Emergency Care

We are here for you if you have a true orthodontic emergency. Call us if you are in excruciating pain or have an appliance issue that you can’t handle on your own. We’ll be able to set up a time to fix this right away.

There are many situations in which you may be able to come up with solutions on your own until you can get to our office. Take a plastic bag or envelope to your next visit with you if there is a loose piece you can remove. Apply soft wax to the part of your braces that’s protruding. With needle-nosed pliers, you may pull the wire back to the other side and reinstall it in the tube on the back tooth if it has shifted.

You must still contact our office as soon as possible after you have relieved your pain to arrange a time for the issue to be repaired. Your treatment plan may be disrupted if your appliance is broken for a lengthy time.

General Soreness

Your mouth and teeth may be uncomfortable for three to five days after getting your braces on, so be prepared for that. Eat soft foods until you no longer feel pain when you bite down. Rinsing with a warm salt-water mouthwash helps soothe sore gums and other oral irritations. Rinse your mouth with a solution of one teaspoon of salt and eight ounces of warm water. Take Acetaminophen (Tylenol) or whichever pain reliever you regularly take if the discomfort is severe. If you’re wearing braces, it’s not a good idea to take aspirin, Ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), or Naproxen Sodium (Naprosyn, Anaprox) regularly.

For the first one to two weeks, the braces may irritate the lips, cheeks, and tongue as they adjust to their new position and the braces’ surface. You may reduce this by applying wax to the braces. We’ll walk you through it!

Headgear

If you don’t wear the headgear as prescribed by your orthodontist, it might cause pain. Your orthodontist has supplied you with detailed instructions. Please contact our office for help if your facebow is bent. Be careful to wear the headgear for the suggested amount of hours to alleviate any discomfort.

Loose appliance

Put wax on the component of your device that keeps poking you.

Loose bracket

It’s best to keep your bracket or band in place if it’s still linked to the wire, and if necessary, apply wax to it. Keep the bracket or band in an envelope and bring it to your next visit if it can be removed easily.

Loose wire

Put your wire back in place with a pair of needle-nose pliers or tweezers. To secure the wire, you may substitute a piece of floss for the colored o-ring that is missing. The final option is to use a tiny fingernail clipper to cut the wire behind the last tooth to which it is firmly attached if you are unable to get it into a comfortable position and concealing the end with wax does not assist. Put wax on the wire’s sharp end if necessary.

Poking wire

To stop it from poking any longer, use a pencil eraser to press it down or wax it.