If your braces become loose, you have to take action right away. This is because with the bracket of the braces loose, the bracket is not grabbing onto your tooth and moving it into alignment with the rest of the teeth. This can set back your time with braces because the tooth will need time to catch up with the rest of the teeth. You should also be aware that if the bracket is loose, this increases your risk that it will fall off into your mouth causing you to choke. Here are three things to do immediately if your braces were to become loose:
Call Orthodontist Right Away
The first thing that you should do is call your orthodontist right away. He or she will determine whether or not you can wait until your next appointment to get it fixed or if you should schedule an appointment sooner. Either way, it's important that your orthodontist know about the problem right away so that they can plan ahead for the treatment. It takes extra time to repair a loose bracket, so they will need to know in order to accommodate for that extra time.
Use Orthodontic Wax
Typically, when you receive braces, your orthodontist will provide you with plenty of orthodontic wax. This wax can be used to cover up any of the metal that may be poking you. If the loose bracket is rubbing on your teeth, you should use this orthodontic wax to prevent any discomfort until your orthodontist is able to fix it. If you don't have orthodontic wax, then you can always use suger-free chewing gum.
Try to Take Off Bracket
The only time you should attempt to take the bracket off from the wire is when the rubber elastic came off. If this is the case, you should try and remove the bracket because you don't want to risk the bracket being too loose and falling off the wire completely. Without the rubber, the bracket won't easily stay in place and this put you at risk of both loosing the bracket and potentially choking on it. To remove the bracket yourself, use tweezers to grab onto the bracket and gently pull it off. If you aren't comfortable doing this, then talk to your orthodontist about getting an even earlier appointment if possible so that they can do this for you.
By knowing what to do if your braces become loose, you can be sure that you take the right actions to prevent yourself from having to deal with some of the problems associated with loose brackets. For more information, talk to a professional like Alegre Dental and Braces.
Share26 August 2015
Halloween is a holiday that my children love, and telling them they can't go door-to-door collecting candy would break their hearts. This led me to allowing them to collect candy on the holiday, then rationing it out to them every day instead of letting them gobble it up in just a few days. I always thought this was better for them, but my dentist told me this could be the reason why their February dental check-ups were always their worst ones. Daily candy consumption was taking a toll on their teeth. I started a new tradition of letting them indulge for two days, then giving them the option to swap the rest with me in exchange for a new toy. They never pass on the opportunity for a new toy. I created this blog to encourage other parents find similar tactics to keep their children's teeth healthy after Halloween.