While orthodontic braces are one of the strongest materials around, they can also get damaged. However, there is no need to worry because dealing with broken braces is easier than you think.You can do interim measures to help prevent injuries and infections while waiting for your appointment.https://sunrise-dentistry.com/blog/how-to-handle-broken-braces/
How to Handle Broken
Braces
B LOG | S UNR I S E D EN T I S T R Y
https://sunrise-dentistry.com/
Orthodontic treatment can do so
much more than simply
straightening your teeth for a more
beautiful smile. Braces also improve
your oral health.
Unfortunately, while they are
incredibly durable and are meant to
last for the extent of your treatment,
under certain circumstances, you may
have to deal with a broken bracket or
wire.
How Do Orthodontic Damages
Occur?
The brackets and wires can break for
several reasons:
Eating hard, crunchy, or sticky
foods
Bad habits such as biting your
fingernails and chewing pens or
ice
Brushing teeth vigorously or
incorrectly
Using toothpick or floss
roughly
A poor bond between the tooth
and the bracket
Injury or trauma to the mouth
Broken braces may cause discomfort,
cuts, and abrasions in your mouth. If
left unfixed, it will make your
treatment less effective.
While it is best to see an orthodontist
as soon as you notice a problem, your
braces may break during off-hours or
while you are on a holiday vacation.
In this case, you can do interim
measures to control the degree of
damage and avoid possible
complications.
What You Can Do?
1. Check the Damage
Loose Bracket
Brackets are either metal or
ceramic pieces. They are attached
to every tooth using a composite
resin. This resin, however, can
weaken or break if you regularly
eat food that is hard or sticky.
This, in turn, can cause a bracket
to come loose and poke into your
cheeks, gums, or tongue.
In case of a loose bracket, apply
orthodontic wax to areas of sharp
metal to irritation, sores, or
lacerations to your cheeks, gums, and
lips.
This wax is available at any drugstore
or supermarket. They are safe to use
and non-toxic if accidentally
swallowed.
Loose or Protruding Wire
A protruding or broken wire may
cause irritation or injury to different
areas of your mouth. You may push
the wire away from the affected area
using a cotton bud or the eraser end of
a pencil.
If it is too risky to tuck away the wire,
cover its end with ort