While it all might look straight forward to put things right, any DIY with ‘tools’ you think could do the job is a no-no. You could make the situation worse or cause yourself an injury. 

Solution one: Could your regular dentist help? 

If things are very uncomfortable, for example, a wire is poking you or a broken bracket is dangling and irritating, and you can’t make the trip to your orthodontist, in the short term, your regular dentist could help. They’ll make sure you’re not in pain. They have the right tools to snip a wire safely.  

However, they won’t adjust your brace, so you’ll still need to call your orthodontist, but at least you’ll get a good night’s sleep in the meantime.  

Solution two: Reach for the trusty brace wax! 

Don’t forget, using orthodontic wax can temporarily soften sharp edges and relieve discomfort until you can get to see your specialist team. Soften a piece of wax between your fingers and mould it around the sharp piece of your brace. Ooh, that is better!

Let your orthodontic team know what’s happened as soon as possible so they can formulate a plan. If your next appointment’s close and nothing’s causing discomfort, they might decide it’s pretty much business as usual until that date.  

Until that time, remember, your brace works with tension. If a bracket breaks, the tension it carried is distributed across other parts of your appliance. This could mean that neighbouring brackets 'take up the slack’ possibly creating unexpected discomfort. 

Solution one: It’s time to go back to basics on what to do if other parts of your brace's tension are causing pain or your gums become inflamed with the new unexpected pressure. Remember, pain killers, taken according to pack instructions, can ease brace pain and your Fixed Brace Daily Care Kit comes with a Monotip Brush, excellent for massaging swollen gums, as well as for plaque removal. That bad boy can multi-task! 

Solution two: Mitigate the risk to other parts of the appliance. All that rearranged brace tension can make your brace generally more vulnerable. An unwise nibble on a nut with a broken brace could jeopardise another bracket too. It doesn’t happen often but support your treatment plan by sticking to soft food until your brace is fixed. Ultimately, a broken brace slows the treatment plan so do what you can to help.

When wearing braces, you learn to expect the unexpected, the close calls, the odd entanglement in clothing ... the list goes on. It’s a rare patient who doesn’t at some point decide they’re going to ignore advice and attempt to chomp on some chewing gum. Most of us live to regret it! 

Given that Murphy’s Law tells us that what can go wrong, will go wrong, we can box clever and prepare ahead of time. Busted brackets, burst elastics, out of place wires, scratchy springs and oddly twisted ligatures can get the better of our brace and us. 

Solution one: Gather the ‘first aid’ essentials for those it's all gone belly up moments in brace treatment. No one wants to be searching the high street for medical grade care when a piece of metal is digging into their inside cheek. Ouch! 

Here’s our list of helpful care for your soft tissues when they encounter a broken brace: 

• If you’re using our Fixed Brace Daily Care Kit, you’re already being helpful to your soft tissues. You’ll already know VITIS Orthodontic Toothpaste and VITIS Orthodontic Mouthwash both contain allantoin which stimulates cells for healing and protects with an anti-irritant effect. In addition, aloe vera promotes healing and helps to hydrate tissues. 
• VITIS Orthodontic Mouthwash is alcohol free so there’ll be none of that nasty sting you get with other mouthwashes when your oral tissues are feeling tender. No ooh-ahh dance for you at rinsing time. See? We’ve thought of everything!  
• Use orthodontic wax, also known as brace wax, to soften any sharp edges on the brace.  
• If you’ve ended up with a sore patch on your inner cheek or gum, try Gengigel to support rapid healing.  Its hyaluronic acid supports your body’s natural healing response. 
• A VITIS Orthodontic Access Toothbrush is designed to work around your arch wire. It’s anti-slip so you’re less likely to bash into your brackets when brushing. 

Solution two: Know your safer snacks for brace wearers so that you don’t keep eating the same old snack, getting bored and, in the search for variety, end up reaching for a brace wrecker!