True orthodontic emergencies are very rare, but when they do occur we are available to help you. As a general rule, you should call our office if you experience major discomfort or when you have an uncomfortable appliance problem that you can't take care of yourself. We'll schedule an appointment to resolve the problem.

You might be surprised to learn that you may be able to temporarily solve many problems yourself before we see you. When working with your appliances, you need to know the names of the parts of your appliances so you can identify what part is broken or out of place (check the Braces Diagram and Terms page). After alleviating your discomfort, it is very important that you still call us as soon as possible to schedule a time to repair the problem. Allowing your appliance to remain damaged for an extended period of time may result in disruptions to your treatment plan.

• General Soreness

   

  When you first get your braces, you may feel general soreness in your mouth and your teeth may be tender to biting pressures for three to five days. This can be relieved by rinsing your mouth with a warm saltwater mouthwash. Dissolve one teaspoonful of salt in eight ounces of warm water, and rinse your mouth vigorously before spitting the saltwater into the sink. Placing Orabase on the affected area may help too; this product is available from a pharmacy. If the tenderness is severe, take aspirin or whatever you normally take for a headache or similar pain.

  Your lips, cheeks and tongue may also become irritated for one or two weeks as they toughen and become accustomed to the surface of the braces. You can put wax on your braces to lessen this irritation. We'll show you how!
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• Headgear

   

  Sometimes headgear discomfort is caused by not wearing the headgear as instructed by your orthodontist. Please refer to the instructions provided by your orthodontist. If the facebow is bent, please call our office for assistance. Surprisingly, the headgear may hurt less as it's worn more, so be sure you're getting in the prescribed hours.
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• Loose Appliance

   

  If your appliance is poking you, place wax on the offending part of your appliance.
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• Loose Bracket

   

  If your bracket or band is still attached to the wire, you should leave it in place and put wax on it. If the wire comes out entirely, wrap the bracket with a tissue.
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• Loose Wire

   

  Using a tweezer, try to put your wire back into place. If doing this and using wax doesn't help, as a last resort use a small fingernail clipper to clip the wire behind the last tooth to which it is securely fastened. If your discomfort continues, place wax on it.
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• Poking Wire

   

  Using a pencil eraser, push the poking wire down or place wax on it to alleviate the discomfort.
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