My Braces Bracket Came Off: What Should I Do?

TL;DR:

Think you have a broken bracket? While it’s usually not a severe emergency, it does require prompt attention. Your orthodontist should always guide next steps.

• Broken brackets are considered dental emergencies—even if they’re not painful right away
• Check if your braces bracket came off completely or is just a loose bracket on braces
• Use orthodontic wax to prevent irritation from sharp edges or wires
• Avoid hard or sticky foods to prevent further damage
• Always contact your orthodontist for personalized advice and to schedule a repair ASAP

One minute, everything seems fine. The next? You feel a strange sensation in your mouth, and you realize one of your braces brackets has broken (what a tongue twister, literally).

What should you do?

That’s what we’re here to help you uncover! From what to look for to how to fix a broken bracket both temporarily and permanently, here’s everything you need to know about your broken bracket.

Why Do Braces Brackets Break?

There are several reasons that brackets come unstuck from your teeth. Here are a few of the most common:

• Something You Ate: From bagels to gum; apples to popcorn, there are plenty of foods that can pop a bracket.
• Improper Cleaning: If you fail to clean your braces properly AND have eaten problem foods, it’s possible that something could get wedged in the bracket, causing it to break ─ especially if the bracket adhesive is also failing.
• Injury or Accident: Injured on the court or in an accident involving trauma or force to the mouth? That could have very well broken your bracket.
• Adhesion Failure: Sometimes the glue that binds brackets to your teeth, which is meant to last for the entirety of the time your braces stay on, fails for one reason or another, causing brackets to come unstuck.

How to Tell if a Bracket is Broken

What Does a Broken Bracket Look Like?

Broken brackets that have come unstuck from the tooth can be rotated around the archwire. The picture we’ve included at the beginning of this blog post is a good representation of a broken bracket.

Types of Broken Brackets

Normally the archwire stays in place and the bracket comes loose on it. Sometimes, if the bracket that breaks is on one of the last molars and the archwire breaks too, the bracket may come completely loose in the mouth. While this is rare, this can pose a choking hazard and can be especially dangerous in young children.

Most times, however, if the bracket that has broken is between other brackets (on one of the middle teeth), it stays attached to the archwire, causing it to come unstuck but stay in place between other brackets. In other words, in these instances, it will come loose from the tooth but stay strung on the wire.

Imagine for a minute that you were to glue a necklace to your teeth (crazy we know – don’t do that!). If the glue from one bead came undone but it was still attached to the rest of the necklace, that’s kind of what a broken bracket is normally like. Because in these cases, a loose bracket is still held in place on the braces, it usually isn’t dangerous, but it can certainly halt the progression of normal treatment.

What Do I Do if I Broke a Bracket?

Here’s the million-dollar question: if a bracket is broken on your braces, what are you to do? While broken brackets do classify as a dental emergency, meaning you’ll eventually need to see your orthodontist, you can do the following as a short-term solution before being seen by a professional.

Inspect the Area

Take a good look at the area so you can get a handle on what’s going on. Is the bracket broken off the tooth? Partially broken? Is it an end bracket coupled with a loose archwire? A middle bracket that’s less at risk of coming off completely? These are the types of questions to ask.

Apply Orthodontic Wax or Remove the Bracket If Needed

If the bracket is at the end of the tooth and the archwire has come loose, it’s probably best to remove the bracket entirely so you don’t risk ingesting it.

Otherwise, if the bracket, which in normal circumstances, holds the archwire down, comes loose enough that it’s starting to cut your inner lips or gums or enough to cause the wire to lift and create irritation, we recommend applying orthodontic wax around the bracket and surrounding wire.

For a Long-Term Fix, Contact Your Orthodontist

Not sure if your broken bracket qualifies as an emergency that requires immediate attention? The only way to know for sure (and the only surefire way to have a broken bracket fixed permanently) is to schedule an emergency appointment with your orthodontist. They’ll have the tools and materials required to re-affix the bracket permanently.

In the meantime, feel free to learn more about the right ways to clean & maintain teeth with braces.

FAQs About Broken Brackets?

How long can you leave a broken bracket for?

A broken or loose bracket on braces should be fixed within a few days whenever possible. Waiting too long can slow down your progress and may extend your overall treatment time, even if it doesn’t hurt right away.

Is a broken bracket serious?

Most broken brackets are not serious in the sense that they’ll cause any immediate danger, but they do qualify as dental emergencies, and they shouldn’t be ignored. If there’s pain, a poking wire, or the bracket has fully come off, then the situation is more serious, and you should try to get it addressed by a qualified orthodontist ASAP. Regardless, it’s still important to fix a broken braces bracket quickly.

Is a broken bracket an emergency?

Yes, technically, broken braces brackets do qualify as dental emergencies, however the severity of a broken braces bracket can vary widely in each individual case. Usually, a broken bracket isn’t a danger in the same way that other emergencies, like a knocked out tooth that is bleeding, might be. However, when a broken bracket leads to a poking wire, that is where things get a little more serious. Still, in most cases when that happens, the poking wire can temporarily be addressed with dental wax. This is the rule, but it’s important to note that there are exceptions, so you should always contact your orthodontist for confirmation of the severity of your symptoms and unique situation. This is not intended to be medical advice.

Why are my brackets breaking so easily?

If your brackets keep breaking, there’s usually an underlying cause worth addressing. Common reasons include eating hard or sticky foods, habits like nail biting or chewing on objects, or inconsistent oral hygiene that weakens the adhesive. In some cases, frequent loose brackets on braces may also be related to bite pressure or natural tooth movement, so it’s a good idea to let your orthodontist know if it keeps happening.

Do orthodontists charge for broken brackets?

Some orthodontists may charge for broken brackets, especially if it happens frequently or is caused by food or habits. However, occasional breakage is often expected, and many offices include a few repairs as part of overall treatment.