Emergency Care
There are very few true orthodontic emergencies. Most problems can be taken care of at home. However, if you have a situation that you cannot resolve on your own, call us as soon as possible so we can schedule you for an emergency appointment. In the meantime, the following can help you repair minor problems you may encounter during your orthodontic treatment:
IF YOUR TEETH ARE SORE AFTER A VISIT...
You may take acetaminophen or other non-aspirin pain relievers while you adjust to your new braces. A warm washcloth or heating pad may help reduce soreness in you jaws and warm saltwater rinses may help with the soreness inside your mouth until you adjust to your braces.
IF YOUR BRACES CAUSE IRRITATION...
Try moving the wire away from the area with a cotton swab or pencil eraser. If the wire will not move, try covering it with a small piece of cotton or a small amount of wax. If the wire is poking, you can cut it with nail clippers or scissors that have been washed and sterilized in alcohol.
IF THE MAIN WIRE OR A BRACKET COMES LOOSE...
FIRST CALL our office to see if the bracket needs to be refitted. If you have a situation where you must cut the wire or slide a bracket off the wire, you may use a fingernail clippers that have been washed and sterilized in alcohol. Also, if you just need to remove a loose bracket, a paperclip that has been unfolded can be used to remove the small elastic tie that holds the bracket on and then the bracket can easily be rotated on the wire and removed. Please call our office the next business day to schedule a repair appointment.
IF A SEPARATOR COMES OUT...
Call our office to see if it needs to be replaced. It is common to lose separators during treatment.
OTHER HELPFUL HINTS!
Extra time is needed with toothbrushing to make sure that all areas around the braces have been cleaned properly. Specialized brush tips are available to help get in between the braces and under the wires. Special floss or floss-threaders are helpful in passing floss under archwires to facilitate flossing of the teeth. Over-the-counter mouth rinses can be used in conjunction with oral irrigators to help reduce the level of bacteria around the teeth.
The goal is to remove plaque from around the teeth and gums. It is the bacteria in plaque that is responsible for causing inflamed gum tissue (gingivitis) and permanent scarring of enamel (decalcification) as well as tooth decay. Remember, braces don’t cause these problems, they just make cleaning the teeth more difficult.
Avoiding hard, sticky, crunchy and chewy foods will also keep your braces intact and help to make your treatment flow smoothly.
