What To Do in Case of an Orthodontic Emergency?

True orthodontic emergencies are very rare, but when they do occur we are available to you. As a general rule, you should call the office when you experience severe pain or when you have a painful appliance problem that you can't take care of yourself. We'll be able to schedule an appointment to resolve the problem.

You might be surprised to learn that you may be able to temporarily solve many problems yourself until you schedule an appointment with our office. When working with your orthodontic applaines, you need to know the names of the parts of your appliances so you are able to identify what part is broken or out of place. After alleviating your discomfort, it is very important that you still call our office to see if it is necessary to schedule a time to repair the problem. Allowing your appliance to remain damaged for an extended period of time may result in disruptions in your treatment plan.

 If you are still in need of after hours assistance, please call our office and you will be instructed on how to reach Dr.Giannoutsos or the on-call orthodontic clinician.

Sore spot on cheek:

When you first receive your braces or your orthodontic appliance, sore spots may develop on your cheeks. To protect your cheek, place wax on the offending bracket, wire or appliance. During non-sleeping hours, cotton rolls can be placed between the appliance and your cheek to provide relief. Rinsing with warm salt water several times a day is very soothing to your gum and cheek tissues. The cheeks will toughen up after a short while. If you have used all of the wax provided to you, orthodontic wax can be purchased at a drug store and we will be happy to supply you with more on our next working day.

Soreness:

You may take an over-the-counter pain reliever such as Tylenol or Advil as you would for a headache or similar discomfort. Soreness can be expected for 3-5 days after an adjustment. Good tooth brushing, warm saltwater rinses several times a day and very carefully chewing on a half piece of sugarless chewing gum will help alleviate the pain and help your mouth feel "back to normal" much more quickly.

Loose bracket:

Please call us on the next business day if you have a loose bracket. A broken bracket is not an orthodontic emergency. A broken or loose bracket should be fixed in a timely manner. Braces are repaired during the quieter times in the office (9am - 11:30am).

Loose appliance:

If your expander or Herbst appliance becomes loose, please contact our office immediately.

Loose retainer wire:

If your bonded retainer wire becomes loose, please contact our office immediately.

Poking wire:

Place wax over the poking wire. If the wax does not help please call us and we will clip the wire to make you more comfortable. Poking wires are very common as the teeth move.

Injury

If you have a traumatic injury resulting in cuts to your lips or gums or if you have a loose tooth, please contact our office immediately. If you have broken any part of a tooth, you will need to contact your family dentist. If you suspect that your jaw has been injured or notice that your teeth have been moved by the accident, you may also need to be seen by an oral surgeon.