Hi. My name is Santiago. I am writing because the brackets on my braces keep getting loose. My dentist does fast braces but it isn’t going fast for me. She says it is taking longer because the brackets keep loosening due to bad fluorosis stains on my teeth and it’s making it harder for them to stick. I am worried that my treatment is going to take over a year because the brackets keep slipping. My mom and dad are worried about this, but they are no good with technology to find some answers. Also for some reason they feel like they would hurt the dentist’s feelings if we switch. I am wondering if you can give me some information on what I should tell them to help them think about getting me another dentist. Thanks.
Santiago – Your dentist is correct. It is more difficult to bond brackets to teeth with fluorosis stains. But there is a way to prepare the teeth to accept the bonding and prevent the brackets from slipping.
There are three points for you to remember:
- In cases of severe fluorosis stains, the time for etching your teeth (roughening the surface) needs to be longer than usual.
- This isn’t something you should ask your dentist to do, because she might not be sure how to properly do it.
- You can also ask your parents to look at a June 2017 post on the mynewsmile.com/blog website on fluorosis stains and orthodontic treatment. The information there can help your parents decide if they want to schedule an appointment for you with an orthodontist.
If your brackets are slipping, it can affect the quality of your orthodontic treatment and affect your treatment time. You made a good decision to write us and ask for guidance. We hope you get a good solution, the treatment goes well, and that you’ll like the results.
This post is sponsored by Naperville dentist Dr. Anthony LaVacca.
