Although your brace is securely fixed to your teeth, there are times that it can become dislodged, it’s fairly common and nothing to worry about if it happens to you. If you are able to keep a hold of the bracket your dentist may be able to fix it back into place at your next appointment.
There are many reasons that it can become dislodged for example eating particular foods that are hard or difficult to bite, bonding technique or a bad bite. Your clinician will have run through these foods with you however here is a list amongst other things you should avoid doing:
- Nuts
- Crisps
- Crusty bread
- Apples or other fruits that can be hard to bite
- Cereals that are particularly crispy or cereal bars
- Raw vegetables like carrot
- Sticky foods, e.g. sweets
- Chewing ice, pen tops, fingernails etc.
- Dislodge bottle tops with teeth
Brackets are designed to be hard wearing and withstand typical teeth actions however items like the above and more can cause the brackets to become loose and are not recommended.
The condition of your teeth can also affect the bonding of the bracket and can increase the chances of failing brackets, for example if your tooth has been restored with porcelain or if it has a silver lining. A bad bite can cause a bracket to loosen, if your teeth are continuously hitting each other when biting the bracket will come loose and fall out.
What you should do
Check your braces every day! When you are brushing your teeth, you should be carefully checking each bracket and brace to make sure they are still intact. If you notice any problems, make sure you contact the Practice as soon as possible so that we can carry out any necessary repairs.
Please let us know as soon as possible with any issues as we do not want to cause any delay to your brand new smile! Get in touch on our contact page.
