What To Do If You Have An Orthodontic Emergency

Avoid sports-related orthodontic emergenies by wearing a mouth-guard!Sometimes your braces can misbehave. Wires can poke, braces can come loose or get lost, and at times you may experience some minor pain. When these situations occur, give our office a call to schedule a repair appointment. Typically these appointments are not emergencies, but should be handled within the week. Here are some helpful tips in how to deal with these types of situations. You may also feel free to contact us at any time if you have questions, concerns or would like to schedule time with Dr. Pellegrini.

I FEEL A POKEY WIRE
A wire poking your cheek is usually caused by one of the following situations:

1. The last brace has come off. This may leave a portion of wire poking the back of your mouth. This is remedied by placing wax on the end of the wire. If the wire continues to poke the cheek, use fingernail clippers to trim the long wire directly behind the last brace that is still glued on to the tooth.
2. The wire may be slightly long. This can be caused by tooth movement or the wire sliding around from the other side. This can be remedied the same as situation #1.
3. The wire may have bent, allowing it to slip out of the last brace. Your wire is very flexible. The wire can be grabbed with a pair of tweezers, bent, and slid back into the bracket solving your problem. If you are not successful in replacing the wire in the bracket, use the same solution in situation #1.

SOMETHING IS RUBBING MY LIPS, TONGUE OR CHEEK
If something is rubbing against your lips, tongue or cheek, use a dry wipe or towel to dry the bracket. Then place a small amount of wax over the bracket. After brushing or eating, you will need to reapply the wax. To decrease the sensitivity of your lips, tongue or cheek, you may try the following routine several times daily to relieve discomfort.

                1. Fill a glass half full with warm water
                2. Stir in 1 spoon of salt
                3. Swish the mixture in your mouth for 30 seconds 3 to 4 times a day to relieve discomfort.

ONE OF MY BRACES (BRACKETS) FELL OFF!
If the last bracket falls off and is not attached to the wire, you may wait until your next appointment to have it repaired. If you lose a bracket that is attached to your wire, and your visit is within two weeks, you may wait until your next appointment to have it repaired. Please give our office a call to notify us that you will need a repair so we may allot additional time if needed. If your next scheduled appointment is further than two weeks away, contact our office to schedule a repair appointment.

MY TEETH ARE SORE AFTER MY LAST APPOINTMENT
You may experience some discomfort after an appointment as the teeth are moving. You can take over-the-counter ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Be sure to follow the regular recommended dosage. Just try to remember that the pain you are feeling is a sign that your teeth are shifting and becoming more aligned and soon you will see the transformation of your new, beautiful smile.

If you have a true emergency related to your braces and our office is not open, you may contact our after-hours emergency line at 425-501-1188. Only available for patients of record.