Please refer to the guide below along with the braces diagram to find solutions to your orthodontic problem. Most common orthodontic emergencies usually consist of loose, broken or bent appliances. Certain instances will require an office appointment, while other things are not as critical and may be handled at home. Please remember that if you are in pain, discomfort or have a question, please call the office to discuss your problem. We are here to make your orthodontic experience comfortable and rewarding.
Orthodontic emergencies are rare, but occasionally the appliances become damaged and cause discomfort. Orthodontic emergencies are different than dental emergencies. A dental emergency would involve a direct injury to the mouth or teeth whereby a tooth has been knocked out, severely displaced or fractured. With these types of injuries, it is best to contact your family dentist first so he/she can assess damage to the jaws and teeth. Please call our office immediately after seeing your dentist so we can appoint a time to repair dislodged or displaced appliances. In some rare instances when the injury is severe, we recommend that you go to the emergency room to evaluate if any fracture of facial bones occurred.
| Loose spacer | Should you lose a spacer, please call our office during normal business hours so we can determine if the spacer needs to be replaced or if it can wait until your next appointment. If it falls out more than 1-2 days before your appointment, it likely needs to be replaced. |
| Loose bracket from a tooth | Occasionally, a glued bracket may come loose. You can remove the loose bracket and save it in an envelope to bring to the office or leave it where it is, if it is not causing any irritation. Call the office as soon as possible in order for us to allow time to re-glue the bracket at your next office visit. |
| Loose band from a tooth | The same as for a loose bracket (please see above). If rubber bands are being worn to the loose bracket or band, stop wearing the rubber band until we can repair it. |
| Loose ligature tie or colored tie | This can be ignored, unless other directions have been given. If a steel ligature tie unravels and is scratching the cheeks, lips or tongue, try to bend the steel tie back with a pencil eraser. You may also cover it with wax or snip the steel tie with wire cutters and/or nail cutters. |
| Wire broken, distorted, or poking | If the patient is comfortable, call the office during general office hours.
Sometimes, a poking wire can be safely turned down so that it no longer causes discomfort. To do this you may use a pencil eraser, or some other smooth object, and tuck the offending wire back out of the way.
If this is unsuccessful, cover it with wax or sugarless gum. If you are not successful with the wax, then cut the protruding porting of the wire with wire and/or nail cutters if possible. Please call the office if you are unable to find relief. |
| Wire is loose or out of molar tube | Attempt to bend the wire gently back into the molar tube from which it has slipped out of using needle-nose pliers or tweezers. If you are unable to do so, attempt to cut the wire just behind the bracket where the wire is still secured from. |
| Rubber band (elastic) hook is irritating lip or tongue | Some brackets have small hooks on them for elastic wear. These hooks can occasionally become irritating to the lips or cheeks. If this happens, you may either use a pencil eraser to carefully push the hook in, or you can place a ball of wax on the hook to make the area feel smooth.
Assuming that no "breakage" or distortion is involved, wax will usually be sufficient. If in doubt, call the office during general office hours. |
The retainer or another removable orthodontic device is poorly fitting | Do not ignore this. Call the office at the time of the incident. If it occurs during non-office hours, please leave a detailed message on the answering machine. |
| Palatal expander has dislodged | Try to push it back into place and call the office during normal business hours. Wax may help to hold the appliance in place. |
| Sores/Ulcers on the inside of the mouth | Expect, from time to time, that your cheeks and lips may become irritated. You will eventually build-up a callous. If an ulcer forms, use the wax that we gave you and place it over the braces that seem to be causing the problem. The wax will stay in place even while eating if you make sure that the area is dry before putting the wax in place. Pull off a small piece, roll it up in a little ball and stick it over the braces. Orabase-B can also help with discomfort if applied over the area. Ulcers generally take 7-10 days to heal. Warm salt water rinses can also aid in healing. Call us if a sore lasts more than 2 weeks. |
Additional Comfort Tips
Your teeth may be sore after having braces placed or after adjustments.
We recommend you take whatever you normally take for a headache. Tylenol or ibuprofen work well and help to control inflammation. The soreness typically lasts for only 2-4 days. Chewing on the sore teeth may make them more sore in the short term but will make the soreness go away much faster.
Your teeth may feel loose during orthodontic treatment.
Your teeth will feel loose because we are moving them. Once they are in their new position, the tissue around them will firm up and they will feel tight again. If you experience any trauma to the mouth, such as getting hit in the mouth or falling, please bring it to our attention. If the teeth are sore, the wire appears bent, brackets are loose or teeth appear to have moved, please call us for an appointment so we can make sure everything is OK.
If you notice bleeding when you brush, do not be alarmed.
It just means that you have an irritation that needs more attention when you brush. Keep the area free of bacteria and plaque by frequent brushing and it should clear up in a few days. Daily brushing, flossing, and use of Listerine will greatly improve your gum/teeth health. Healthy gums should not bleed.
Please call us before your next scheduled visit if something is ‘broken.’
This does not necessarily mean that you have to come in right away to have this fixed. Unless what has broken is causing you pain, you can normally wait until your next scheduled appointment to have it repaired. Please call our office prior to your next scheduled appointment to inform us of something broken so we can allow more time to fix it. If you are unable to wear your elastics because of what has broken, please call us right away to make a repair appointment. If you have any doubt of what to do, please call for reassurance.
Sometimes retainers may get lost, broken or just don’t fit anymore.
If, for whatever reason, you are unable to wear your retainer, please call our office for an appointment. If you still have your retainer, bring it with you. The only way to ensure long term stability of your result is with proper retainer wear