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. It takes longer to re-cement a loose band or rebond a broken bracket than a regular adjustment visit.
Loose Bands
Call our office immediately if a band is loose. The band will need to be re-cemented as soon as possible.
Brackets
Brackets are bonded to the teeth so if you feel a bracket is loose, it is actually off the tooth. The bracket will need to be re-bonded as soon as possible. Please call right away for an appointment.
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 an emergency, you may use fingernail clippers that have been washed and sterilized in alcohol. 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, or with a pair of tweezers. If the wire has a V-shaped notch in it, this notch should be centered between the 2 front teeth. If the wire will not move, try covering the end of it with a small amount of wax or a small piece of cotton. Sugar-free gum may work if you cannot get the wax to stay in place. If the wire is painful, you can cut it with nail clippers or scissors that have been washed and sterilized in alcohol. If you cannot resolve the wire irritation, or if you did have to cut the wire, call our office for an appointment.
Lost Separators
If a separator has come out, please call our office to have it replaced. If we have given you instructions on how to replace your own separators, please follow our instructions to place one of the new separators provided. If you can't get the separator in, call the office.
Discomfort with Orthodontic Treatment
During the first week after your braces are placed or after routine adjustments are completed, 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.