Braces are a modern dental treatment method chosen by many people. During the braces process, you will use devices such as brackets, archwires, elastic bands, etc. Among them, the archwire is placed in the bracket groove to create traction to help adjust the position of the teeth on the jaw. However, there are cases when braces encounter difficulties such as the braces archwire stabbing the cheek. So, is it dangerous for the archwire to stab the cheek? The causes and simple home remedies will be presented in the following article.
Causes of braces wire stabbing into the cheek
During the process of wearing braces, people with braces may encounter the situation of the wire stabbing into the cheek or mouth due to many different reasons such as:
- Teeth shifting leading to excess wire: When the teeth begin to move due to the pulling force of the wire during the process of wearing braces, the wire in the innermost position may be excess and cause damage to the mucosa inside the oral cavity if not trimmed promptly.
- Due to the doctor’s technique: During the treatment process, if the doctor does not check carefully or does not intentionally cut close, tighten the wire, it can lead to excess wire or loose wire. To avoid this situation, patients need to strictly follow the follow-up appointment schedule so that the doctor can monitor and handle the problems promptly.
- Broken or loose archwire: There are rare cases in children due to being naughty, running, jumping, or hitting the archwire hard, causing the archwire to break or come loose from the braces system, causing injury and bleeding in the oral cavity.
Is it dangerous if the archwire stabs the cheek?
The problem of the braces archwire stabbing the cheek is a common condition when wearing braces. In mild cases, it will cause discomfort and pain when talking or eating. However, in more serious cases, it can lead to bleeding, mucosal infection, and even ulcers.
For young children, they often do not know how to handle this situation, so parents need to pay attention to monitor their child’s oral health while wearing braces so that they can intervene promptly.
Although the archwire stabbing into the cheek is not dangerous, we need to limit negative situations for the teeth and mouth to ensure the braces process goes smoothly.
3 ways to handle braces archwire stabbing into the cheek at home
If you are unlucky enough to have a braces archwire stabbing into the cheek while wearing braces, but you cannot see a doctor immediately, you can handle braces archwire stabbing into the cheek at home:
Use dental wax
Dental wax is a method chosen by many people to solve the problem of braces archwire stabbing into the cheek. Dental wax is used as a pad to separate the oral mucosa and the archwire, reducing friction and protecting the mouth from damage.
Dental wax is very popular today and can be easily purchased at drug stores. To use dental wax, you can follow these steps:
- Step 1: Clean your teeth thoroughly to remove food and plaque, then wash your hands.
- Step 2: Dry your cheeks, lips, braces and archwire.
- Step 3: Take a small amount of dental wax, roll it into a smooth ball with your hand.
- Step 5: Place the wax ball on your finger, then place it on the archwire and press lightly to secure it.
- Step 6: Before eating, you can remove the old wax ball and repeat the above steps to replace the new wax.
Apply aloe vera gel
In addition to being used for beauty, aloe vera also has healing and antibacterial properties. Thanks to its high vitamin content, aloe vera helps soothe irritated mucous membranes, heals small wounds quickly and reduces pain. If you are stabbed in the cheek by a bowstring, you can use dental wax combined with aloe vera gel for more effective treatment.
Use warm salt water
Salt is a common and easy-to-find ingredient. If you are stabbed in the cheek by a bowstring, you can simply treat it at home in this way to disinfect it. Dissolve half a teaspoon of salt in warm water, then rinse your mouth for about 30 seconds and spit it out, repeat until the salt solution is gone, or you can stop when your mouth feels more comfortable.
Arch wire repair tools
In case the arch wire punctures the cheek due to loosening or slipping out of the bracket, you can use arch wire repair tools found at home such as pencils and tweezers.
For using a pencil: Use the eraser tip of the pencil to gently push the excess arch wire out and bend it back, preventing the arch wire from continuing to puncture the cheek.
For using tweezers: Use tweezers to push the loosened arch wire back to its original position or to bend the excess arch wire inside.
However, before using these tools, you need to clean them thoroughly before putting them in your mouth.
In addition to the simple home remedies for arch wire as above, you should not arbitrarily cut the excess arch wire because this can make the condition worse due to lack of knowledge and professional skills. If you see the condition getting worse, see a doctor immediately for support.
How to limit braces wire from piercing the cheek
To avoid the wire piercing the cheek, the most important thing when starting braces is to find a reputable dental clinic with a quality team of doctors. This helps minimize risks during the braces process, including the wire piercing the cheek. Follow the follow-up schedule as instructed by your doctor to monitor the treatment process and promptly detect any problems that arise.
Diet is also very important, limit eating hard foods while wearing braces to avoid affecting the wire and brackets. Instead, divide food into small pieces or eat soft, easy-to-chew foods.
BIK International Dental Clinic – A reputable address for braces
BIK International Dental Clinic is a dental system that meets the international quality management standards ISO 9001:2015 of the United Kingdom. Each customer using orthodontic services here is signed an orthodontic contract, ensuring effective treatment quality. Doctors are highly qualified orthodontic experts, trained at medical universities.
BIK International Dental Clinic conducts monthly check-ups and examinations for each customer meticulously. They use the most modern equipment imported from Japan, Korea, Europe such as CT Cone Beam, iTero 5D machine,… to provide a detailed and reasonable treatment plan based on each person’s oral condition.
In addition, BIK International Dental Clinic complies with the safety standards of the Ministry of Health, has a central sterilization system and separate treatment rooms, ensuring hygiene and safety for each customer.
During the process of braces, the braces wire stabbing into the cheek can happen to anyone. This not only causes discomfort but also affects oral health and the treatment process. Therefore, understanding and updating information about this issue as well as knowing how to handle it when encountered is very important.
