The application and management of braces can be a complicated process; it is a technique for correcting teeth settings to provide you with a beautiful smile, and it requires maintenance from time to time. Wires might extend the teeth movement, eventually leading to the loosening of brackets and wearing of teeth in the gum tissue. You can find several dental clinics in Livermore, California, providing braces. Various reasons, like having sticky food or meeting with an accident, might cause the breakage or tearing of brackets or wires, causing intense pain. Consulting with a Livermore dentist might help you with professional care during this situation.
What causes broken braces?
If you are dealing with braces currently, some unavoidable mishaps might happen to you in the future, so to avoid them, there are some things you can do. Read more to learn more. The most common ways by which your braces can break may include:
Consuming sticky and hard food
Having hard and sticky food can cause severe damage to your braces. Sticky and hard foods like popcorn, nuts, caramel, chewing gum, and candies severely cause damage to your braces and lead to breakage.
If you have trauma and injury
Accidents may happen anytime, anywhere, and they sometimes lead to trauma and injury to the oral area of the person, resulting in broken braces. These injuries can occur during the time of indulging in sports, falls, or other accidents where the mouth is affected. Wearing a mouthguard during these events might help.
Having Poor oral hygiene
Oral hygiene plays a crucial role in fixing the overall dental health conditions of the mouth. Poor oral hygiene practices might lead to broken braces. Buildups of plaque in and around the poaches and wires may become dislodged, causing the wire to break.
Chewing of non-edible items
Items like pens, fingernails, pencils, or chewing gums can cause unnecessary pressure on the braces, leading to the risk of breakage.
What do you do if the braces tend to break?
Even if taking measures, the braces tend to break; here are some tips to perform at first without any delay:
Assess the situation
The foremost thing to do when you discover any breakage to the teeth is to examine the area properly. Do not manipulate or touch the area to avoid the risk of further damage; do not even use your tongue, as it can also cause injury to the area, worsening the situation.
Rinse your mouth
Take the help of lukewarm water and gently rinse your mouth with it to remove any food particles or buildups that might be present in that area.
Examine for shape edges
Sometimes, the broken braces may have sharp edges that may cause cuts or discomfort in your mouth containing soft tissues. Orthodontics might use wax to clear those areas to prevent them from causing damage to your mouth.
Contact your dentist
Your dentist is your rescuer; rush to your dentist as only they can help you in that situation. Contact your dentist by phone to make the earliest appointment possible and take notes on how to manage it for a temporary crisis.
Attend scheduled appointments
Always make sure to attend the appointments on time for routine checkups and for recommendations from your dentists. They will stay proactive and help you to get the perfect treatment without any delays.
My braces are broken. Can I fix it at home?
No, you should not try to touch that affected part any further. The foremost thing is to see your dentist. Fixing the braces at home may worsen the situation. You may also use orthodontic wax to reduce any further irritation caused by it.
Can we call an emergency on a broken brace?
Typically, broken braces cannot be termed as an emergency, but they must be treated as soon as possible by your dentist.
