What should I pack for travelling with braces?

Wax, a travel brush, floss threaders, your full supply of elastics, sanitised nail clippers for a long wire end, and the clinic's number.

What do I do if my braces break on vacation?

Wax the problem, and call the clinic. Most breakages wait safely until you're home; any local orthodontist can trim a wire if needed.

How do I travel with Invisalign?

Carry the current, next two and previous trays in cases, keep changing by days elapsed across time zones, and never use hot water on trays.

Travelling With Braces or Invisalign: The Checklist

Consult
Records
Bond
Adjust
Debond
Retain

Before any trip longer than a week, see us for a check so nothing's loose. Pack wax, a travel brush, floss threaders and the clinic number. Aligner patients: pack the current tray, the next two, and the previous one, in cases. If something breaks abroad, wax it and call us — most problems wait a fortnight without harm, and any local orthodontist can trim a wire.

The braces travel kit

Two packets of orthodontic wax (one migrates).
Travel brush and paste; floss threaders or a portable water flosser.
Elastics — the whole supply, plus a spare bag in a different pocket.
Nail clippers, sanitised, for a genuinely long wire end (wax the fresh end after).
Our number, saved: (604) 949-0654.

The aligner travel kit

Current tray in, next two in cases, previous one as a fallback if a tray is lost.
A spare case — the napkin is how aligners are lost on planes.
Clear soap and a small container for soaking; never hot water, including hotel bathrooms.
Your change schedule written down; on long-haul trips, keep changing by days elapsed, not local dates.

If something breaks away from home

A poking wire: wax, or a careful clip, then call. A loose bracket still on the wire: slide it to a comfortable spot, wax it, and call — it can wait until you're home unless it's a long trip, in which case any local orthodontist can help. A lost aligner: wear the previous tray and call; we'll order a replacement for your return. Nothing about a holiday breakage is a crisis, and we'd rather you enjoyed the trip.

Longer absences

Exchanges, camp, a semester away: tell us the dates and we'll adjust the plan — a longer wire that can go three months, a batch of aligners, elastic supplies, and a written note for a local orthodontist if needed. Treatment can pause safely for a few months on a passive wire; it can't pause safely with a broken one.

Frequently asked questions

Can I fly with braces?

Of course — nothing about braces affects flying or security.

What if I lose my aligner on holiday?

Wear the previous tray, keep the routine, and call us for a replacement on return.

Should I see the orthodontist before a long trip?

Yes — a quick check that nothing's loose, and supplies for the time away.

If it were our own family

A pre-trip check, two packets of wax, the elastics supply split between two bags, and the previous aligner kept as a fallback. We'd enjoy the holiday; breakages wait.

What people also search for

“Braces broke on vacation”

Wax it and call; most problems wait until you're home, and any local orthodontist can trim a wire.

“Travelling with Invisalign tips”

Current, next two and previous trays in cases; change by days elapsed; never hot water.

“Can I get braces adjusted abroad?”

Rarely needed for a holiday; for a semester away, we'll plan a passive wire or a batch of trays and a note for a local orthodontist.

The bottom line

See us before a long trip, pack the kit, and know that almost nothing that breaks on holiday can't wait or be waxed.

Travelling with braces or aligners