Have broken brackets?

Oftentimes when people have broken brackets, it was caused by something that could have been prevented. Perhaps it was the food that they ate or something that they did. The best way to avoid broken brackets is to try to prevent breakage the best that you can.

Here are some tips for avoiding broken brackets: 

Avoid Certain Foods.  There are many foods that will increase your chances of breaking brackets. Foods that can increase your chances of breaking your brackets include sticky candies (examples: Tootsie Rolls, taffy, caramel, Starbursts), hard candy (examples: Jolly Ranchers), gummy bears, foods high in sugar, ice, and popped popcorn.

Use Caution with Other Foods. Other foods should be cut up into small bite-sized pieces and then chewed with the back teeth.  These include corn on the cob, carrots of all sizes, bagels, meat, apples, crusty bread, pizza, and other foods that are hard or overly chewy.

Additional Steps to Take.  It is important to make sure that you are taking care of your teeth by brushing and flossing each day, and that you don’t do things to harm your teeth, such as chewing on pens and pencils. You should also avoid biting into things with your front teeth. 

Getting Help

If you are in need of a repair, contact our Havener Orthodontics Team. The breaks take time to fix, and pieces may need to be replaced, rather than just repaired. If you are in pain or discomfort, you should contact us right away for an appointment.