The braces installed in your mouth are designed to handle the daily rigors of chewing most common foods. However, there are certain things that can bend, loosen or otherwise damage your braces hardware. Should something like this befall you, the complications could significantly lengthen the realignment process.
Chewing gum and eating sticky foods are the most common causes of damaged braces. The suction created by chewing these things can sometimes be strong enough to pull a bracket, band, or spacer loose.
The force involved in crunching down on excessively hard foods can also cause significant damage to your braces. This could potentially bend wires, break bands or even loosen the dental adhesive holding a bracket to the face of a tooth. This also extends to other activities like crunching down on ice or nibbling on foreign objects.
Dr. Sellke & Reily also strongly recommends using a quality mouthguard during contact sports and other rigorous athletic activities. A blow to the face can, without adequate protection, severely damage your mouth, teeth, and braces.
If you have questions about how to prevent damage from occurring to your braces in Grayslake, Antioch and Gurnee, Illinois, you can always call 847-223-2876 to speak to Dr. Sellke & Reily or a member of our team at
Orthodontic Specialists of Lake County.
