Orthodontic Emergencies

There are very few true orthodontic emergencies. Please call our office during regular business hours if any of your appliances come loose. Our staff members will help determine what requires immediate repair and what can wait until your next visit. If a traumatic event occurs after hours, please call the office and you will be prompted how to leave an emergency page.

Call our office as soon as possible during normal business hours if you break or loosen any of your appliances. Please do not come directly to the office – by calling us, you will allow us to create a time to see you. Even if you have a regular appointment scheduled, call to notify us if you need an appliance repaired.

During the first week after your braces are in place and routine adjustments are complete, you will likely feel some soreness, or discomfort. You may take acetaminophen or other non-aspirin pain relievers while you adjust to your new braces. Patients find that a soft diet is easier and more comfortable during these periods. A warm wash cloth or heating pad may reduce dental soreness.

Sometimes discomfort caused by a wire on your braces can be resolved by moving the wire away from the irritated area with a cotton swab or eraser. If the wire will not move, try covering the end of it with a small piece of cotton or a small amount of wax. If the wire is painful, you can cut it with nail clippers or scissors that have been washed and sterilized in alcohol.

The helpful video titled “Braces Home Remedies” at the top of the page can provide more instructions if needed. If you cannot resolve the wire irritation, call our office for an appointment.

Most patients lose a separator during their treatment. Do not worry about losing a separator, but call our office to see if it needs to be replaced.

Call our office for advice if a brace or wire is loosened. The brace may need to be re-fitted as soon as possible. You may have a situation that requires cutting a wire or sliding a bracket off a wire at night or over the weekend. If you need to cut a wire in case of emergency, you may use fingernail clippers that have been washed and sterilized in alcohol. Please call our office the next business day so that we may schedule an appointment for you.