Braces & Aligners | Carrboro
Advanced Treatments for Your Smile
If you’re in or around Carrboro and need orthodontic treatment, you’re in luck!
Dr. Jeff and Dr. Tate are proud to offer the leading treatments available to our amazing patients — so no matter what your unique smile needs are, we’ve got you covered. That’s what Noble Orthodontics is all about.
Orthodontic Emergencies
True orthodontic emergencies are rare, but accidents happen and the braces can become uncomfortable. We’re here to help. Some issues you may run into might include:
Broken Brackets
One common problem is a broken bracket. If you find yourself in this position, here are some tips:
- Use some dental wax to secure the broken bracket until you can make an appointment to see Dr. Ollins.
- Use tweezers to slide the bracket back onto the tooth before securing it with a ball of orthodontic wax.
Poking Wires
Occasionally, archwires or wire ties might poke the soft tissues inside your mouth or your lips. You can take a couple of temporary measures to ease the discomfort until you can see the orthodontist:
- Use a pencil eraser or Q-tip to reposition the wire
- Put dental wax over the area causing discomfort until your appointment
- Snip the poking wires with sharp nail clippers
Please note that to reduce the risk of swallowing the piece clipped off, you should wrap gauze or tissue paper around the end to be clipped if possible.
Swallowing Appliances
First: Don’t panic. If your bracket does dislodge from your teeth, the archwire it’s attached to should keep it in place — and keep you from swallowing the appliance.
Secondly, if you do happen to swallow your bracket: Still don’t panic. Brackets are fairly small appliances, so if you do happen to swallow one, it’ll pass quickly and easily through your system.
Of course, you’re always welcome to contact us right away regardless, and we’ll see you as soon as possible.
Band on the Run
If a band (the metal ring that is sometimes placed around the back teeth) comes loose, let us know. Although this isn’t an immediate problem, over the long term, it may cause enamel erosion and can lead to white spots.
If the band comes out completely, save it and bring it to your next scheduled appointment.
Foods to Avoid With Braces
As much as we love our treats, some foods should be avoided during your time in braces to promote a smooth treatment process.
Sticky/Chewy Foods
- Gum (sugarless is ok)
- Tootsie Rolls
- Blow Pops
- Carmel
- Gummy Bears
- Gummy worms
- Toffee
- Starburst
- Jelly Beans
- Fruit Roll-ups
- Laffy Taffy
- Licorice
- Skittles
Hard/Crunchy Foods
- Chips
- Taco shells
- Jaw Breakers
- Jolly Ranchers
- Life Savers
- Pizza crust
- Pretzels
- Suckers
- Popcorn
- Nuts (food and candy)
- Carrots/apples (cut into bite size)
- Hard bread (like bagels — tear into small pieces)
- Corn on the cob
Vivera Retainer Subscription
Our commitment to patient care extends to post-treatment. Retainers can be expensive — we can help.