In an ideal world, braces shouldn’t break. But anyone who has had a brace will know that the reality can be rather different.
Breakages can cause problems if they happen often. Treatment times become very long and having to attend for emergency appointments can be inconvenient for families.
All of our orthodontic patients receive guidance when they have their braces fitted verbally, in writing and via our iTooth emails that are sent during different stages of treatment.
So why can breakages still sometimes happen?
- Brackets (the metal squares that hold the wires) are attached using ‘acrylic resin’.
This glue is carefully selected based on the best available evidence from scientific studies to be strong enough to hold the brackets in place, but not so strong that teeth are damaged when the braces are eventually removed.
The squares become dislodged if hard chewy foods are eaten or if biting forces are too hard. Another reason that breakages occur include finger nail biting and pen-top chewing.
- Wires
The wires that are used at the beginning of treatment need to be very thin, especially if the teeth are very crooked. This means that they can ‘flick out’ of the brackets if care is not taken when chewing.
As the treatment progresses, the wires become much thicker so this should happen less often.
You can read more about how wires work here.
How to reduce breakages
- Avoid hard and sticky foods
- Cut food up into small pieces and chew slowly
- Avoid habits such as finger nail biting and pen-top chewing
If you have a breakage…
- Contact the practice for advice on whether you need to arrange an emergency appointment slot: we can usually get an appointment for you within 24 hours:
- Telephone 01642 243080
- Live chat via our website
- Email : enquiries@clevelandorthodontics.co.uk
About Cleveland Orthodontics
Our specialist-led practice has been established since 1996 and provides brace treatment to people of all ages from across the North East and Teesside, including Middlesbrough, Yarm, Stockton-on-Tees, Billingham and Redcar.
We offer NHS orthodontic treatment for children and a range of modern white and “invisibleâ€Â braces for adults of all ages such as Invisalign. FREE consultations are available… you can either telephone for an appointment on 01642 243 020 or book through our website.
