Broken Braces? Lost Aligner? What to Do in an Emergency

What happens if a braces bracket pops off your tooth? Or a wire breaks? What if your Invisalign tray gets lost or damaged? What do you do in an orthodontic emergency? 

Braces emergencies and Invisalign emergencies aren’t uncommon, but the key is not to panic. There are things you can do to help the situation, and, of course, Connolly Orthodontics in Ballantyne, NC, is here for you if something happens. 

Here are some of the situations that may pop up during treatment and what you can do to solve them. 

Loose or Popped Braces Bracket

What do you do if a braces bracket is loose or pops off your tooth? Chances are, it’s not going anywhere because it’s attached to the archwire. 

If it’s loose but still attached to the archwire, place some dental wax over it to hold it in place until it can be fixed. Give us a call so we can set up an appointment to bring you in for repairs. 

Don’t panic if you accidentally swallow a bracket. The stainless steel (metal) and clear ceramic (clear) brackets are non-toxic and should pass through your system within 24 hours. They shouldn’t cause a problem unless you accidentally inhale one. It’s very rare to do so, but if you do, go to the emergency room immediately! 

Broken or Poking Braces Wire

It’s rare to break an archwire. It’s a pretty thick piece of steel. However, the archwires are sized to extend the length of your dental arch, from one back molar to the other. As your teeth move together, the archwire slides out the back of your braces band on the back molars and may poke you. 

If that happens, you can relieve the discomfort with a piece of orthodontic wax. Just place it over the back of the archwire to provide a buffer between the wire and your cheek or gums. That should keep you until you see us again. 

We usually have you visit every 6-8 weeks to track your progress, make any necessary adjustments, and replace your archwires. So if you do have archwires that are too long, they will be replaced by better ones. 

What if the wire looks bent? We may do that ourselves to pull a tooth back in line with its neighbors. Don’t try to fix your wires yourself. You can do more harm than good. 

Lost or Damaged Invisalign Tray

What if you lose or damage an Invisalign tray? This is one of the reasons why we request that you hang onto your previous sets of Invisalign trays. If something happens to your current one, we may step you back into the previous tray until we can get you in for a replacement. 

Call us first before you decide to use the old tray. If it’s close enough to time to change, we may move you early to your next set of Invisalign trays. We usually have you switch them out every 1-2 weeks. If you’re only a couple of days away, we may have you move to the next set early. 

Always be sure to keep your Invisalign in a proper storage container when they aren’t in your mouth. NEVER wrap your Invisalign in a napkin at a restaurant — there is a good chance you could throw it out accidentally. 

Also, keep your trays out of reach of small children and pets, who could think of them as toys and damage them. 

How Do Braces Get Damaged?

Often, braces are damaged because the patient eats something they shouldn’t, which pulls off a bracket or breaks or bends a wire. This is why we have a list of no-no foods while you’re wearing braces. Tempting as they might be, these foods can damage your braces. Stay away from foods that are:

• Sticky
• Crunchy
• Hard
• Chewy

You can also damage braces by accidents and mouth injuries. We recommend that if you play sports this summer, wear a mouthguard to protect your teeth and braces. That will help prevent damage to your braces and to your mouth. 

There is also a chance the bonding agent doesn’t hold properly, causing a bracket to pop off. This will probably happen pretty quickly after getting your braces, if it happens at all. If it does, give us a call. We can replace it pretty easily. 

Tips to Take Care of Your Orthodontics

Here are a few tips to avoid damaging your braces or clear aligners and keep your orthodontic treatment on track.

• Avoid eating the forbidden foods. Remember, the food restrictions for braces are temporary. Once your treatment is done, you can go back to enjoying popcorn, tortilla chips, taffy, and hard candy. 
• Wear a mouthguard during sports. Mouthguards will not only protect your braces from damage from being hit in the mouth, but it will protect your cheeks, lips, and tongue from being damaged by your braces. A boil-and-bite mouthguard should work just fine, and it can be adjusted as your teeth move. 
• Keep your Invisalign in a protective case when they’re out of your mouth. This will reduce the chances of you losing or damaging them. Just don’t keep them in a hot car during the summer. They will warp and become unwearable. 
• Brush and floss your teeth regularly, and soak your Invisalign trays at least once a week. Keeping your orthodontics clean will prevent tooth decay, gum disease, bad breath, and illness. 
• Use a soft-bristled toothbrush with braces, and brush with gentle pressure. Harder bristles and pressure can damage your braces. 
• Keep your orthodontic appointments. Regular checkups will allow us to spot any potential problems and make repairs before they get worse. 

Invisalign and Braces Emergency Care in Ballantyne, NC

Connolly Orthodontics can make repairs to your braces or clear aligners if you have a braces emergency or Invisalign emergency in Ballantyne, NC, or Matthews, NC. Schedule an appointment with us to have repairs made quickly.