EMERGENCY CARE
True orthodontic emergencies occur in instances of trauma or if there is a dental related swelling such as an infection. If you or your child have experienced a trauma in which a tooth is hit, broken, knocked out or loosened, please make sure there are no other life threatening injuries first. Consider contacting your physician, pediatrician, local emergency room or urgent care center if you are concerned. Then call your dentist and we are happy to help once these other areas of concern are addressed!
If you have an orthodontic inconvenience such as a loose or broken band or brace, pokey wire or irritation on your gum tissue, read below on a few suggestions to alleviate your discomfort. Very often, there is a simple fix that will help!
Loose Brace
Our braces are high tech. Each brace is held to the wire by a little door. If you see a brace sliding on the wire, the brace has detached from the tooth. Luckily, that little high tech door is holding the brace on the wire for you. Give us a call so we can schedule a time to repair it!
Loose Wire
You can make a wire that is loose or sticking out from your braces feel better. Gently push it away from your lip with the eraser end of a pencil. If the loose wire is causing irritation to your lips or cheeks, put wax over the end of the broken wire to relieve the pain. Give us a call so we can help you!
Pokey Wire, Bothersome Elastic Hook
As your teeth get more and more aligned, your wire often has no where to go except to stick out of your back brace. It’s actually a sign that you are making progress with your treatment. Great work! You can use a piece of wax to cover it until you see us in the office and we can trim it for you.
If the hook for your elastic is bothersome, cover it with a piece of wax or push the hook away from your gum with a pencil eraser. Otherwise, give us a ring. We can help!
Loose Molar Band
Bands are rings that go around your back molar teeth. Bands are strong and are attached to your teeth by a special type of orthodontic cement that keeps your tooth safe while you are wearing braces. If a band is loose, please push it gently back into position and contact us as soon as possible so that we can check and repair your appliance. If left, a loose band can lead to other dental problems like cavities or gum irritation/infection.
Broken Retainer
If your removable retainer is lost, broken, or doesn’t fit, please give us a call so we can make a plan to make you a new one.
If your attached retainer is broken, please wear your clear Essix retainer as close to 24 hours per day as possible, just like you did when your braces were first removed. Give us a call!
Soreness
Some patients experience achy or sore teeth during orthodontic treatment. It takes time for lips, cheeks, and teeth to get use to your new braces. This soreness is usually manageable with wax, warm salt-water rinses and anti-inflammatories like Motrin or Tylenol if you are able to take them as directed on the bottle. Softer foods like soup or mashed potatoes will often be a good idea until the soreness goes away too. Hang in there. It will get better!