Orthodontic Spacers / Separators

Spacers, also known as separators, are placed between teeth in order to move them slightly apart to make more room for bands. They can be a colorful elastic-like hue or metallic and clip-shaped. Once the proper amount of spacing has been established, your separators will be removed, and bands will be fitted around your teeth. The spacers might make your teeth feel a tad sore for the first three days or so of use, though this will diminish with each day and then rapidly after the third. For those who are unaccustomed to the feeling, we recommend that you consume foods and drinks that are soft and gentle to your mouth. It’s also appropriate to take an over-the-counter pain reliever, similar to those one would take for a headache, for patients who have trouble sleeping at first.

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Learn More About Spacers / Separators

Will Spacers Fall Out?

By taking good care of your spacers, you’ll make sure that they don’t become dislodged. Here are some best practices for taking care of your orthodontic separators:

Don’t play with them with your fingers
Don’t pull on them with toothpicks, pencils, or brushes
Practice normal oral hygiene as instructed by your orthodontist
Avoid chewing gum and sticky foods

How Do I Brush My Teeth While Wearing a Herbst Appliance?

Once spacers have done their job, they’ll become looser in the space they created and have a higher chance of falling out of the mouth. Even if a spacer is swallowed, which is uncommon, there is no reason to be concerned. They will pass through your digestive system with no issues. Take a look at your spacers every morning to make sure that you still have them all in your mouth. If you’re missing one, then contact your orthodontist for a replacement before your next scheduled appointment. You can replace your own spacer, or our kind staff can attempt to fit you in for a brief refitting as schedules allow.

How to Replace an Orthodontic Separator

The steps for replacing an orthodontic spacer that fell from your mouth are quite simple:

Thread some dental floss through the middle of the spacer.
Double the floss back on itself, then repeat steps 1 and 2 with an additional piece of floss.
Hold one piece of floss at either side of the spacer.
Slide the floss between the teeth where the spacer has fallen from.
Pull the spacer between the teeth.
Keep a finger on top of the replaced spacer. Pull one end of a doubled-back string of floss to remove the guide from the mouth. Repeat with the other side of your mouth to leave the separator between your teeth.

Fruge Orthodontics has been pioneering smiles for generations in Louisiana and beyond. If you’re ready to brighten up your visage, give our knowledgeable staff a call or send us an email to learn more about what we can do to make you grin easily again!

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