What to do in case of emergency
Call our office as soon as possible 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 us immediately to notify us if you need an appliance repaired.
Loose brackets or bands
Call our office immediately for advice if a bracket or wire is loosened. The bracket 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. Save it in an envelope so we will be able to re-glue the bracket. Please call our office the next business day, so that we may schedule an appointment for you.
Wire irritations
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 turn it down using a pencil eraser. If you cannot resolve the wire irritation, call our office for an appointment.
Lost separators
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.
Wire out of back brace
Hard or sticky foods can cause the wire to come out of the back brace or become bent. In this case, you can put the wire back by using tweezers. If you are unable to get the wire back in the hole, you can clip it in order to ease the discomfort. Schedule an appointment as soon as possible to have the wire replaced.
Poking rubber band hook
Many times these small hooks can irritate your lips or cheeks. To alleviate the discomfort, use a pencil eraser to carefully push the hook in or put wax on the hook.
Discomfort with orthodontic treatment
During the first week after your braces are in place and routine adjustments are complete, you will likely feel some pain, 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 reduce the soreness in your jaws.