned the experience to my dentist, who said something like "Yeah, she's a bit rough, she came from a periodontal practice." Note to Dan: Avoid periodontists.
Dan

Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional. -- Buddist saying

JohnsonSon
Posts: 48
Joined: Mon Jul 29, 2013 8:16 pm

Re: Having a Cleaning With Braces On?

#11 Post by JohnsonSon »

Funtobeme wrote:
JohnsonSon wrote:I just had my first cleaning since I had my braces put on. They did some kind of water powered / below the gum-line cleaning that they do for people with braces and then the regular cleaning after that. Didn't feel a thing and was out of there in 20 min.
How long have you been braced? Did any of your teeth hurt before you went in?
At the time, ~4.5 months, elastics for 2 of those. My teeth didn't hurt but my jaw was a bit sore from the elastics.

xanidu2012
Posts: 324
Joined: Sat May 12, 2012 5:46 pm

Re: Having a Cleaning With Braces On?

#12 Post by xanidu2012 »

I've had teeth cleaning with my brace wires on. It is hard to coordinate with Orthodontist and dentist but the hygienist says they are clean but to me they are not. I hope by the time my next cleaning comes along I will be out of braces
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finchy0410
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Sep 24, 2013 1:38 pm

Re: Having a Cleaning With Braces On?

#13 Post by finchy0410 »

I've had several cleanings with my braces on. Tbh it was pretty much a non-event. The hygienist wasn't fazed, she just used whatever instruments she needed to clean around each bracket.

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Funtobeme
Posts: 27
Joined: Sat Aug 17, 2013 10:46 pm
Location: Seattle, Wa

Re: Having a Cleaning With Braces On?

#14 Post by Funtobeme »

Going it tomorrow for the cleaning..we shall see how this goes :(

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Chicken
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Joined: Sat Mar 30, 2013 7:32 pm
Location: Pass Christian

Re: Having a Cleaning With Braces On?

#15 Post by Chicken »

I have my teeth cleaned every 3 months while in braces. My dentist and periodontist alternate. The wires have been in on both times an there were no problems. Took a couple of advil before for insurance.

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