OBJECTIVE To determine whether the use of chewing gum reduced the impact and pain of fixed orthodontic appliances. METHODS The Orthodontic Department of the Charles Clifford Dental Hospital, Sheffield, UK. Fifty-seven patients aged 18 years or younger and who were about to start fixed orthodontic appliance treatment. METHODS A randomized clinical trial with two parallel groups either allocated to receive chewing gum after placement of their appliance or who were asked not to chew gum. The patients completed a previously validated Impact of Fixed Appliances questionnaire at 24 h and 1 week following each visit up until the placement of the working archwire. A visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to assess the intensity of pain. Appliance breakages were recorded to the end of treatment. RESULTS The difference between the median Total Impact Score of the two groups at 24 h was 16, which was significant (p = 0.031; Mann-Whitney U-test). The difference between the median VAS between the two groups at 24 h was 25 mm, which was significant (p = 0.038; Mann-Whitney U-test). There were no differences at 1 week. None of the risk ratios for appliance breakages were significant. CONCLUSIONS Chewing gum significantly decreased both the impact and pain from the fixed appliances. There was no evidence that chewing gum increased the incidence of appliance breakages.