At Manuka Smiles we are dedicated to ongoing support and education of our patients regarding their oral hygiene. After the braces are place, one of our staff members will discuss in detail the best brushing technique for braces and teeth.

It's more important than ever to brush and floss regularly when you have braces, so the teeth and gums are healthy after orthodontic treatment.

Printable instructions >

At each appointment you will be given an oral hygiene rating.

Our ratings are: 1) Excellent 2) Good 3) Satisfactory and 4) Unsatisfactory.

If we see that your brushing is unsatisfactory for a few visits you will have an appointment made with the hygienist that will be specifically focused on tooth brushing skills.

If your oral hygiene does not improve, the orthodontic wires will be removed to enable easier brushing. Removing the orthodontic wires does make brushing easier but it can result in additional time that the patient will be in treatment. There is no additional charge to parents for any additional treatment time due to poor oral hygiene. We are only doing our best to ensure that the new smile will not be disfigured by unsightly marks or cavities.