Fortunately, true orthodontic emergencies are rare, but if you happen to experience one, we are here for you. You should call our office anytime you experience any severe pain or have a painful appliance problem that you cannot handle yourself. We will schedule an appointment to address your issue as soon as possible.
Most problems can be solved temporarily on your own, at least until you can get into our office to get seen. Make sure to save any loose pieces that you remove or fall and bring it with you to your next appointment. If your braces poke you, put soft wax on the offending piece.
Once you resolve the situation on your own, it is still important to call our office as soon as you can so that we can schedule an appointment to repair the problem. If your appliance remains damaged for a long period, your treatment will likely be extended.
Headgear
Discomfort from headgear can come from not wearing it properly. Be sure to review the instructions provided by your orthodontist and follow them word by word. Another possibility is that the facebow or metal piece is bent. If this is the case, call our office to get your appliance repaired as soon as possible. Another way to lessen headgear discomfort is to wear it! The more you wear your headgear, the more comfortable it will become.
Loose Appliance
If your appliance is poking you, place wax on the offending part.
Loose Bracket
If your bracket or band is still attached to the wire, do your best to leave it in place. You can put wax on it if needed for comfort. If the bracket or band can be removed easily, place it in an envelope and save it to bring to your next appointment.
Loose Wire
Use a pair of tweezers or needle-nosed pliers to carefully put your wire back into place. We recommend that you use a piece of floss to tie the wire into place: tie the floss around the bracket in place of the missing colored o-ring. If you cannot put the wire into a comfortable position, and covering the end with 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. Just make sure to disinfect the clipper with some rubbing alcohol first. If the end of the wire is still poking you, put some wax on it to ease your discomfort.
Poking Wire
Using a pencil eraser, push the poking wire down or place wax on it so that it is no longer poking.