The holidays are here and family vacations abound. If you are away from home on the holidays and have a dental emergency, such as losing a braces bracket, there are a number of things you can do to correct the situation.
It is more likely that a bracket will become loose, as opposed to falling off. In either case, there are several reasons this situation may arise, including:
- Chewing hard and sticky foods
- Trauma or injury to the mouth
- Chewing your fingernails or the ends of pens
- Chewing ice cubes
You can prevent loose brackets by being cautious of foods to avoid. If you are out of town and unable to visit Dr. Robert Rudman’s office, your options include:
- Call Dr. Rudman’s office to schedule an appointment. If the bracket is only loose and not causing you discomfort, you may not need to do anything until you return home and visit Dr. Rudman.
- If the loose bracket is causing you discomfort, you can remove the bracket yourself using fingernail clippers that have been washed and sanitized in rubbing alcohol.
Most of the time, a loose or missing bracket does not need to be fixed until your next dental appointment. You should call Dr. Rudman’s office for specific instructions regarding your situation.
For more information about braces in Colorado, please contact experienced Downtown Denver and Stapleton orthodontist Dr. Robert Rudman at Cherry Creek Orthodontics to schedule a consultation.