Emergency orthodontic care

Orthodontic emergencies

Orthodontic emergencies are rare, so you probably won’t experience one during your treatment. However, since they do happen from time to time, we want to ensure you are prepared to handle them! As a general rule, you should call our office when you experience severe pain or have a painful appliance problem you can’t take care of yourself. We’ll be able to schedule an appointment to resolve the problem.

If you experience a true orthodontic (or dental) emergency, such as:

Injury or trauma to your teeth, mouth or face.
An infection or swelling of your gums, mouth or face.
Severe or unmanageable discomfort or pain in your gums, teeth, mouth or face.

Please see your regular dentist or go to an emergency room, as they will be able to assess and address your issue with the tools necessary to do the job. Once they’ve fixed the problem, come see us and we can adjust your orthodontic treatment as needed.

Solutions to minor orthodontic issues

Many minor orthodontic issues can be solved by yourself, at least temporarily until you can get to our office. To tackle common problems, consider these helpful steps:

If you discover a loose component that you can safely remove, remove it and store it in a plastic bag or envelope. Bring it along to your next appointment for further examination and repair. If its still attached securely, do not remove it, but do not add any elastics to it until we can take a look at it in our office.
If your braces start poking you, a simple solution is to apply orthodontic wax to the bothersome area. This will alleviate discomfort until we can address the issue at your next appointment. In the event a wire from your braces has shifted to one side, you can use needle-nosed pliers to gently guide it back into place, securing it in the tube on the back tooth. You can also try to gently adjust or reposition the wire with a pencil eraser or Q-Tip, or tweezers, but please call our office before attempting to cut any wire and we can schedule an appointment to get you in as soon as possible if needed.
Minor soreness and teeth feeling more loose than normal is expected during treatment. Over-the-counter pain relievers and salt-water rinses can help, or you may apply a warm compress for relief.

After alleviating your discomfort, it’s important that you still call our office as soon as possible to schedule a time to repair the problem. If you leave a part of your appliance damaged for an extended period of time, it may result in longer treatment time.

Have more questions?