What to do if you accidentally swallowed a brace?

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Long-term practice of using braces has proven that treatment of crooked teeth and alignment of malocclusion takes a very long time - in some cases, the period can reach 3 years. During this time, troubles related to the correct operation of the correction mechanism should not occur. But this is in theory.

In practice, due to the human factor associated with eating food of inappropriate hardness, sometimes a breakdown occurs, not of the entire system, but of its individual link - the bracket. The brace itself is a small clasp that is attached with glue to the surface of the tooth. In this triple bond of bracket-glue-tooth, the weakest point is the connecting link - the glue. Its composition, since the start of operation of the correction system, has been constantly changing, and the percentage of adhesives in it is constantly decreasing. The fault lies in the food and drinks that a person consumes.

Rarely, but it still happens that the lock-bracket comes off from the main structure, and at the most inopportune moment - while a person is eating. It’s good when this hard element, when chewed, immediately gets between the teeth, thus making itself felt. But it also happens that, unnoticed, it slips further into the stomach along with the food, and only at the end of the meal is its absence discovered.

What to do if the bracket has been swallowed? Let's look at the reasons for braces coming off from teeth, the possible consequences of swallowing both the clasps themselves and the arches with ligatures, and we will also describe ways to solve the problems that have arisen.

What causes braces to come off?

The contact of the lock attached to the surface of the tooth can become loose for several reasons. Each of them can lead to the detachment of the corrective element, and in some cases, to its accidental ingestion. Let's list them:

Violation of the rules for maintaining the structure . Caring for a brace system is fundamentally different from the rules of oral hygiene. Cleaning of the installed structure must be done strictly after each meal. Irregular and/or insufficient cleaning of the corrective mechanism can lead not only to the appearance of tartar and the onset of carious processes in the area where the braces are attached, but can also cause a weakening of the adhesion of the adhesive composition with which the braces are attached to the surface of the teeth. As a result, due to poor quality cleaning of the system, the possibility of individual braces coming off significantly increases.
Eating food of improper consistency . As a rule, after installing braces, the orthodontist advises the patient about the presence of certain restrictions on food intake, namely: food should not be hard or excessively sticky. Crackers, chips, chewing gum, etc. should be completely excluded from the diet. When wearing expensive bite-correcting systems, it is extremely important for a patient to maintain their proper functioning and prevent breakdowns. If a patient swallows a broken brace, then most likely the reason may lie in the consumption of a type of food prohibited during treatment.
Careless handling of braces . The design of such a corrective device, in addition to secondary elements, includes the main ones: locks, arc and springs. We can say with confidence that the strength of a metal arc is very high. However, the strength of the locks and springs leaves much to be desired. This fact imposes certain requirements on the patient in terms of limiting his participation in contact sports - boxing, wrestling and even football, that is, those during which the braces are susceptible to damage.

Dangers of elements entering the esophagus

Basically, the components of braces systems have rounded shapes and are not dangerous if swallowed. In most cases, a person does not even notice that he has swallowed some part.

What to do if any part of the braces system is swallowed:

Ligatures. They are made of medical silicone or wire and are absolutely harmless.
After passing through the digestive tract, the gum simply comes out with the feces. The wire is so thin that it cannot damage the mucous membrane. Most often it is simply dissolved by gastric juice. If ligatures are swallowed, you need to visit an orthodontist to install new elements so as not to disrupt the process of moving teeth in the desired direction;
Braces system locks. They are made of metal or artificial stone and have rounded shapes.
When swallowed, they also do not cause harm to internal organs. Locks are removed from the body in the same way as rubber bands. In this case, it is also necessary to urgently visit a specialist to fix a new lock, otherwise the arc will fly out and damage the oral mucosa. In addition, the pressure on the teeth will change, which will nullify all treatment;
Arc. It is made of metal and may have a sharp edge.
If swallowed, the wire may stick into the esophagus or damage the lining of the digestive system. In this case, you should not eat food to prevent the arc from passing further and damaging organs. In this case, the help of specialists is required who can extract the element from the digestive organs.

What should a patient do if he swallows a brace?

First of all, don't panic. The patient needs to remember: there is no need to worry about possible health complications associated with swallowing one intact brace. This problem does not promise any negative consequences, because modern materials from which orthodontic structures are made are completely harmless to the human body. The brace-lock will not remain inside for a long time; after a while it will come out in the usual way.

