[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Oh no! You just bit down on something and felt an odd “pop!” in your braces. You take a look, and sure enough, a braces bracket is loose, or your braces bracket came off.
What do you do? The first thing is not to panic! You aren’t the first patient to lose a bracket, and you likely won’t be the last. It can happen.
Sometimes it’s because the patient eats something they shouldn’t (like something hard or chewy), or sometimes it’s because the bracket didn’t bond properly with the tooth. Whatever the case, Kanning Orthodontics knows how to handle braces emergencies.
The staff at Kanning Orthodontics can talk you through what you need to do to protect your broken braces bracket and what steps you should take next. Handling braces issues is part of our job, and we know it can be a bit unnerving when a bracket or wire breaks.
But rest assured! We can take care of you and get your treatment back on track quickly. Let’s take a look at a few tips on what you need to do in a braces emergency. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”291″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
What if My Braces Bracket Pops Off?
Brackets are placed on your teeth with a strong bonding agent, often similar to cement. The bonding agent is very strong, but sometimes the braces bracket glue came off because of an accident, or the bond didn’t take well, or the patient just REALLY wanted to snack on those crunchy tortilla chips.
Whatever the case, you can have a loose bracket on braces on occasion. Most of the time, the bracket came off the tooth, but it’s still on wire by the elastic bands surrounding it. If that’s the case, you can cover it with dental wax until you come in for a repair so the bracket stays in place.
If the braces bracket comes loose or your bracket breaks completely, hold onto it and bring it in with you. If we can’t put it back onto your tooth, we can replace it with a new bracket.
What happens if you swallow a bracket? First, don’t panic! Our brackets are not toxic and will likely leave your system naturally within a day or two. You probably won’t even notice it.
To avoid losing a bracket, make sure you eat the right foods and avoid those that can damage your braces. That includes everything from crunchy foods like bagels to sticky foods and chewy candies like caramels. Just remember, avoiding these foods is temporary! [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”3710″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
What If I Break a Braces Wire?
Some braces use small wires to hold the archwire to the bracket. Our braces are attached to the wire with small elastics that hold the arch wire in place. What happens if you break your archwire?
That can be just as scary as a loose bracket! It can also be painful if your braces wire came out of the back bracket, as the ends of the broken wire can poke your cheek, lip, or tongue. Ouch!
If you have a broken braces wire, contact us and let us know. If it’s not a huge break, we may have you wear dental wax over the break until your next appointment (if it’s close) or until we can get you in for a special appointment.
Cover the break with dental wax, which will keep it from poking you. Pull off a pea-size piece of wax, roll it in your finger and thumb, and press it over the broken wire. If the wire is too long, you can use a pair of nail clippers to cut the wire that’s poking you, then cover it in dental wax to avoid experiencing discomfort. We’ll take care of the broken wire on your next visit.
What If I Swallow a Braces Wire or Dental Wax?
What happens if you swallow a piece of braces wire? You may have the horrific image of it spearing your organs as it goes, but that’s not the case. As with the bracket, it likely will simply pass through your system within a day or two.
That goes for your orthodontic wax, as well. Dental wax is different from other types of wax in that it’s made to be non-toxic. It’s made of natural products such as beeswax and shouldn’t make you ill at all. We don’t recommend swallowing a lot of it, but if you swallow a piece once, it’s not going to hurt you.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”248″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]
When Should I Call My Orthodontist?
If you’re one of our Liberty, MO, or Kansas City, MO, patients and break a braces wire or bracket, especially if the bracket fell off on your first day, we want you to contact us as soon as possible. If it’s after normal office hours, don’t worry. You can cover the broken spot with dental wax until we can contact you in the morning. If it’s during business hours, you can talk to us immediately, and we can work you in to make repairs.
How long can you go with a loose bracket? Unless you have several brackets pop off at once (and that is incredibly rare…usually caused by an accident or injury), losing a single bracket or popping a wire shouldn’t cause a major delay in your braces treatment.
However, repairs do need to be made as soon as possible, so book an appointment right away when you have a broken wire or floating bracket. The sooner we can make repairs, the faster we get you back on track to the smile of your dreams![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Emergency Orthodontist in Liberty, MO, and Kansas City, MO
Loose braces, broken brackets, and broken wires can be scary at first, but don’t worry! Kanning Orthodontics is ready to handle whatever orthodontic emergency you may have. We can take care of any issues you may have and get you back on track in no time!
If you have a braces emergency or dental emergency in Liberty, MO, or Kansas City, MO, schedule an appointment with us. We will fix your braces quickly and get you back to getting the smile of your dreams! [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”5399″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” img_link_target=”_blank” link=”https://consult.smiles.app/letsgo/1?ref=G86l8ORkW1″][/vc_column][/vc_row]
