Emergency Care

Common Orthodontic Emergencies

Our goal is for you to experience timely treatment with optimal results. Call our office if you break or loosen any of your appliances. If you have a regular appointment scheduled in the immediate future and have a loose or broken appliance, please call us immediately so that we may extend your appointment time to repair the appliance.

Loose Brackets or Bands

Call our office for advice if a bracket or wire is loosened. The bracket may need to be re-fitted, or you could 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 an 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.

Wire Irritations

Discomfort caused by a wire on your braces can sometimes 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 that have been washed and sterilized in alcohol. If you cannot resolve the wire irritation, call our office to make an appointment.

Lost Separators

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

Discomfort with Orthodontic Treatment

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. A warm wash cloth or heating pad may also reduce the soreness in your jaw.