Wire out of channel... or, The Little Ligature That Could

[sirwired]

One of my teeth is tilted out, while the next is tilted inwards. This has created such an angle on the wire pulling it away from the bracket that the wire is no longer sitting in the channel. The ligature is still holding on for dear life, but I don't know how long until it snaps. Any ideas for a temporary fix until I can get in to see my ortho? (His office is closed this week for the holiday.) This doesn't qualify as an "emergency" does it? (I suspect at least one of the docs is in town...)

I suspect the permanent fix will be a wire lig until the tooth is in a more cooperative position

[TMJJill]

I just posted a similar question. My right molar has a popped wire and the left is poking out the back of my cheek. The wire is stiffer than my last one and keeps cutting through my marble sized pieces of wax. My ortho is also closed until January 3. Not fun at all.

Take care,
TMJJill

[crooked rory]

I have the same thing and after breaking two ligatures, they put on a metal tie-wire.

[Maya]

They should have used a wire tie for teeth that will pull the archwire so much, rather than ligatures. My ortho used that on some tilted teeth until they are aligned enough to used normal ligatures.

[sirwired]

He had a couple of other patients to see on Wednesday morning, so I got an appointment and he did indeed put in a wire ligature on that tooth. But I salute the makers of that plastic donut for manufacturing such a sturdy little thing, as it bravely held on for dear life until the Dental Pick of Doom came to remove the little guy... *sniff*.

[Redfern]

I had a similar problem in my first 2 months in braces. First, brackets popped off my two most mis-aligned teeth (and several others, too, but they were put back on right away). Then, because those teeth were "blank" there wasn't much holding the wire in the channel on my back tooth, so it kept popping out--sometimes quite painfully poking my cheek. The powerchain also came off, and finally the wire broke. Once the wire was changed to a stronger one, and wire-tied in (not rubber ligature, I have self-litigating braces), the problems have stopped. My two problem teeth are still blank, but the ortho said she will push my back teeth apart first, then re-attach the brackets and coax the bad boys into line. Right now, there is not enough room to pull them into the "arch" (both are sitting somewhat behind my other teeth, inside the natural arch) and she figures if she tried, the brackets will just come off again.

Meanwhile, wax is my best friend!

Cheers,
Redfern