Most orthodontic treatments will be required to be worn on the teeth for upwards of 6 months. During this time, there's plenty of opportunity to misplace your aligners or damage your wires and brackets. While your orthodontist will generally allow for the repair of breakages free of charge, there could be fees for broken brackets, wires, plates or lost aligners if damage or loss occurs frequently.

Causes of Broken Appliances

Broken or lost appliances are normal during orthodontic treatments. During treatment with braces, a patient might receive mouth trauma during sport or may have eaten forbidden foods which break or damage braces.

When it comes to retainers or removable plates, patients often lose them at school, break them accidentally, their dog chews them or they are left in a serviette when eating out. While we understand that breakage or loss often occurs during orthodontic treatment, it's imperative to note that broken brackets will delay your treatment.

What to Expect When a Bracket, Wire, Plate or Retainer breaks

Many patients have no breakages throughout their treatment and others have several. Some orthodontic practices may charge to fix the broken brackets. Here's what you should expect in case you lose your retainers, plate or break your brackets.

As for the fees for broken brackets, wires, plates or lost aligners, most orthodontic practices won't charge you a fee for the first few broken brackets. However, some may start to charge after several breakages. It is important that you check with your orthodontist as to what is included in your treatment fees. If the wire in your braces breaks, there is no fee associated to replace it. Lost or broken retainers/plates incur an extra fee because it requires time and materials for the technician to make new ones. Your orthodontist will inform you if a band or bracket has broken.

Fees for Repair or Replacement of Your Appliance

Broken plates can often undergo repair and there is usually an extra charge for repairs. Wire replacement for your bonded retainer generally will incur a cost, which differs between practitioners. Seeking advice on replacement and associated fees from the practice that completed your orthodontic treatment, is always best. Repair is on occasion possible, although the costs will differ due to individual circumstances.

If you are a patient of former patient, you are welcome to contact our office to get a specific quote. If we can't repair your retainer/plate, you might need to have a new one made. Keep in mind that the cost of substitute retainers/plates differs by the kind. You can obtain a precise quote once we evaluate your orthodontic device.

Keeping Your Appliance Safe

Keep your retainers/plates in their protective cases when they aren't in your mouth to avoid accidental breakage and loss.  Substitute the retainer/plate as soon as possible to avoid further teeth movement or delayed treatment times.