At Goodman Orthodontics, our mission is to help patients throughout Manhattan, Riverdale, and the greater New York City area achieve beautiful, healthy smiles that they’re proud to call their own. We offer a variety of orthodontic treatment options including clear braces and Invisalign clear aligners, but the most popular treatment we offer is still the tried and true method of traditional metal braces. We strive to provide high-quality care and ensure treatment goes off without a hitch, but accidents can happen – and it’s important to know how to handle them. And if you ever happen to break a bracket on your braces, here’s what to do.
How to Handle Broken Braces
Whether it’s from a fall, an accident during sports, or accidentally biting down on a food that’s too hard to eat with braces, the moment you break a bracket on your braces can be a frightening one. After all, you’re in the process of working towards a beautiful, healthy new smile. Will breaking your braces pose a threat to that?
Thankfully, while breaking your braces does require immediate attention, it’s not the end of the world. Simply keep a calm head and follow these steps if you find yourself with a broken bracket:
- Keep All Parts With You: If your bracket breaks off and comes fully detached from your braces, it’s important to keep it safe. Keep the bracket, as well as any other parts of your braces that come off, in a plastic baggy so you can bring it with you to the repair appointment.
- Avoid Removing the Bracket: In some cases, a bracket will come off but remain attached to the archwire. If possible, try to avoid removing the bracket – simply leave it in place and cover it with a piece of dental wax. However, if the bracket is causing you pain, you can use a pair of sterilized nail clippers to cut the archwire and remove the bracket.
- Immobilize the Area: Whether the bracket is still on or not, you’ll want to protect your mouth from the sharp metal pieces in your braces. Use a piece of dental wax, a cotton ball, or sterile gauze to cover the area and protect your cheeks and gums.
- Call Us Immediately: Now, the most important step: call our office as soon as you can. Give us a call, either at 212.688.4663 for our Manhattan office or 718.543.4300 for our Riverdale office, and we’ll walk you through the next steps and schedule a repair appointment as soon as possible.
Contact Your Riverdale & Manhattan Orthodontist
Breaking your braces can be stressful, but don’t worry too much. With prompt, immediate action, you can easily mitigate any damage and prevent a broken bracket from derailing your treatment. Feel free to reach out to us at our contact page if you have more questions about handling orthodontic emergencies, or if you’d like to schedule a consultation to pursue orthodontic treatment for yourself, you can request one using our easy online form. We can’t wait to hear from you, and we look forward to helping you achieve your dream smile!