What Happens If Your Brace Snaps?
If you have had fixed appliances fitted whether it be on the front of your teeth or behind your teeth then you will have been given wear and care instructions on the day they were fitted.
At this point we always advise to check your appliances daily to ensure nothing has come off and any additional items we may have added to the appliance are intact. Breakages can occur for a variety of reasons but the most common reason is that the patient has bitten into something they shouldn’t have.
Accidents happen, we are all aware of this but we would advise that you avoid biting into anything that was hard, sticky or chewy. Avoid biting into pizza crusts, apples, corn on the cob and ensure that everything is cut up and eaten in small pieces.
Sticky and chewy items such as chewy sweets and chewing gum need to be avoided throughout Orthodontic treatment as they can pull the little modules off that hold the wire on the bracket.
If you have an Incognito appliance (a brace that is fitted behind your teeth) and you notice that a bracket has come away from the tooth surface, please keep the bracket safe until your next visit. These brackets are custom made and take around 2 weeks to re order, if you have managed to keep the bracket then we can prepare the fitting surface and re-cement the bracket back into position. If you have lost a bracket that is fitted to the buccal (front of your tooth) surface, then these are often stock items that we hold at the practice.
If you attend the practice for an emergency appointment our aim is to relieve the discomfort, it maybe the case that a further appointment is required for the definitive treatment. Always contact the practice on 0161 884 1481 or via email on info@manchesterorthodontics.co.uk should you feel something isn’t right with your appliance and we can discuss your options further.
- Mohammad Malik
