Fortunately, orthodontic emergencies are infrequent and if you follow our instructions carefully then very little will go wrong. However, occasionally you may run into problems. If you experience any of the following issues with your appliance, please let us know and follow our recommendations below until you can come in and see us.
Poking Wire: If a fixed brace wire pokes out then you may be able to position it with your finger or a set of tweezers so that it is less irritating. You may also be able to cover the wire end with a small amount of orthodontic wax. If the wire continues to poke and is causing you to become sore and orthodontic wax is not an option, you can carefully trim the wire with a set of sharp nail
clippers. Please be careful to not swallow any loose fragments of wire.
Loose bracket: If a bracket becomes unstuck and causes discomfort in the middle of your brace, you may be able to flip the bracket to face the tooth so that the smooth back is facing your soft tissues instead. If the bracket is the last one at the back of the mouth you can carefully slide it off the wire.
Please do not hesitate to ring the practice if you have a problem of any kind. We can assess over the phone if you need an emergency appointment or whether you can wait until your next routine visit.
CONTACT USEach time a breakage occurs it can prolong your treatment time. Try to identify the problem before calling us to allow us to offer you appropriate advice or appointment. This may avoid an unnecessary and inconvenient visit for you. If your appliance is lost, broken beyond adjustment or repair by us, it will need to be replaced which will incur a charge. This cost is set by the NHS and is payable before we would remake the appliance.
Contact us
Sometimes you may experience a brace wire that breaks. This happens now and again, especially if you are wearing a brace for some length of time.
If a wire breaks, don't worry! If possible, cover the end of the wire with orthodontic wax, a small cotton ball, or piece of gauze until you can get to the practice. Never cut the wire and please contact the practice as soon as possible.
