OUR BLOG

Loose Brackets: What To Do

Our Seattle WA orthodontist Dr. Jorge Peralta and his staff believe that successful treatment and great results happen when our patients are educated about orthodontics and know what to expect during treatment. When you first had your braces put on, we talked to you about taking care of your braces so that you can go through treatment without any problems. However, it is possible that a bracket can loosen.

The brackets are the metal or ceramic pieces that are attached to each tooth with a resin material. If a bracket loosens, it may poke into your gums, tongue or cheek causing some discomfort.

To alleviate any discomfort you may feel, we recommend putting a small ball-shaped piece of orthodontic wax over the irritating part to keep the bracket from moving so that your discomfort is alleviated.

Schedule A Repair Appointment

A loose bracket is typically not an emergency so it is perfectly fine to wait until the next available business day to call us for a repair appointment. If the loose bracket comes out of your mouth, please save it and bring it with you when you come in for your appointment. In most cases, we do not charge our patients for broken bracket repairs so you typically don’t have to worry that the repair will cost you money. It is important to call and notify us of the broken bracket so we can determine if a special repair appointment is necessary.

Why Brackets Loosen

Usually, the reason a bracket loosens is because the patient ate something hard, sticky, crunchy or chewy. This is why it’s so important to steer clear of these types of foods while you’re wearing braces. Brackets also can loosen due to a blow to the mouth or face. This is why we urge all our patients wearing braces to use a protective mouthguard while playing sports or when participating in any activity that runs a risk of injury to the head, face or mouth.

We are always available to speak with you so please do not hesitate to contact us during regular office hours with any questions you may have!