Emergency care
Emergency care
True orthodontic emergencies are rare, but when they occur we are available to you. As a general rule, you should call our office when you experience severe pain or have a painful appliance problem you can’t take care of yourself. We will schedule an appointment to resolve the problem.
You might be surprised to learn that you may be able to solve many problems yourself 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, put soft wax on the area.
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 lengthening your treatment time.
General soreness
When your appliances are initially placed, you may feel general soreness in your mouth, and your teeth may be tender to biting pressures for three to five days. Stay on a soft diet until your teeth do not hurt when 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 eight ounces of warm water, and rinse your mouth vigorously.
If the tenderness is severe, take Acetaminophen (Tylenol) or whatever you normally take for headache or similar pain.
Your 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 discomfort. We’ll show you how!
Loose brace
If your brace or band is still attached to the wire, you should leave it in place and put wax on it if needed for comfort. Please call our office for an appointment to repair the loose brace.
Poking wire
Using a pencil eraser, push the poking wire down or place wax on it so it is no longer poking.
