Train track braces. A coloured band has come detached.

[elephantoverthehill]

Hi I am just hoping someone has experience and knowledge about braces. DD has recently had braces fitted. One of the coloured bands has come off. Is this a big problem? Will it cause any harm? Can it wait until next week to get it fixed? TIA

Anyone?

Mine used to pop off all the time. The coloured bands go round the blocks to reduce sharp edges. Next week will be do e but not even that urgent unless It's sore

Thanks TeaBelle. I have no previous experience of this type of brace.

I'm sure it can wait. It wasn't even much of a problem when one of dds brackets came off so a band would be less of an issue

Yes, these do have a habit of popping off. We just wait till next visit (DD goes for check up monthly)

If it's the "single band" type in the first picture (red and green bands), it's not a big deal as those are just there (as someone else said) to soften edges and for aesthetics. If it's the "power band" type in the second picture (blue connected bands), those do actually have a function in the movement of the teeth and need to be replaced.

Just realized you're going in next week anyway. I wouldn't worry about it between now and then regardless of which type of band it is!

Panda we are not going next week, the next scheduled appointment is in 10 weeks time. I just wanted to know if it was a big problem, as it is Friday night, or something that can be put off until next week. It is quite complicated getting DD to the orthodontist because of where her school is located and where mine is. I must admit I was getting quite confused at the initial appointment about all the different bands, the metal ones, the coloured ones and the ones that go from the top teeth to the bottom teeth. I was sure the Orthodontist said as she put on the coloured ones that they were the ones that did all the work - I got that bit wrong! DD took all the information leaflets to read and funnily enough they can't be located in her bedroom now. Thank you to everyone who has replied.

They are not just there for comfort or aesthetics, they are the thing that holds the wire in the metal bracket, and necessary to move that tooth.

However, a few days without one is not a big deal, especially early on in treatment (in later stages it could set you back weeks/months if a tooth was free to move randomly)

Don't leave it 10 weeks though!

(FYI, your orthodontist probably has all those leaflets on their website)

Thank you MargetRiver that does seem to tie up with what I remember the Orthodontist was saying. I know thousands of children have braces now, but when I was young my parents had to pay for it privately and I had a removable brace it didn't really do the job so I am being perhaps over cautious about this as I am acutely aware it is being funded by the NHS and don't want the whole treatment to last longer than it should. Oh and it is like the green and red ones in the photo Panda DD's 'power band' is metal.

This used to happen to me. I would just go and get them replaced after a few days.

Has it come off completely? My DD has braces and the band came off one of the brackets. The dentist showed us how to pop it back on. More recently a bracket came off and DD never noticed (it was still in her mouth and on the wire just not attached to the tooth). Orthodontist was awful with her. Refused to change the wire and said she has added at least 8 weeks to her treatment. Definitely get there as soon as you can.

Doesn't sound like the Orthodontist was awful to your DD MissHannigan, just factual
That tooth would have drifted into a position where it was not possible to move to the next wire
If the next visit is in 8 weeks time, then the mishap has added 8 weeks to her treatment
No point sugar coating it, or she could break one again (usually caused by breaking the rules about eating) and not notice it again

The coloured bands actually hold the wire on the bracket, nothing to do with sharp edges. You should call the orthodontist and see what they suggest.