When you wear braces on your teeth, sometimes you have to face some problems. Just like those issues, what if the braces hook fell off?
Braces hook falling off is not a common issue. However, it can happen due to various causes.
In this article, you’ll know about the causes of the hook falling off braces and what to do if this happens.
Why do braces hook fall off or loose?
Here are the causes of braces hook falling off or loose.
1. Excess pressure from activation
You get hooks for applying additional pressure on your teeth through elastic or springs. So, elastics or coil springs are tightly attached to the hooks.
The hooks are a component of brackets to hold the elastic or springs. When you get Class II, Class III, or other types of elastic or coil springs, the hooks help attach them to the brackets or bands and put extra pressure on teeth through braces.
When the pressure is high, a hook may get loose or sometimes may come off.
This might occur more if you buy and replace the rubber bands on your own because you don’t know how much force you can apply to the hooks and teeth.
Also, check out why braces hooks hurt your teeth.
2. Eating hard and sticky foods
The common reason for braces hook falling off or getting loose is chewing hard and sticky food.
When you chew hard food, it puts pressure on your teeth. Braces along with hooks are attached to your teeth, pressure is also transmitted to them.
So, brackets and hooks may fall off or get loose.
Moreover, sticky food such as candy can get stuck to the hook easily. And, if you can’t clean it properly, it can damage the hook over time.
3. Braces got hit
If your braces and hooks get hit with something, hooks may get loose or fall. The hook of the braces is projected outward from the braces.
So, there is a change that when you get hit on your teeth, braces, or mouth, the hook will get the first blow.
This may happen even while doing simple things such as brushing, flossing, and chewing pens or pencils.
4. Poor toothbrushing technique
If you fail to maintain the right method of brushing, hooks may get hit by the toothbrush and come off.
5. Wrong flossing technique
Flossing is necessary, but it needed to be performed carefully while wearing braces. If you messed up during flossing, it can cause this problem.
6. Chewing hard objects
Bad oral habits such as chewing hard objects like pens or pencils, thumb sucking, tongue thrusting, and nail-biting can lead to broken or loose hooks.
7. Injury
Contact or sports injury can be responsible for your hook falling off or getting loose.
Any injury to the mouth is dangerous. But, when you have these hooks, it can become more painful for you.
8. Broken bracket
As the hook is a part of the bracket, it falls off when the bracket is broken. A bracket can come off for a variety of reasons including poor tooth cleaning approach, chewing on hard foods, and more,
Check out my other article to know more about the broken brackets.
9. Loose bracket
The simple reason for your hook being loose is the loose bracket of that hook. The causes of loose brackets are similar to the causes of broken brackets.
Know more about loose brackets.
What happens if the braces hook fell off?
Here are things that may happen if the braces hook fell off.
1. Delaying of treatment
The main issue will be delaying treatment. Every component of braces is used for a specific reason. The hook is also the same.
Moreover, it contributes directly to treatment by helping elastics or springs move teeth.
In between two visits with your orthodontist, elastics or springs are supposed to shift your teeth to a certain position.
But, when the hook falls off or loose, elastics or springs can’t do their work.
So, you have to wait for a long time to complete the braces treatment.
2. Hurting mouth
The hook may hurt your cheek or dig into gum when it gets loose. And, if it falls off, a broken portion of it can poke and cut your cheek.
3. Elastic or springs come off
Surely, your springs or rubber band attached to the hook will come off when a hook is damaged or falls off. Even, a loose hook can’t hold the elastics or springs and they may come off.
4. Not able to attach elastic or springs
You won’t be able to attach the elastic or springs properly if your hook falls off. You should not attach them to other things or some other ways. As they aren’t meant to do so.
Moreover, the loose hook can cause the same issue and you can’t keep rubber bands or coil springs there for a very long time.
Furthermore, this won’t apply pressure on teeth and work properly.
5. Additional appointment
The common consequence is that you will need an early or additional appointment with your orthodontist to fix it.
6. More cost
If your hook gets loose or comes off, you may need a new piece of bracket or hook. In most cases, you may not have to pay for it. But, in some cases, you might need to, especially when it’s due to your fault.
Moreover, it will cost your time and money because you need to set an extra appointment without an orthodontist to repair it.
What to do if the braces hook fell off?
Here are things that you have to do if the braces hook fell off.
1. Check any rough or sharp edge
First of all, you need to check if there is any rough surface or sharp edge on the bracket from where the hook cage of. This is because it might poke and tear the inner surface of your cheek or lip.
2. Put orthodontic wax
If the bracket hurt you after the hook falls off, you can simply put a piece of orthodontic wax over it to make the surface smooth and stop it from poking your cheek.
3. Wear lip protectors
You can also get the lip protectors and wear them to protect your lip and cheek from pokey braces after the hook comes off.
4. Contact your orthodontist
You must consult your orthodontist and fix an appointment to solve the issue whether it hurts you or not. He/she will take proper measurements to fix the problem.
5. Replace the bracket
If one of the hooks comes off the braces, your orthodontist will replace that bracket with a new one. Then, he/she will attach the wire or elastic to the hook just like before.
How do you fix a braces hook?
You can’t fix a braces hook and not even the orthodontist. This is because when the hook falls off the braces, it can’t be repaired. Even if you attach it to the braces, it’ll not work properly. So, you need to replace the bracket from where the hook came off.
However, you can use dental wax to cover any pokey surface or wear a lip protector to prevent getting hurt from it.
How to stop the braces hook from falling off?
Here are ways by which you can stop the braces hook from falling off.
1. Brush tooth carefully
Regular brushing of your teeth is important to maintain oral hygiene with braces. But, be careful when brushing so that the hooks don’t get hurt from it. Use a soft-bristled toothbrush and apply gentle pressure to clean your teeth.
You can also use an electric toothbrush for a better outcome.
2. Floss teeth carefully
Flossing is a must while wearing braces, but you have to be careful about the hook or brackets coming off. Be gentle when you floss in between teeth and braces.
3. Eat easy-to-chew foods
Take foods that are easy to chew and don’t put too much pressure on teeth and braces,
Avoid biting on meat bones or hard food. Stay away from sticky foods as well.
4. Wear a mouthguard
When you go out for sports or activities where there is a chance of falling down, you should wear a mouthguard, This is because injury with braces on teeth is more severe and you can lose the hook and braces as well.
5. Prevent braces from getting hit
As getting hit with something is the most common cause of hok falling off, you have to prevent it at any cost.
Takeaway
Braces hook may fall off due to different causes including excess activation pressure, getting hit on braces, poor toothbrushing, and flossing technique, biting on hard food, or injury. If this happens, you need to see your orthodontist get it fixed and replace the new bracket.
put dental wax on the sharp edge of the bracket or wear lip protectors until you visit the orthodontist.
However, with proper care, you can prevent the braces hook from coming off.
