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According to orthodontists, an estimated one in three of their patients are adults. If you have braces as an adult, you are likely to have an easier time caring for them than your kids. But, broken wires and brackets can happen to anyone, no matter how careful. Let’s take a closer look at what you should do if you’re dealing with a broken bracket or wire.

How To Address Loose Or Broken Brackets

If one of your braces brackets is loose or has fallen off, the first thing to do is remain calm. There’s no need to panic, simply hold on to the bracket and take it with you to your next appointment. When the bracket’s only loose, but hasn’t come off, you can use a small bit of wax to hold it in place. As difficult as it may be, try not to touch or poke at loose brackets. Contact your orthodontist to see if the issue can wait for your scheduled appointment, or if they’d like you to come in right away.

What To Do About Broken Or Protruding Wires

Broken and protruding wires can cause a lot of discomfort or even pain. If the protruding wire can be easily slipped back into the wire using a toothbrush or pencil erasure, that should take care of the problem. If the wire’s hitting your cheek, it can cause a lot of discomfort. Try putting orthodontic wax on the end of the wire to stop it from scraping your mouth and gums. If that isn’t effective, you’ll need to schedule an appointment to have the situation remedied.

Schedule An Appointment With Your Orthodontist

Whenever something unexpected happens with your braces, whether it be loose brackets, broken wires, or missing spacers, your first thought may be to just tough it out until your next regularly scheduled appointment. At the very least, it’s advisable to give the office a call to speak to a hygienist about what’s occurred. They can then give you further guidance about how to move forward. Good communication with your orthodontist and their staff is an important part of successful treatment. Be sure to keep them informed.

Our orthodontic team is here to help you with any issues you experience during your treatment. Feel free to give us a call with any questions or concerns you have about your braces.