True orthodontic emergencies are rare, but when they occur we are available to you.
Please call our office if you experience severe pain or have a painful appliance problem you can’t take care of yourself. We’ll be able to schedule an appointment to resolve the problem.
Sometimes, you may be able to solve a problem temporarily until you can get to our office. If there is a loose piece that you can remove, put it in a plastic bag or envelope and bring it with you to your next appointment. If your braces are poking you, place wax on the piece that’s sticking out. If the wire has slid to one side, you can pull it back to the other side with needle-nosed pliers or tweezers, and replace it in the brace on the back tooth.
After alleviating your discomfort, it is very important that you still call our office as soon as possible to schedule a time to repair the problem. Allowing your appliance to remain damaged for an extended period of time may result in disruptions to your treatment plan.
General soreness
When you first get your braces, you may feel general soreness in your mouth, and teeth may be tender to biting pressures for a week or so. Stick to a soft diet until your teeth are not sore from chewing.
Irritated gums and other sore spots can be relieved by rinsing your mouth with a warm salt-water mouthwash. Dissolve one teaspoonful of salt in a cup of warm water, and rinse your mouth vigorously. We also recommend Peroxyl mouthwash which can be found at the pharmacy.
If the tenderness is severe, take Acetaminophen (Tylenol) or whatever you normally take for headache or similar pain. The lips, cheeks, and tongue may become irritated for one to two weeks as they learn a new posture and become accustomed to the surface of the braces. You can put wax on the braces to lessen this.
Loose appliance
If your appliance is poking you, place wax on the offending part, then give our office a call to schedule an appointment to have it repaired.
Loose bracket
If your bracket or band is still attached to the wire, you can just leave it in place and put wax on it, if needed for comfort. If the bracket or band can be removed easily, place it in an envelope and bring it to your next appointment as we will be able to reuse it. Please call us to inform us of the loose bracket so we can plan your next appointment appropriately.
Loose wire
Using a pair of tweezers or needle-nose pliers, try to put your wire back into place. It is okay to use a piece of floss to tie the wire into place. If you cannot put the wire into a comfortable position, and covering the end with wax doesn’t help, as a last resort use a small fingernail clipper to clip the wire behind the last tooth to which it is securely fastened. If the end of the wire is still sharp, place wax on it.
Poking wire
Using a pencil eraser, push the poking wire down or place wax on it so it is no longer poking.