Panic can set in quickly when dealing with broken braces. Although these metal brackets and wires are meant to stay in place throughout treatment, excessive pressure or facial trauma can cause them to pop off, poke, or become loose. Before allowing your mind to venture to a worst-case scenario, learn what you can do to minimize further harm and keep your straighter smile on track.
What Can Cause Braces to Break?
When having your braces attached during the placement process, your orthodontist will use a special bonding agent to ensure they remain affixed to the surfaces of your teeth. Although strong and durable, they’re not entirely immune from breakage.
This is why when eating something hard, chewy, or crunchy, you may accidentally cause a bracket to come loose or an archwire to poke out. It’s also possible that while playing sports or engaging in exercise or any other form of physical activity you might sustain damage to your mouth.
What Should You Do if Your Braces Break?
If you find yourself in a situation where your braces are no longer in the correct place or have come loose from your teeth, do not panic. Instead, take these steps:
- Assess your mouth to look for any bleeding, lacerations, or damaged teeth.
- Once you have discovered the issue, call your orthodontist right away and let them know about your situation.
- While waiting for your emergency orthodontic appointment, you can take control by trying the following at-home techniques:
- When dealing with a loose bracket, if it’s removable, bring it to your appointment. If not, use orthodontic wax to cover the metal so it will not only hold the bracket but reduce irritation to your soft oral tissues.
- If it’s a broken wire that needs fixing, use orthodontic wax to cover the end if you cannot successfully push it back into place with a rubber eraser.
- Stay away from hard, crunchy, or chewy foods.
How to Prevent Damage to Your Braces
Making sure your braces stay intact is important if you want to avoid a delay in treatment. Although you may try hard to be mindful of what you eat and how you exercise, accidents can happen anytime. A few things you can do, though, to reduce the risk include:
- Choose softer foods, as these will not cause you to place unnecessary pressure on your teeth and braces.
- Wear a custom-made athletic mouthguard if you play sports.
- Inquire about a custom-made nightguard if you tend to grind or clench your teeth while you sleep.
- Be careful not to brush too aggressively.
Your orthodontist can make sure your braces are put back into place if you discover a bracket, band, or wire is broken. However, by taking important steps the moment you injure your smile, you can reduce your risk of further harm and make sure your pearly whites continue to move in the right direction.
About the Author
Dr. Marissa Mikolich has more than a decade of experience helping her patients achieve straighter, more beautiful smiles. She earned a doctoral degree in dentistry from The University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine before going on to receive a master’s degree in oral biology from The Ohio State University College of Dentistry. At Mikolich Orthodontics, she deals with all types of orthodontic emergencies and is here to bring peace of mind to each patient suffering from a broken bracket or wire. If you sustain an unexpected injury to your mouth or braces, visit our website or call (330) 967-4110.