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If a brace or band comes loose apply wax to stabilize the brace
if it is causing irritation. Call
to schedule an appointment. If any bands, brackets, or wires come
completely off the teeth, DO NOT attempt
to reposition them. Save them and
call for an appointment.
Wire or Brace Causing Irritation
A wire or brace may cause a low-grade
irritation of the cheeks or lips. Try
to locate the sharp area. If it
is a wire sticking out, gently try to bend the wire in with an eraser or spoon
handle. Do not use excessive
force. Apply wax to cover the end
of the wire or to coat the brace that is causing the irritation.
Be sure to use plenty of wax.
Wire Has Come Out of the Back Band or Brace If the wire is a lighter gauge you can sometimes re-insert the wire back into the tube on the band or brace (Figure 1) by flexing the wire and pulling the end forward so that the tip of the wire can be worked into the front of the tube. If the wire is very stiff do not attempt to do this since this could result in a bend in the wire or cause loosening of brackets which may make matters worse. If the wire is stiff very often minor manipulation can allow you to place the wire along side of the band in such a way that there is no discomfort until you are able to schedule a visit at the office. Wax can also be used to stabilize the wire in the short term. Sore Spot from a Removable Appliance
If you begin to develop a sore
spot from your appliance please call the office for a visit.
If you have just recently turned the appliance you can turn it back to
remove some of the pressure. This
may allow you to continue to wear the appliance until you have it adjusted.
If necessary discontinue wear of the appliance and be sure to contact the
office as soon as possible to schedule an adjustment.
If a color tie comes off of your braces this is generally not of great concern for a short period of time. Check to see if there is another type of tie holding the wire in place. There is often a steel ligature or wire tie. If this is the case, and it is a single elastic tie, it is not critical (only placed for color) and does not need to be replaced. If the tie is part of an elastic chain it should be reattached to the brace within a few days. How Do I Turn The Expander Hopefully some of the pictures included here will help you to visualize proper turning of the expander. First of all let's look at the way the expander holes should be arranged prior to inserting the key into the appliance for turning (Figure 1). If the appliance holes are not positioned this way see the next paragraph to help you locate the next hole. Insert the key into the hole as shown in Figure 2 . Push the handle towards the back of the mouth (direction of the arrow) until you can move the key back no further (Figure 3). At this point you should be able to fully visualize the next hole at the front of the expander. Be sure to remove the key without undoing the turn you just placed. The mechanism does not work like a ratchet and bring the key forward again will undo the turn just placed. Cannot Find The Next Hole on the Expander If you cannot locate the next hole in your expander this is often due to the expansion screw either not being fully activated at the last turn or having turned back partially (Figure 1). Try to place the key in the hole that is further back (Figure 2) and partially turn the screw until the next hole appears (Figure 3). If this is not successful you can take a safety pin (TIE A LONG PIECE OF FLOSS ONTO THE PIN) and try to work the tip of the pin into the partially exposed hole. Be careful not to push to hard on the pin forcing it through the other side. Once you have the pin worked slightly into the hole try to slightly move the hole towards the back of the mouth until the entire hole can be seen. Then activate the screw as you normally would. If you are not comfortable with attempting this then don't. Just call the office and we will be happy to help you out. Do not panic if a turn or two are missed. This will not be a problem. |
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