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 appliance problem 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 appliances, you need to know the names of the parts of your appliances 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 appliance to remain damaged for an extended period of time may result in disruptions in your treatment plan.
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. If the band or bracket comes off entirely, wrap the broken piece up and bring it with you to your next appointment. Loose Wire
Using tweezers, try to place your wire back into place. If doing this and using wax does not help, use a small wire cutter or nail clippers to clip the wire behind the last tooth to which the wire came out. Loose Appliance
If your appliance is loose and causing discomfort, try placing wax on the area and contact the office for an appointment. General Soreness
When you get your braces on, you may feel general soreness in your mouth and teeth may be tender 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 aspirin or any type of over-the-counter pain reliever you would use for a headache. 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.