They are called “e-ties”, and they are used to hold the wire in place. If one of them comes off, the patient should wait until the next appointment and it will be replaced.

Recontouring, or interproximal reduction, or slenderizing, is the process of making some of the teeth slightly narrower. It is used to acquire more space for the teeth, to avoid extractions or to make teeth more attractive.

First apply the wax that the patient is given. Cut off a small piece of it and roll it into a ball the size of the brace that needs to be covered. Gently squeeze the wax ball over the brace that’s causing the irritation. Talking or eating with the wax in place is more comfortable immediately after its application. If the wax is swallowed, it’s okay. Replace it with a new piece. As always when wearing braces, eat slowly and cut the food into small pieces. It takes 2-3 days, and sometimes longer, to fully adjust to the pressure of the braces in the mouth. Discomfort and irritation will gradually lessen. Of course, please feel free to call our office if you have any questions.

On occasion, the wire may come loose and become bothersome to the patient. If one can’t schedule a visit with their doctor in a reasonable amount of time, the patient and/or their legal guardian may attempt to clip the wire. To do this, one should use a pair of clippers (nail clippers, for instance) to detach the loose wire. We recommend wrapping tissue around the wire prior to clipping, to help reduce the possibility of swallowing the wire after it’s clipped. If the patient does swallow a piece of wire or a brace, and they begin coughing, one should seek immediate medical attention at the nearest emergency room.

Even though all patients are encouraged to wear a mouth guard while at play and are asked to “enjoy the munch, not the crunch” of hard foods by crushing them into small, easy to eat pieces, sometimes the patient may forget and a brace may become loose. If this happens due to an accident while playing sports, one should go straight to the nearest emergency room. If it happens while eating, the patient may not notice it until a later time. If the patient is able to remove the broken bracket or the one that is loose, they should do so. If it does not slide out, the patient may leave it alone. In any case, if the patient does not feel discomfort, he/she may wait until the next office visit. If the loose bracket has rotated on the wire and is sideways, one should try to rotate it back into position where it can slide easily along the wire, unless the wire has worked itself out of position.

Rubber bands are to be worn the whole day even while sleeping. They should be removed while brushing. Elastics are to be changed at regular intervals. If the jaw muscles become sore, stop, rest and continue as soon as possible. Elastics have to be worn on both left and right side simultaneously.