Lip Bumper

About Your Lip Bumper

If your lower teeth are crowded and crooked, we use a lip bumper to widen and lengthen the jaw. By the mechanics of talking and swallowing, the lip bumper uses the tongue and the lower lip to create room by allowing the teeth to unravel. Your lip bumper is held in place by two bands on your back molars.

What to Expect
The lip bumper will be attached to two braces on the back teeth with two rubber bands. It is not necessary to have the rubber band connected as they are only there to prevent patients from removing and possibly losing the lip bumper. If a rubber band comes off, simply leave it off until your next appointment. You do not need to make a special trip to get it replaced.

The lip bumper could cause an ulcer at first until the cheek is toughened up. Rinse with salt water several times a day to help heal the ulcer. If this should last longer than normal, we may need to remove the lip bumper for a couple of weeks while the ulcer heals.

Once a patient is comfortable with his/her lip bumper, and if this is the only appliance they're wearing, we will see them on an average of every 3 months.

This appliance is an integral part of your treatment. It is important that you follow our guidelines for proper care. Your appliance is a sturdy instrument, but it will fail to work properly if it is continually abused or otherwise not cared for. If you keep the appliance clean and remember the kinds of food you can and cannot eat, your treatment should be smooth and trouble-free.

Please call our office should you have any questions regarding your appliance or your treatment.