The brackets or wires of your braces can break for several reasons, including eating hard or sticky foods or trauma to the mouth. While you can repair some minor problems yourself, we recommend contacting Oak Tree Orthodontist for more serious issues. Here are some of the most common problems that patients report to Dr. Ray Melendez:

1. Poking bracket or wire: If a wire has become dislodged from its bracket, find a small piece of wax and roll it between your fingers. You can then place it on your lip in the area experiencing irritation. If you have a wire poking your lip in the front of your mouth, push it away from the lip with the eraser of a pencil.
2. Broken wire: With a pencil eraser in hand, push the broken wire very gently towards your teeth. If that doesn’t work or it has broken off, remove the wire from your mouth and place in a plastic bag. You should schedule an appointment right away so Dr. Melendez can re-attach it.
3. Loose or broken band or bracket: Please contact us right away if you notice that a band or bracket is loose or broken but still attached to its wire. Your dentist will bond it to your tooth again. For a band or bracket that has fallen off, be sure to pick it up and place in a plastic bag for safekeeping. Again, you should schedule an appointment with Oak Tree Orthodontist as soon as possible.
4. Small cuts in the mouth caused by brackets or wires: Rinse your mouth with one teaspoon of warm water and one teaspoon of salt. If you have persistent bleeding or a lot of pain, contact us for an immediate appointment.
5. Improper fitting retainers, broken retainers, or damaged appliance: Call promptly to schedule an appointment.

These represent just some of the issues you may experience while wearing braces. We provide all patients with care tips to help avoid these types of problems. However, don’t hesitate to contact us when you need help. A delay in fixing the problem will only prolong your treatment time.