Braces are essential for aligning and correcting the position of your teeth, but they can sometimes become damaged, especially while chewing. A broken or damaged bracket, wire, or other parts of your braces can be uncomfortable and, if not addressed promptly, can disrupt your treatment. If your braces break while chewing, its important to know how to manage the situation until you can get professional help from your orthodontist.
In this blog, well guide you on what to do if your braces break while chewing, how to manage the discomfort, and when you should seek professional care.
Why Do Braces Break While Chewing?
There are several reasons why braces might break while chewing:
Eating Hard or Sticky Foods: Foods like nuts, hard candy, or chewing gum can put excess pressure on the wires or brackets, causing them to break or come loose.
Accidental Bites: Sometimes, an accident, like biting down on a hard object or improperly biting food, can cause a bracket to detach or a wire to snap.
Normal Wear and Tear: Over time, the materials used in braces can weaken, and a part of the braces may break due to prolonged use.
Increased Force: When you chew something tough or improperly use your teeth, the increased pressure can cause damage, especially if your braces were already loose or under stress.
Steps to Take Immediately After Your Braces Break While Chewing
If your braces break while chewing, the first thing to do is to remain calm. Broken braces are common, and they can usually be fixed with minimal inconvenience. Heres how to handle the situation:
1. Stop Chewing and Check the Damage
Why its important: Continuing to chew on the damaged braces or a broken piece can worsen the situation.
How to do it: Stop chewing immediately. Gently check the area of your braces to assess the damage. Are the brackets or wires still attached, or have they come loose? Are any parts missing? Understanding the extent of the damage will help you decide what steps to take next.
2. Remove Any Loose Pieces
Why its important: If a bracket or wire has become detached, it could cause irritation or injury to the inside of your mouth.
How to do it: If a piece of the braces, such as a bracket or band, has come off, carefully remove it. If you can, keep the broken piece to bring to your orthodontist for repair. If a wire is poking into your cheek, gum, or tongue, carefully use a clean pencil eraser or cotton swab to gently push the wire back into place.
3. Relieve Discomfort
Why its important: Broken braces can cause discomfort or irritation, especially if the wire or bracket is poking into the inside of your mouth.
How to do it:
Use orthodontic wax: If a wire is irritating your gums or cheeks, apply a small amount of orthodontic wax to the offending wire to prevent further irritation. Simply break off a small piece of the wax, roll it into a ball, and place it over the wire or bracket causing discomfort.
Cold compress: Apply a cold compress to the outside of your cheek near the broken braces to reduce swelling and numb the pain. Use an ice pack wrapped in a cloth for 1520 minutes at a time.
Over-the-counter pain relief: If youre in significant pain, over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or acetaminophen (Tylenol) can help manage discomfort. Be sure to follow the dosage instructions on the label.
4. Avoid Eating Hard, Sticky, or Tough Foods
Why its important: Eating tough or sticky foods could worsen the damage to your braces or make the situation more uncomfortable.
How to do it: Until you can see your orthodontist, avoid chewing on hard or sticky foods. Stick to soft foods like mashed potatoes, yogurt, smoothies, or soups that wont put additional stress on your braces.
5. Contact Your Orthodontist
Why its important: Even if the damage doesnt seem severe, its important to contact your orthodontist as soon as possible to get the broken appliance repaired or replaced.
How to do it: Call your orthodontists office to explain the situation. Depending on the severity of the damage, they may advise you to come in for an emergency repair or adjust the braces temporarily. Many orthodontists will provide guidance on what you can do to manage the situation until you can get an appointment.
What to Do If You Cant See Your Orthodontist Right Away
If you cant get to your orthodontist immediately, here are a few more tips to manage the situation:
Keep any broken pieces: If a part of the braces, such as a bracket or wire, breaks off, store it in a safe place, such as a clean container, and bring it to your orthodontist. They may be able to use it in the repair.
Use a temporary fix for poking wires: If a wire is poking into your gums or cheek, you can temporarily use orthodontic wax or even a small piece of cotton ball to cover the exposed wire until you can get it fixed.
Stay on top of your oral hygiene: Even with broken braces, its important to maintain good oral hygiene to prevent food particles from getting stuck in your braces and causing further issues. Brush your teeth gently and floss around the brackets and wires to keep your mouth clean.
When to Seek Emergency Care
While most issues with broken braces can be managed with a visit to your orthodontist, there are times when immediate dental or emergency care may be necessary:
Severe pain or discomfort: If the broken braces are causing severe pain or making it impossible to eat or speak, visit your orthodontist or a dentist as soon as possible.
Injury to the mouth or gums: If a broken piece of your braces causes a significant injury to your mouth, gums, or soft tissue (such as a puncture wound), seek medical help immediately.
Difficulty with normal oral functions: If the broken braces interfere with your ability to chew, swallow, or speak properly, you may need to seek urgent care.
Preventing Future Damage to Your Braces
To minimize the chances of breaking your braces in the future, consider the following tips:
Avoid hard and sticky foods: Stay away from foods like popcorn, caramel, nuts, and chewy candies that can put excessive pressure on your braces and cause damage.
Wear a mouthguard during sports: If you play contact sports, always wear a custom-fitted mouthguard to protect your braces and teeth from injury.
Follow your orthodontists guidelines: Adhere to the instructions provided by your orthodontist, including avoiding certain foods and taking care of your braces properly.
Conclusion
A broken brace or appliance can be an inconvenience, but with quick action, you can manage the situation until you can get the necessary repairs. Using orthodontic wax, contacting your orthodontist, and avoiding hard or sticky foods will help you get by temporarily. However, always remember that broken braces need to be addressed by your orthodontist to avoid complications and to keep your treatment plan on track.