QUICK FIXES FOR ORTHODONTIC MISHAPS OVER THE HOLIDAYS 

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The holiday season can pose a challenge if you have braces. It can be especially hard to follow your orthodontic dietary guidelines when you’re surrounded by tasty temptations at the holiday dinner table. If you do happen to slip up and damage your braces, there’s no need to panic. Just schedule an appointment with our orthodontists as soon as possible! In the meantime, follow these tips to repair the most common problems we see here at James T. Hutta Orthodontics: 

BROKEN BRACKETS

It’s easy to break a bracket—especially if you eat hard or chewy holiday foods. When a broken bracket is causing discomfort, try applying orthodontic wax to the rough edges of the appliance. You could also remove the bracket from the wire as long as you make sure to keep track of the bracket and bring it in during your next orthodontic appointment. 

POKING WIRES

When your teeth are moving, it’s perfectly normal for wires to shift. This is a sign that your braces are doing their job! If wires are causing you pain and you can’t make it to our office to get them clipped, use orthodontic wax. Placing wax over the end that is poking you should relieve your discomfort. But, if this doesn’t work, wires can also be cautiously clipped with a pair of nail clippers and covered with orthodontic wax until you can come by the office. 

WIRE OUT OF PLACE

When you eat sticky or crunchy foods, wires can pop out of the back brackets of your braces. First, use your fingers or tweezers to try to slip the wire back into the bracket hole. If that doesn’t work, you can also apply orthodontic wax or clip the wire. If you decide to clip the wire, make sure to schedule an appointment to get it repaired as soon as possible!

LOST ALIGNER TRAY

If you wear a clear aligner, like Smile Envy 3D or Invisalign®, be extra cautious with your aligners over the holidays! When you get out of your normal routine, it’s easy to misplace a tray. If you’re leaving town, you should bring your case with you at all times and put your aligners in the case whenever you take them out to eat or drink. However, if you accidentally lose an aligner, it’s not the end of the world. Don’t try to skip ahead—trying to move the teeth too quickly can cause more pain. Simply put in your previous tray and call us so we can order you a new set.

Never let orthodontic discomfort get in the way of your holiday fun! If you follow these simple tips, you should be able to minimize any discomfort until you can come in for an appointment. Here at James T. Hutta Orthodontics, we want to wish you and your braces a safe and happy holiday season!