In this case, the greatest danger is from a damaged, swallowed bracket. In this case, the patient may experience unpleasant sensations in the abdomen, however, generally speaking, the human esophagus is very adapted to solving this kind of problem: its walls are capable of pushing even a sharp-angled foreign object of small size towards the exit.

In all cases, instead of the lost bracket, a new element will be inserted into the corrective structure. A swallowed bracket is never reused.

Precautionary measures

Correcting teeth and bites with braces is a very long process. The success of treatment depends on the quality of installation and compliance with the rules of wearing an orthodontic structure.

Accuracy and attentiveness throughout the course will help you get the desired result and avoid unpleasant moments.

Precautions are:

Careful selection of clinic and specialist. The result of correction of bite defects directly depends on the trusting attitude towards the attending physician.
Reading reviews about the clinic and its specialists, communicating with a doctor, showing interest in the tools and materials used will allow you to achieve the desired result;
Compliance with all doctor’s instructions regarding the rules of wearing orthodontic structures in terms of eating, care and daily activities;
Immediate decision making. If a partial peeling of the lock is detected, you should try to fix it with wax and consult a doctor as soon as possible.
If a broken arc is detected, a lock or other part of the structure comes unglued, it must be removed immediately. When the part passes into the esophagus, it is prohibited to eat;

In any case, it is necessary to visit specialists as soon as possible to remove the elements and adjust the system.

What are the dangers of swallowing wires and ligatures?

An arch in braces is a bent piece of wire. If it is swallowed, there is a real possibility of damage to the soft tissues of the body along its route. The arc may come out naturally, but not always. To insure against possible complications, it is recommended to immediately seek advice from a physician who may prescribe an abdominal x-ray. For a patient in such a situation, it is extremely important not to allow additional food intake, so as not to aggravate an already serious situation. Water and juice are allowed for consumption.

Inhalation of small parts

Small parts of the braces system getting into the lungs is more dangerous. Unlike the digestive tract, structural elements from the lungs cannot leave the body on their own.

Even the smallest particles, such as rubber bands or a brace, if left in the lungs for a long time, cause inflammation of the organ. Inhaling part of the arc can lead to even more serious consequences - a puncture of the lung.

If any part of the orthodontic system is inhaled, you must immediately contact the otolaryngology department for its prompt removal.

Varieties of Ormco braces systems and the secret of the company’s popularity.

In this publication, we will look at models from the American Orthodontics braces catalog.

Here https://orto-info.ru/sistemyi-vyiravnivaniya-zubov/breketyi/kley-ot-chego-zavisit-fiksatsii.html we will find out what braces are glued to.

What problems can you fix yourself?

The design injures the tongue or buccal mucosa.
The situation often occurs at any stage of bite correction. In this case, you need to lubricate the protruding part with dental wax. Subsequently, the teeth will shift and the problem will disappear. But if the trauma does not stop, you will need to tell the orthodontist about it at your next visit. Sometimes the reason lies in bending the tail of the ligature while brushing your teeth. If this happens, you need to take a mirror and bend the protruding ligature back under the arch.
The arc of the system jumped out of the last lock.
Sometimes, while eating food, the arcs jump out of the last lock. They can be inserted using a mirror and nail clippers. Use a mirror to create illumination in the mouth, and use tweezers to insert an arc into the last lock, which looks like a tube.
Teeth hurt after replacing an archwire or another visit to the orthodontist.
The situation does not require a visit to the doctor, as it is caused by natural causes. Teeth that have occupied a certain position in the mouth for a long time feel increased stress associated with their movement. The body, which does not understand how to react to this, responds with pain. Gradually the jaw system will get used to it, and the pain will stop. If you really can’t stand it, you can take a painkiller.

Actions of specialists

As a rule, a swallowed foreign object passes through the esophagus and comes out naturally after 3-6 days. Despite the comforting forecasts, X-ray monitoring in a clinical setting is mandatory.

The study will help control the movement of an object through the intestines. If an intact swallowed bracket cannot harm health, then a part of an orthodontic arch that ends up in the digestive tract can become potentially dangerous to a person.

Reviews

Any patient who decides to correct their bite with braces should remember that all the unwanted “surprises” that occur during the correction can be prevented with timely contact with specialists.

If during the treatment you swallowed an element of the corrective system, share with readers your personal experience of eliminating the problem. We look forward to your feedback in the comments section.

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