The good news about orthodontic treatment is that there are no emergencies! There are some things that will occasionally happen to the appliances; fortunately most can be temporarily fixed at home. This eliminates the need for unexpected trips to the office.
Lost Separator
It is common for a separator to come out. This is not a problem. If your banding appointment is the next day don’t worry at all. If the appointment for the banding is a few days away, call the office and we will schedule a time that is convenient for you to come and have the separator replaced. If it happens on a weekend you may wait until Monday to call.
Discomfort with Orthodontic Treatment
It is during the first week after your braces are in place that you will likely feel the most, soreness or discomfort. We recommend ibuprofen (Advil®, Motrin®) or other non-aspirin pain relievers while you adjust to your new braces. If you take these as directed for the first few days you will stay ahead of the discomfort. Most of the early wires we use are reactive to body heat, so eating or drinking something cold can often provide some temporary relief.
Poky Wires
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. If the wire will not move, try covering the end of it with a small piece of cotton or a small amount of the wax that you were given. If you need it you can always get more wax at a pharmacy. If this doesn’t resolve the issue you can cut it with new nail clippers or cuticle cutters that have been cleaned with alcohol. Please call us if you need help with a poky wire, we can always get you in to make you comfortable. If you are unable to get to the office, feel free to cut and remove the whole archwire, then give us a call and we will give you an appointment to put everything back in place.
Loose Brackets or Bands
A loose bracket or band is not something that needs immediate attention. As long as it is not uncomfortable all you have to do is call our office the next business day, so that we may schedule an appointment for you. It is possible that we may be able to adjust the time of your next scheduled appointment so that we can replace the bracket or band. If it is uncomfortable you can feel free to cut the wire to make yourself comfortable. You can cut it with new nail clippers or cuticle cutters that have been cleaned with alcohol. Then give us a call and we will give you an appointment to put everything back in place.
Trauma
As a general rule of thumb, if you experience a trauma to the mouth while wearing braces you need to see your pediatric or general dentist before the orthodontist. It is important for the dentist to make sure that the teeth have not been damaged. Once that has been determined please set up an appointment with us and we will see you to check the braces.
Request an appointment today!