If you wear braces, you may have experienced the frustration of having your brackets falling off every few weeks, resulting in frequent trips to the orthodontist and delayed treatment progress. This issue is not uncommon among orthodontic patients, and it can be caused by a variety of factors.
One of the most common reasons brackets come loose is because the patient is not taking proper care of their braces. For example, eating hard or sticky foods, failing to brush and floss regularly, or using tobacco products can all weaken the adhesive that holds the brackets in place. In other cases, the brackets may be improperly placed by the orthodontist, or the wire may be too thick or too thin, putting too much or too little pressure on the teeth.
Regardless of the cause of the problem, it’s important to address it quickly in order to avoid further delays in your treatment. Here are a few tips to help you prevent brackets from falling off:
1. Check if the bracket interferes with the bite
Although the placement of orthodontic brackets may seem random, it is actually one of the most critical aspects of orthodontic treatment. The placement of brackets determines the amount of force that is applied to the teeth, which is crucial in achieving the desired changes without causing damage or undue delays.
If a bracket is well-placed within the dental arch, but interferes with your bite every time you close your teeth or chew, this can cause the bracket to become loose and fall off repeatedly. This is a common problem, but one that can be easily resolved by placing bite stops on the molars. These stops consist of small resin blocks that prevent the teeth from coming together too tightly, and they can be easily removed by your dentist or orthodontist once your treatment is complete.
Initially, the bite stops may feel uncomfortable or awkward, but over time, you will get used to them and they will enable your orthodontic treatment to continue without the frustration of recurrent loose brackets. Bite stops are typically colored to make them easier to see, and they can be removed without damaging the tooth enamel.
In conclusion, the proper placement of orthodontic brackets is essential to the success of your treatment. If you experience loose brackets due to bite interference, talk to your dentist or orthodontist about using bite stops to help keep your treatment on track. By addressing this issue early on, you can avoid unnecessary delays and ensure that you achieve the best possible results from your orthodontic treatment.
2. Check the type of food you eat
Undoubtedly, this is the primary reason why brackets tend to fall off during orthodontic treatments. It’s a common scenario where patients complain to their dentists about their brackets falling off while eating certain foods like hard candies, chicken bones, or opening packages with their teeth.
It is imperative to identify the type of hard foods that you consume regularly, which can knock down the braces. Even though the bracket may not fall off immediately after consuming such food, it can cause microscopic damages that accumulate over time. As a result, the brackets may fall off even when you eat soft foods like bread.
Therefore, it is crucial to be aware of the foods you eat during your orthodontic treatment to avoid any damage or delayed progress. By doing so, you can ensure the treatment goes smoothly without any hindrances.
3. Analyze the material with which the brackets were attached
The quality of your orthodontic treatment is highly dependent on your dentist, which is why it’s crucial to carefully consider where you receive treatment. If you opt for a dentist who offers excessively low prices, they may not be able to provide the quality treatment you need. Brackets, in particular, have a high cost that has increased considerably over time.
In addition to the cost of brackets, it’s important to consider the steps your dentist takes to prepare your teeth before attaching the brackets. Your dentist should not only clean your teeth with a prophylaxis brush but also use a blue gel called acid to create micro retentions in your teeth that will help the brackets stick more effectively. Furthermore, it’s crucial that your dentist doesn’t accidentally damage the glue during treatment. For example, if your orthodontist looks away at any point during the cleaning process and you run your tongue over the area, it can totally ruin the glue that will be applied later.
4. Make sure to verify if your orthodontist is using the same bracket each time a replacement is needed.
When you visit the orthodontist to have a bracket reattached, they typically use a micro-sandblaster to clean the surface of the bracket and remove any old resin. However, if the remains of the resin are not properly removed or if the same bracket has been cemented many times before, its surface may become unsuitable for cementing again, leading to frequent bracket detachment.
5. Wear a faster orthodontics treatment
It is understandable that having dietary restrictions can be challenging for some patients, especially those who enjoy foods that are restricted with traditional orthodontics. However, it is important to remember that avoiding these types of foods can help prevent bracket damage and ensure that the treatment progresses smoothly.
In cases where patients are having difficulty with dietary restrictions, self-ligating orthodontics can be a great alternative. This type of orthodontic treatment uses a more advanced technology that eliminates the need for rubber bands and can lead to faster treatment times with less discomfort.
By choosing self-ligating orthodontics, patients can enjoy a wider variety of foods without worrying about damaging their braces. Additionally, since self-ligating brackets are designed to be more durable, there will be less need for frequent visits to the orthodontist to fix broken brackets.
6. Switch to orthodontics without braces
As a dentist, if you’re still struggling with brackets falling off after trying the aforementioned solutions, I may recommend orthodontics without brackets as an alternative. This type of treatment involves a series of clear aligners that are created using 3D printing technology, and as the name suggests, it doesn’t require the use of brackets.
With clear aligners, you can enjoy eating any type of hard food you desire, as the aligners are removed during meal times. This makes it impossible for brackets to fall off, and you won’t have to worry about any dietary restrictions.
In case you have additional inquiries, I encourage you to arrange a consultation with an orthodontist located in Medellín, Colombia, who will provide you with the necessary guidance on all available options and offer their expertise with the utmost care and professionalism required for this treatment.
