Even though most patients wearing braces experience a trouble-free treatment process, sometimes accidents can occur that can damage braces and cause injuries to the mouth, inside of the cheeks or lips. At Corbridge Orthodontics, we tell our patients to contact us right away if an accident occurs wherein their braces are damaged or broken. We will then do our best to work the patient into our schedule so they can come into our Frisco & Prosper orthodontics practice to have their appliances repaired.
If your lip becomes caught in your braces due to a sporting injury or just by accident, the first thing to do is to gently remove your lip from the braces. This can be temporarily uncomfortable but it is necessary so that healing can begin. Then we recommend placing a cold pack on the face over the affected area to reduce swelling. You can then place some wax over the part of your braces that is catching on your lips so it doesn’t happen again. Then contact our office for further directions. We may have you come in so we can see why this happened or we may give you some instructions and then see you at your next regularly scheduled appointment.
Importance of Wearing a Protective Mouthguard
Whenever you’re playing organized sports or taking part in any activity that puts you at risk for a facial or mouth injury, it’s important to wear a protective mouthguard that fits right over your braces. A mouthguard will protect your teeth and braces in case of a hard blow, a fall or a strike to the face.
Mouthguard made specifically for people wearing braces can be purchased at many sporting goods stores and online. Some brand names to watch for include ShockDoctor and UnderArmour. Your mouthguard should be looked at as a very important piece of sporting equipment you should carry with you so you can pop it in when you’re being active to protect your mouth, teeth and braces.
Contact Corbridge Orthodontics
If you have any questions about your braces or treatment or need some more tips for handling common emergencies, please contact us as we’re always happy to speak with you! We want all our patients to have an enjoyable, trouble-free orthodontic experience so they can get their straight, healthy and attractive smiles as quickly as possible!
