If your braces bracket becomes loose and detaches from your tooth entirely, place it in a ziploc bag. If you can’t find the bracket, that’s okay. Just give us a call, and your orthodontist will advise you on the best plan of action moving forward.
If you have a floating bracket on your braces and it’s still attached to your wire, be extra careful if it looks like it can slide off the wire. Take some orthodontic wax, and place it over the floating bracket to temporarily attach it back to the tooth. This way, the bracket won’t bother your cheeks and you’re less likely to swallow the bracket. If it is the last bracket and it looks like it can slide off the wire, go ahead and carefully slide it off and place in a ziplock bag for your repair appointment. Then place some wax over the end of the wire or with a clean pair of nail clippers, cut the end of the wire if possible.
If you do happen to swallow your braces bracket, don’t panic. It happens! The swallowed bracket will likely go straight to your stomach with the rest of your food, and pass naturally. If you experience a severe stomach ache, breathing problems, or any unusual symptoms, go to the emergency room.
How long can you go with a loose bracket? While a loose bracket is not an urgent situation, it does require your orthodontist’s attention as soon as possible. In other words, you don’t need to drop everything and hightail it to our office, but you should make it a priority to contact us for an appointment within the week! We don’t want a loose bracket to hinder your treatment progress.