Emergency Care
True orthodontic emergencies are very rare, but when they do occur we are available to you. As a general rule, you should call the office when you experience severe pain or when you have a painful problem with the braces that you can't take care of yourself. We'll be able to schedule an appointment to resolve the problem.
You might be surprised to learn that you may be able to temporarily solve many problems yourself until you schedule an appointment with our office. When working with your braces, you need to know the names of the parts so you are able to identify what part is broken or out of place. 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 braces to remain damaged for an extended period of time may result in disruptions in your treatment plan & lengthen treatment time.
The following solutions may help you relieve your discomfort:
Poking Wire
Using a pencil eraser, push the poking wire down or place wax on it to alleviate the discomfort.
Loose Bracket or Band
If your bracket or band is still attached to the wire, you should leave it in place and put wax on it. If the bracket or band comes out entirely, keep it in a safe place and bring it to the next appointment.
Loose Wire
One option is to place wax on the wire adjacent to the bracket or band it came out of to stabilize it. Another option is using a set of tweezers to try to place your wire back into place. If doing this or using 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. Place wax on the cut end if it is slightly irritating.
Headgear Does Not Fit
Many times headgear discomfort is caused by not wearing the headgear as instructed by your orthodontist. Please follow the instructions provided by your orthodontist. Call the office if there are any questions. If the facebow is bent, please call our office for assistance. Surprisingly, the headgear may hurt less if it's worn more, so be sure you're getting in the prescribed hours.
General Soreness
When you get your braces on, you may feel general soreness in your mouth and teeth may be sensitive to biting pressures for three to five days. This can be relieved by rinsing your mouth with a warm salt water mouthwash. Dissolve one teaspoonful of salt in 8 ounces of warm water and rinse your mouth vigorously. If the tenderness is severe, take whatever you normally take for a headache or similar pain (aspirin, Tylenol, Advil, Motrin, etc). The lips, cheeks, and tongue may also become irritated for one to two weeks as they toughen and become accustomed to the surface of the braces. You can put wax on the braces to lessen this. We'll show you how! If a sore develops on your cheek, placing Orabase on the affected area may help. This can be found in your local pharmacy.