Curious what people here think about using wax or those little silicone covers when something on your braces snaps or starts poking. I’ve always used the regular wax (like, that stuff is everywhere in my bag), but a friend swears by the silicone strips because she thinks they last longer and don’t get all mushy. I dunno, wax works for me but it does fall off if I eat. Which do you reach for when your wires go rogue?
Title: Wax Always Melts Away on Me—Silicone Holds Up Better
“I’ve always used the regular wax (like, that stuff is everywhere in my bag), but a friend swears by the silicone strips because she thinks they last longer and don’t get all mushy. I dunno, wax works for me but it does fall off if I eat.”
I can relate to this a lot. When I first got my braces, my ortho handed me a little box of wax and said it was the go-to for poking wires or brackets. It worked okay at first, but I noticed the exact same thing—if I tried to eat with it on, it would just dissolve or slide off. I’d end up swallowing bits of wax without even realizing. Not exactly what you want.
About six months in, I switched to those silicone covers after a friend recommended them. Honestly, they’re not as easy to mold as wax, but once you get them in place, they stay put way longer. I’ve gone through entire meals and the silicone was still there afterward. The only downside is they can be a bit tricky to remove if you have to reapply, especially if your hands aren’t super clean. But overall, I’d say they’re more reliable for those times when something’s really poking or broken and you can’t get to the ortho right away.
One thing I noticed is that silicone doesn’t get all soft and sticky like wax does after a while. It keeps its shape and doesn’t pick up as much food gunk either, which is a bonus since cleaning braces is already annoying enough.
I still keep a little box of wax in my bag just in case, but for anything more than a minor irritation, I reach for the silicone now. It’s just less hassle in the long run, even if it takes a bit more effort to apply at first. Anyone else find that silicone makes it easier to get through those “emergency” days before you can get an appointment? For me, it’s been a bit of a game changer.
My kiddo had the same issue with wax just melting away or getting stuck in weird places, especially if she tried to eat anything even remotely warm. It was kind of a mess. We switched her to silicone covers after a particularly rough wire poked out, and honestly, she was way less stressed at school after that. They do take a bit more fiddling, but once you get the hang of it, they really do hold up better. Hang in there—it does get easier over time.
That sounds so familiar—my teen struggled with wax too. It would just disappear halfway through lunch, or worse, get all mushy and stuck in her brackets. We tried silicone after her ortho suggested it, and it was a bit tricky at first, but she swears by it now. I know it’s frustrating, but you’re right, it really does get better once you find what works. Hang in there... those first few weeks are the worst, but you’ll both get through it.
