If your child has a broken bracket, or one of the brackets on their braces has broken loose from their tooth, don’t panic. A broken bracket is a common occurrence and nothing to worry about. If your child’s bracket breaks, call our office and schedule an appointment. Learn more about broken brackets in Weatherford, TX.
How are Braces Brackets Attached?
First, braces brackets are attached to the tooth by a bonding material. This bonding material is then hardened by blue light. If the material weakens over time or a force is put on it, the bracket could break. If the bracket breaks, your child may experience the bracket sliding or spin around the archwire. In the rare case that your bracket slides off the archwire into your child’s mouth, remove the bracket from the mouth. However, your child will not be hurt by swallowing the bracket.
Reasons for a Broken Bracket
Your child’s bracket can detach from their tooth for many different reasons. If your child is eating foods that are not recommended for braces treatment, they could break their bracket. While wearing braces, foods that are not recommended are crunchy, sticky, or hard foods. Another cause of a broken bracket could be your child’s bite. If they grind their teeth at night or if their top teeth press down on their bottom brackets, this could put pressure on the brackets and break them. Lastly, a sporting accident, such as getting hit in the face, could cause a bracket to break.
When Should I Call the Orthodontist?
If your child has a broken bracket, call Wood Orthodontics right away. The best way to repair a broken bracket is in the orthodontist’s office. At home, if the bracket is irritating your child’s mouth, encourage them to place orthodontic wax over the bracket. To put the wax, first dry off the area with a tissue or napkin. Then, place the wax over the bracket. Doing this should relieve discomfort before your dental appointment.
How are Braces Repaired?
The process to fix a broken bracket is about ten minutes. To restore the broken bracket, Dr. Wood will first remove the bracket from your braces. Dr. Wood and his team will then clean the bracket. While the bracket is being cleaned, Dr. Wood will clean the tooth and polish it. He will remove any remaining bonding material on the tooth. Then, Dr. Wood will bond the cleaned bracket to the tooth. He will use a blue light to cure the bonding material. Once the bracket is attached to the tooth, he will reattach the archwire, completing your braces again.
How can My Child Avoid a Broken Bracket?
There are several ways that we recommend your child avoids a broken bracket. Not only is a broken bracket uncomfortable, but it also takes extra time away from your family to visit the dentist. One way to avoid a broken bracket is to eat the right foods. Avoid eating hard, crunchy, and sticky foods that weaken and break brackets. Additionally, your child should not chew on objects such as pens, pencils, and nails. If your child plays contact sports, Dr. Wood recommends that they wear a mouthguard during sports to avoid an injury. With these simple suggestions, your child can avoid breaking a braces bracket.
If your child has a broken bracket, Dr. Wood and his team are here to help them through the experience. The bracket may cause discomfort. In this case, we recommend that your child places orthodontic wax over the bracket. Additionally, we recommend calling our office right away to schedule an appointment. Call our office today for more information about broken brackets or other orthodontic treatments.