Getting braces is not an easy task as your mouth needs to get adjusted to few pieces of metal fastened onto your teeth. These braces need to stay within your mouth intact for about eight to twelve months to achieve the desired results. In your pursuit for a beautiful smile what can be frustrating than a falling bracket!
Well, it is important to understand the reason for the brackets to fall off. Once you understand the cause you can take the necessary measures to prevent it from occurrence.
There are actually a number of reasons why this might happen, and it is something that happens more often than you might think. Here are three possible reasons you have experienced bracket failure. There can be possibly 3 reasons for a falling bracket-
- The fixing of the bracket - Before applying the brackets on the teeth, the teeth should be cleaned thoroughly. Only after that, the brackets are glued to the teeth with the help of dental cement. Even after a round of professional cleaning, there are chances for some debris to remain stuck onto the teeth. Unclean teeth fail to hold the cement strongly, ending up in a loosely-bonded bracket. Apart from that, the ratio in which the dental cement has been prepared, plays an important role in the creating a strong bond between the tooth and the bracket. A loose mix can end up in a weak attachment.
- The wearer - After one step out of the orthodontist office, it becomes the responsibility of the wearer to take care of his/her braces. For this purpose, the orthodontist provides the patient a list of do's and don't's after wearing braces. There may be few dietary modifications like inclusion of softer foods and avoidance of hard and crunchier food items as well as restrictions on sticky foods. There are also differences in the way one should be brushing their teeth. If the wearer does not abide by these rules, he is bound to damage his brackets or braces.
- The tooth - In some cases, the tooth itself is responsible for a detached bracket. The teeth with enamel defects cannot bond with the bracket as strongly as a tooth with normal enamel can.
- Biting pattern - Another reason can be the biting pattern of the wearer. While placing the brackets the orthodontist makes the wearer bite to check if the brackets are coming in way of the bite. Some individuals bite in different patterns at different times. This can cause the bite to fall directly on the bracket and end up in dislodgement.
The best way to avoid the falling off of brackets is to adhere to your orthodontist's directions strictly. Stand in front of your mirror while brushing your teeth and check the condition of your braces carefully. This way you can appreciate minor changes in position instantly. If you find that a bracket has become loose or has come out, fix an appointment with your orthodontist to get it fixed.