In life, as they say, accidents happen – and that’s never truer than when living with braces. Braces are the best way to fix a misaligned bite for a healthy, beautiful smile, but with all that extra equipment in your mouth, it can be an invitation for mishaps and accidents. Here are some common (and maybe not-so-common) braces problems, and what you should do if they happen to you.
“Oops, my bracket broke off!”
If you lose a bracket, don’t panic! They are easy enough to replace, and thankfully losing a bracket is not an emergency. If you do lose one, don’t try to reattach it yourself. Just give Dr. Abelar a call and we’ll set up a time for you to come in and have it replaced. Again, it’s not an emergency – but don’t wait too long to call, because your braces can’t do their job if they’re missing brackets.
“Uh-oh, I just swallowed my bracket!”
It may seem weird, but it does happen – usually without the patient realizing it. When you swallow a bracket or wire, it’s normal to panic, but don’t. Most of the time brackets will pass through the digestive system with no problem. In fact, the acid in your stomach is so strong it can actually dissolve the metal your braces wire is made of. In the rare case there is a problem, go to your nearest emergency room.
“Ouch, my braces wire is poking my cheek.”
This is a painful problem that can be easily fixed with a visit to Dr. Abelar. If your wire is just a minor nuisance or you can’t get in to the office right away, cover the wire with dental wax and come in when you can. If it’s really painful and wax is not enough, call the office and we can schedule you for an emergency appointment. In the meantime, do not try to correct this problem yourself by using pliers or wire cutters.
“Help, something is caught in my braces!”
Once you get braces, it doesn’t take long to figure out that this happens a lot. Thankfully, you can usually get whatever is stuck in your braces out by brushing and flossing. But on the off chance you can’t, try loosening the debris with a water irrigator. If it still won’t come lose, give Dr. Abelar’s office a call and we can help you remove it.
Remember, if there are any questions or concerns about your braces, please don’t hesitate to call Dr. Abelar’s office, and remember – just because you saw a YouTube tutorial on how to fix your braces doesn’t mean you should. We can be reached at (858) 866-9692.
