True orthodontic emergencies are very rare, but when they do occur, Eisen Orthodontics is available around the clock. As a general rule, you should call our office immediately if you experience unexpected pain or when you have a problem with your appliance that can't be easily addressed yourself.
You might be surprised to learn that you may be able to temporarily solve many problems until you schedule an appointment with our office. To facilitate the process, you need to know the names of the parts of your appliances so you are able to identify the part that may be broken or out of place.
After alleviating your discomfort, it is very important that you 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 get your braces on, you may feel general soreness in your mouth, and your teeth may be tender to biting pressures for three to five days. During this time, a diet of softer foods can greatly diminish tooth soreness during chewing. If the tenderness is severe, take Tylenol or a similar product used to treat common body aches or headaches.
The lips, cheeks and tongue may also be 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!
Additionally, if you are having any mouth irritations, try rinsing your mouth with a warm saltwater solution. Dissolve one teaspoonful of salt in 8 ounces of warm water and rinse your mouth vigorously. Placing some type of oral anesthetic on the affected area may help; this can be found in a pharmacy.
Loose bracket or loose appliance
If your bracket or band is still attached to the wire, you should 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 a plastic bag or envelope and save it to bring to your next appointment. Likewise, if your appliance comes loose or is poking you, you may remove the offending piece or place wax over it.
Loose wire
Using a tweezers, try to move your wire back into place. If doing this and 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. If your discomfort continues, place wax on it.
Poking wire
Using a pencil eraser, push the poking wire down or place wax on it so that it is no longer poking.
