Soft-Tissue Protection with Lip-Bumper Tubing

Archwire loops often cause soft-tissue irritation or ulcers, a problem accentuated in patients with thick lips. Simply bending the loops away from the labial mucosa can change the forces and moments, however, making them unpredictable. To overcome this situation, we use the following technique:

1. Cut pieces of .027" (internal diameter) lip-bumper tubing long enough to cover each loop completely.
2. Thread the tubing onto the archwire over each loop.
3. Remove the excess tubing with a scalpel (Fig. A).
4. After activation, place the archwire in the patient's mouth (Fig. B).