If you wear a fixed retainer, you may not even realize that it has broken until you notice your teeth starting to move out of alignment. To prevent a fixed retainer from breaking, be conscientious about what you eat and avoid hard foods that can cause damage. Your dentist will have to remove and repair your retainer, but in the meantime, you should wear a mouthguard when you sleep, and stay away from hard and tough foods until you can see your dentist for repairs.

If your removable retainer is broken or damaged, you will need to have it repaired or replaced. You should take your retainer out when you are playing sports and when you are eating. You will receive a case with your retainer, and you should store your retainer in it when necessary. Get in the habit of keeping your case in your pocket, purse, backpack or briefcase, since retainers are expensive to replace, and you don’t want to lose it.

Make sure that you visit your orthodontist for your regular appointments so that he can check your retainer for damage, and to make sure that your teeth are still in their proper alignment. If you are thinking about correcting your smile, our dentist, Dr. Jaime Rivera would be happy to give you an exam and a consultation. If you would like to make an appointment at Rivera Orthodontics in El Paso, Texas, call 915-592-5853 today.

The post What to do About a Broken Retainer first appeared on Rivera Orthodontics.

To that end, Dr. Jaime Rivera points out some basic activities and lifestyle choices that could potentially damage your braces.

Chewing gum and eating sticky foods is one of the most common causes of damaged braces. The suction created by chewing on these things can sometimes be strong enough to pull a bracket, band or spacer loose.

Biting down on hard foods can also cause significant damage to your braces. This has the potential to bend wires, break bands or even knock a bracket loose from the face of a tooth. This also extends to other activities like crunching down on ice or nibbling on pencils and pens.

If you are an athlete participating in contact sports, Dr. Jaime Rivera strongly recommends using a high-quality mouthguard. A blow to the face can without adequate protection can severely damage your mouth, teeth and braces.

If you have questions or concerns about how to prevent damage to your braces in El Paso, Texas, you can always call Rivera Orthodontics at 915-592-5853 to ask a question.

The post Tips to Help Prevent Damage to Your Braces first appeared on Rivera Orthodontics.