Braces Problems: Managing Braces Related Problems
Now your teeth look fantastic! However, to keep that beautiful smile, it is important to wear your retainers. Wearing your retainers will determine how your teeth will look for years to come.
After your smile is corrected using braces or clear aligners, your work isn’t over. To keep your perfect smile, you’ll need to wear a retainer. The retainer ensures that all the hard work you put in during your time in orthodontic treatment doesn’t go to waste.
Once your treatment is completed, you will receive retainers to hold your teeth as perfectly as they finished. We will provide you with detailed instructions on wear and care of your retainers the day you receive them.
General Soreness
When you get braces, it is possible that you will feel general soreness in your mouth, and your teeth may be a little sensitive when biting for several days. Relief can come in the form of rinsing your mouth with cold water. If the tenderness and sensitivity are severe, take what you would normally take for a headache or similar pain, such as Tylenol or Advil. Your lips, cheeks, and tongue may also become irritated for up to a couple of weeks as they toughen and get used to the surface of your braces. Applying wax to your braces is a great way to handle any irritation.
Loose or Broken Brackets
Not to worry, occasionally you may break a bracket. There isn’t an emergency and can be handled at your next visit. If you have a circumstance that necessitates clipping a wire or sliding a bracket off a wire, we recommend nail clippers that have been washed and sterilized with alcohol. Applying wax to the area will also help.
Wire Irritations
Sometimes the discomfort created by a wire on your braces can be resolved by moving the wire away from the irritated area with a cotton swab or the eraser end of a pencil. If the wire refuses to move, attempt to cover the end of it with a pinch of wax. If the wire is hurting you, you can cut it with nail clippers or scissors that have been washed and sterilized with alcohol. If your attempts to resolve the wire irritation on your own fail, please contact us for an appointment.
Lost Separators
Lots of patients may lose their separators at the beginning of their treatment. Ther isn’t something to worry about, as we expect the teeth to move from the separators.