True orthodontic emergencies are rare, but when they occur we are available to you. As a general rule, call our office when you experience severe pain or have a painful appliance problem you cannot take care of yourself. You may be able to solve many problems temporarily until you can get to our office, but it is important to call as soon as possible to schedule a repair.
When you get your braces on, you may feel general soreness in your mouth, and teeth may be tender to biting pressures for three to five days. Stick to a soft diet until your teeth do not hurt to chew. Irritated gums and sore spots can be relieved by rinsing with warm salt water.
Sometimes discomfort is caused by not wearing the headgear as instructed. Please refer to the instructions provided by your orthodontist. If the facebow is bent, please call our office for assistance.
If your appliance is poking you, place wax on the offending part, then call our office for an appointment.
If your bracket or band is still attached to the wire, leave it in place and put wax on it if needed for comfort. If it can be removed easily, place it in an envelope and save it to bring to your next appointment.
Try to gently push your wire back into place. Use tweezers to close the bracket door. If you cannot put the wire into a comfortable position and wax does not help, clip the wire behind the last tooth to which it is securely fastened and place wax on any sharp end.
Using a pencil eraser, push the poking wire down or place wax on it so that it is no longer poking.
