In the course of orthodontic treatment, you may need coil springs to be attached with braces and sometimes it may be broken. You may wonder, why do you have the broken braces coil spring and how to fix it?
Coil springs on braces can be broken or come off due to an accident injury during outdoor sports or the patient’s negligence such as faulty tooth brushing or flossing technique, poor oral hygiene, wrong food habits, and lack of self-awareness. You should take help from an orthodontist to fix serious problems. But, you can try to solve some simple problems at home if you follow the right method.
Other problems such as broken braces or pop-out wires may also occur because of these reasons.
In this article, we’ll discuss these reasons in detail and know what to do if your coil springs on braces pop out, how to prevent it from breaking, whether you should try to repair it, and how to fix it.
However, you can read our other article if you are wearing forsus spring and it’s broken.
Reasons why coil spring on braces gets broken or comes off
Coil springs on braces can come off, get loose, or get broken, but it’s not so common.
When your orthodontist attached and activates coil springs on braces, you may feel a bit loosening which is normal.
Actually, activation means giving a force to the tooth. This puts pressure on bones and helps move the tooth to the desired position.
Because of the pressure, you may feel tight for the first few weeks of treatment with coil springs.
Besides, you can feel pain because of the spring. However, they feel loose over time.
But, they may also become loose when they get damaged.
A damaged coil spring delays your orthodontic treatment.
Learn about all the factors that determine how long you have to wear coil springs on braces from our other articles.
These springs are used to create space between your teeth or close the gaps after the removal of a tooth for orthodontic treatment.
Now let’s take a look at the reasons for which coils springs come off or get broken-
1. Faulty brushing and flossing technique
You can’t brush and floss with braces and coil springs in the same way you do without them.
Vigorous brushing and flushing techniques can damage the coil springs. Sometimes they may come off or get loose.
2. Not maintaining oral hygiene
Maintaining oral hygiene is very hard with braces on teeth. It gets more difficult when you have a coil spring.
But, it’s also very important to keep your mouth clean and healthy for braces. Otherwise, coil springs or braces may be damaged.
3. Wrong food habit
Eating hard food or biting on them can damage your coil springs sometimes. Sometimes, sticky food can also cause problems.
You can also check our other article regarding coil springs on how to eat with the springs for braces.
4. Bad oral habit
Habits, like biting on a pen or nails and pressing the coil springs with a tongue, can damage the coil springs.
5. Lack of awareness
Not following all the advice given by your orthodontics and patient’s negligence can cause coil springs to come off or get loose.
6. Accidents
Any accidents by which someone gets a blow in the mouth like getting injured during outdoor sports can be responsible for getting coil springs on braces to come off. It’s really unfortunate.
How to fix if coil springs on braces get loose, or broken?
Whatever the cause if your coil spring on braces gets loose or broken, you should inform your orthodontist as soon as possible. He or she’ll tell you what to do and may make an appointment to fix the coil spring. You have to keep the coil spring safe and take that to your orthodontist. He or she may reattach that spring or may attach a new one.
Sometimes, damage may be more serious that a bracket may come off or braces wire may get loose or pop out. In that case, you can try to place them in position with help of orthodontic wax.
Our recommended orthodontic wax:
Follow the step-by-step guide on how to fix broken braces, and poking wire, and also know how to apply the wax correctly.
What to do if coil springs come off?
If your coil spring comes off, you can reattach it at home simply by placing the current end of the spring into the slot r hook. However, you should consult your orthodontist if you aren’t confident enough and don’t know where you should put the springs. So, you should keep the springs safe and visit the orthodontist for the best outcome.
You shouldn’t try to put it back if you aren’t confident, because you may make the situation worse. Even if you want, you should first consult your orthodontist. Placing springs in the wrong slot or brackets will move different teeth. So, there is a risk.
But, you may want to know how to put a coil spring back on your braces, if you can’t visit the orthodontist now?
Only try to place the springs, if your orthodontist suggests and you are confident enough. Take a mirror and with a clean hand try to place the springs as it was before. You can take a tweezer if you have to place it. You can also take help from your family member to do that.
Follow the orthodontist’s guidance or after doing that you can send a picture to him to verify it if he allows. If you can’t then leave it and just save the spring.
Now, what’ll happen to this period before getting them reattached by your orthodontist?
Is a broken coil spring an emergency?
Usually, it’s not an emergency as you don’t have to face any big problem. Of course, there’ll be a bit delaying in treatment. But, it’s not that you’ll lose the progress of treatment immediately
If damage occurs due to a blow or injury on the mouth, you should take emergency care depending on severity.
In this case, you must visit your orthodontist immediately, as it can also damage your braces and archwires.
How to prevent braces coil springs to get broken or damaged?
You should do the following things to prevent the broken braces coil spring-
- Maintain good oral hygiene with braces and coil spring.
- Learn the proper brushing and flossing technique with coil springs and braces on your teeth.
- Eat soft and liquid foods while wearing braces and coil springs.
- Avoid foods that are harmful to braces.
- Give up the habits like push the springs with your tongue and biting on a pen or nails.
- Follow all the instructions provided by your orthodontist during the treatment.
- Prevent any type of accidental injury or blow in the mouth during the orthodontic treatment period.
Conclusion
Whatever the reasons for broken coil springs, you should try your best to prevent this to happen. You have to make a lot of sacrifices to get a beautiful smile after successful orthodontic treatment.
Moreover, you may not want to delay treatment due to any damage to coil springs. So, you should follow all the instructions of your orthodontist and take care of your braces and coil springs.
We always suggest you consult your orthodontist before trying to fix any issue regarding coil springs or braces on your own.
