Common Problems with Braces and How to Fix Them

Braces are an incredible way to change the appearance of your smile. However, problems can arise for various reasons. To help you keep calm in an emergency situation, here is a comprehensive list of some of the most common problems with braces and how to fix them.

Wires digging in

Brace wires can sometimes come away from the teeth and dig into the gum, causing discomfort. Depending on the circumstance, you may be able to fix this at home.

If the wire is thin, then it may be possible for you or a family member to use tweezers to replace the wire in the tube/band. You can then trim the excess wire with scissors or nail clippers. However, the issue could be that the wire has rotated around the teeth, and is now longer on one side than it is on the other. To fix this, take a pair of tweezers and a rubber-ended pencil – or a teaspoon – and simply push the wire back into place.

If the wire is very thick and stiff, it may not be possible to cut the wire with home instruments. In this case, you will have to cover the wire with orthodontic wax (to prevent it being sharp) and call your orthodontist as soon as possible to arrange an emergency appointment. You can collect more wax from the Practice if you run out before your appointment, or in a pinch, you can use the wax covering from hard cheese such as Babybell.

Bracket off

One of the most common problems with braces is brackets coming off. A bracket coming off is not a serious issue and can likely wait until your next routine appointment to be fixed, so long as it is not causing you any pain or discomfort. However, if the bracket is moving around and causing irritation to the inside of your mouth, then call the Practice to arrange an emergency appointment. You can treat the issue in the short term with orthodontic wax.

Elastic Bands

Elastic bands can come off and this is one of the more common problems with braces, so you don’t need to worry. You may even swallow some – this is completely harmless.

If you run low or out of elastics, please call into the practice to collect some more. Alternatively, we can send you some more out via the post. Please ensure that you keep note of the size and strength of bands that you need so that you can reorder the correct ones.

Lost module(s)

If you lose a module or two, this will not result in any discomfort and so you don’t have to do anything. However, if you are concerned, try to make the wire secure in the place where the module has been lost by using using your orthodontic wax.

Exposed end of wire tie – long ligature or short ligature

If the twisted end is sharp, you can re-tuck the sharp end underneath the wire, or around the nearest bracket. You can use your nail, a teaspoon or tweezers to do this, although you may need someone to help you. If the wire is fractured, you can remove the broken wire with tweezers.

If you are unable to correct the issue, cover the wire using your orthodontic wax and call the practice ASAP to arrange an emergency appointment.

Broken bonded retainers

First of all, please call the practice ASAP to arrange an emergency appointment. In the meantime, push wire back down towards the tooth as much as possible using your fingers or tweezers and cover with orthodontic wax.

If it is still very sharp, you can cut the exposed, unbonded wire using tweezers and nail clippers/scissors. Gently pull the wire to remove the whole retainer and keep it intact to bring to your next appointment so that it can be replaced. Please note that if you cut the wire and it cannot be reused, there will be a charge to replace your full retainer (£105) as opposed to simply repairing it (£55).

Increase the wear of your night-time removable retainer to ensure that there is no movement of your teeth.

Reducing the risk of problems with braces

You can help to ward off most orthodontics emergencies by doing 3 things:

• Maintaining exemplary oral hygiene – We recommend brushing your teeth 3 times per day with a standard toothbrush, followed by interproximal brush use. As an addition, use a fluoride mouth rinse once per day.
• Adhering to a low sugar diet – Where possible, avoid all snacking on sugars and drinks. Fizzy drinks should be avoided in particular. Replace all sweet snacks with savoury where possible e.g. cheese, crackers, soft crisps such as Quavers or Skips, and rice cakes.
• Avoiding hard, sticky foodstuffs – These could break the brace wire or fracture brackets (debond) off a tooth.

Ready to get braces?

If you’re ready to start your brace journey, you can book a free consultation with one of our Treatment Coordinators to see if braces are right for you. We can then refer you onto one of our Orthodontists to begin your treatment plan.