You try your best to care for your braces but sometimes accidents happen. Whether you eat hard or sticky food, sustain an injury to your mouth, or brush too hard, brackets can break. Read on to learn what to do if this happens to you or your loved one.

1. Call Your Orthodontist

The first step whenever a part of your braces breaks is to call Dr. Foley for emergency orthodontic care.  His orthodontics team in London Ontario are experts, so they will know just what to do to repair the damage. When you call the office, try to be as specific as possible about what you have broken, how it happened, and where it is in your mouth so they can prepare for your appointment. If it isn’t possible to visit your orthodontist right away, move on to step two.

2. Assess the Damage

First, check to see if the bracket is still attached to the wire. If it is, leave it alone. If it is attached to the wire but sticking out, gently push it back in place with a cotton swab. Then use some orthodontic wax to keep your broken bracket in place until you see the orthodontist. If the bracket is totally loose, carefully remove it and bring it with you to your appointment so it can be reattached to your tooth.

3. Snip Wires

If there are wires sticking out into your mouth causing you discomfort, they need to be snipped to avoid injury to your mouth. Using a nail clipper, snip the wires as close to your tooth as possible. Then fold over any remaining length of wire using a pencil eraser and cover it with orthodontic wax to keep it from cutting your gums and lips.

4. Take Extra Care

Until your appointment, taking extra care of your mouth after a broken bracket is super important. Stick with eating soft foods to avoid any further damage to your braces and rinse with salt water to heal any cuts you may have sustained. If your mouth is painful or you have visible sores, try rinsing with a medicated mouthwash.