704-875-7999How-Tos
Soothe a sore, cut, or ulcer:
- Place wax over the bracket or wire rubbing the area
- Call for an examination of the area if it does not improve or worsens
When wearing rubber bands:
- Teeth will get sore and loose from the bands. Take normal anti-inflammatory products such as Motrin, Advil or Aleve for the first couple of days
- Only take rubber bands in and out to eat and brush your teeth. Constant manipulation will make teeth more tender
- Change rubber bands 3-4 times a day (every 4-6 hours)
- If a bracket or band that is being used to connect your rubber bands becomes loose or broken, stop wearing the rubber bands immediately
Fix a protruding wire:
- Use a blunt instrument to bend the wire down
- Put wax or cotton on the end of the wire
- Smaller wires can be cut flush with bracket by using small cutters such as “cuticle nippers”
- If these steps do not help, make an appointment for us to fix it. If any pieces fall off, bring them with you!
Re-insert wire that has come out of place:
- Try placing the wire back into its slot or tube using tweezers
- If you cannot re-insert the wire, you can cover the end with wax or cotton and call our office to get it fixed
- Sometimes the wire out of place is a TIE wire that is using to attach brackets or bands. If one of these comes out of place, you can bend it back into place with a blunt object, place wax over it, or schedule a repair appointment
Re-insert Wire into Tube
See information above.
Fix a loose or broken band:
- This is not an emergency unless there is pain or discomfort
- Do not connect elastics or headgear appliances to the loose bracket
- Call the office to schedule a repair, and be sure to bring the bracket with you if it has fallen out completely! DO NOT DISCARD broken pieces of your appliances. Also, we need to know if you need a repair done at your appointment BEFORE your appointment time, or we may have to fix it at another time
Replace an elastic tie:
- Cover the area with wax
- Call our office to schedule a fix, but you may be able to wait until your next scheduled appointment to have it replaced
If an elastic color tie ring it missing:
- In most cases, the color ties are for looks only and do not inhibit your braces from working properly if not there.
- If a bracket is tied in with a steel wire tie please call if it goes missing. A tooth is tied in to aid in movement, although this is not an emergency.
Loose bracket or band:
- Do not wear elastics if they are connected to a bracket or band that is loose.
- This is not an emergency unless there is pain or something is moving and causing discomfort.
- Call the office to schedule a repair and so that we may add time to upcoming visits to accommodate emergency situations.
Fish Hook Elastic
Class 2 Elastic
Class 3 Elastic
Upside Down Triangle Elastic
Activating your palatal expander
