Lingual braces are fastened onto the back sides of the teeth, so they are not visible to others. This removes some of the stigma and embarrassment some people may feel over having to wear braces, particularly for adult wearers. Lingual braces also have better placement for those who have to perform on camera, play an instrument or play sports. Losing a bracket from your braces is not something you want to have happen. Avoiding the actions listed in these steps will help you prevent an extra trip to the orthodontist.
Instructions
1. Consume hard food items. Eating hard foods can knock a bracket from a tooth or dislodge a wire. The force it takes to bite down, the pulling or twisting motion that is sometimes involved in breaking off a piece of food and the way the food moves once it is in your mouth all place pressure on orthodontic devices. The effects of chewing ice provide a good example. The larger pieces can get between the arch wire and your tooth, pushing and pulling the bracket away from the tooth surface when you bite down. Lingual braces wearers -- and anyone with standard braces -- should avoid hard foods, including pretzels, crusty bread, carrots and hard candy.
2. Chew gum and consume sticky foods and snack items. These treats are forbidden for braces wearers because they are difficult and time consuming to clean from the dental hardware and have the potential to exert enough force to pull a bracket loose from the tooth surface. Soft, sticky food items usually contain sugars, so improper cleaning can lead to tooth decay. Gum can be especially problematic, potentially getting caught in the brackets or wires and pulling brackets loose.
3. Bite down hard when you feel food sitting on a bracket, unusual resistance or the sensation of pressure on a bracket. Even if you consume only foods considered safe for braces, chewing alone may be enough to dislodge a bracket. You may feel when you are biting down on a food that it is resting between your teeth, when actually it may be fully or partially sitting on a bracket. For this reason, orthodontists recommend not biting into apples or chewing corn from the cob. Chewing while wearing lingual braces may be a difficult adjustment in the beginning, so take greater time and care while eating when the braces are new.
4. Ignore a bent wire, loose or broken bracket. Always inform your orthodontist if you notice an issue with your braces. The cleaning, bonding and curing process is not infallible. Occasionally a bracket may not adhere properly, leaving it more vulnerable to coming loose from the tooth surface. If a bracket loses contact with your tooth, it should still be secured by the wire that connects the brackets, so you shouldn't worry that you will swallow or lose it. Contact your orthodontist if you displace a bracket or notice an unusual bend in your wire. Do so as soon as possible; broken brackets could affect your progress and extend your treatment time.
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