Major Orthodontic Emergencies

Chances are that you will not experience a major orthodontic emergency during your time in treatment . But if you do, we are available to help through our emergency line by calling 1-800-374-8763. The main major orthodontic emergencies include:

An acute injury or trauma to the mouth, teeth, or the face associated with sports, a fall, or accident.

Locally swollen or infected gums, cheeks or tongue.

Visible swelling in the face.

Severe, unmanageable pain in the mouth or face of unknown origin.

Minor Orthodontic Emergencies

It is far more likely to deal with minor issues with your braces, especially when they are first put on. It is natural that you will experience some discomfort as your gums, cheeks and tongue get used to the braces that have newly been added. The good news is that your body will get used to the braces within about 4-7 days and you will not feel them anymore.

We want your orthodontic treatment to proceed as smoothly as possible and we are always available during normal office hours to view a photo of an offending area to give advice on the proper next step or set up a time see you for a visit to help address the issue. You can also see tutorial videos on how to help with emergencies on Instagram @capanortho.

Here are some minor issues that you may have during treatment, as well as at-home remedies that will help alleviate the discomfort you may experience.

Poking Wire

This is probably the most common issue you will face during your treatment. Wires can poke in 2 main areas: out of the last brace in the back of your mouth or on a brace in the front. Here are some ways you can help:

  1. You can place a small ball of wax (found in the at-home kit we gave you at the beginning of your treatment or in a local drugstore) on the area that is poking. Sometimes, you may want to use a larger amount of wax to allow it to adhere better. The next time you come into our office, please be sure to let us know about the poking wire so that we can help.

  2. You can sterilize nail clippers or a cuticle cutter with alcohol on a piece of gauze and cut offending wire.

  3. For wires poking on the braces to the front of the last brace, you can take a cotton swab or use the eraser side of a brand new Number 2 pencil and poke the wire back in again.

Loose Bracket or Wire

This issue is most often caused by eating sticky or hard foods like candy. The issue can also be caused by playing with your braces with your fingers or inanimate objects such as pens or pencils. Keep in mind that the adhesive that we use for the teeth has to be safe enough not to damage the precious outer covering of your teeth called enamel when the braces are removed. This is why it is important to be careful with your food choices and not play with your braces.

If a bracket, band or wire is loose but still attached to the main wire, it is advisable to keep it as is and not attempt to remove it. Some orthodontic wax can be used to keep the area comfortable.

Broken Retainer

Our retainers are extremely esthetic and discrete so they are naturally comfortable and easy to wear. On the flip side, these qualities make them easier to break so it is advisable to handle them with care. Always place them in a retainer case when not using them (not in a paper towel or paper napkin) and keep them away from pets.

The good news is that we make our retainers in our office digitally so we are able to make you a new pair very quickly. Just call us during normal office hours to schedule an appointment.

General Soreness

From our wire types to the kind of braces we use, we are keenly attuned to minimizing discomfort during your entire orthodontic treatment. However, there may be times that you will experience discomfort for about 2-4 days after we see you at the office. Here are some ideas on minimizing the discomfort:

  1. Taking over-the-counter pain relievers as you would for other types of pain. It is important not to overuse these medications for more than two days.

  2. Eating softer foods such as eggs or smoothies and cutting foods into smaller pieces.

  3. Using a dental pain relief gel. It tends to numb the entire mouth which can be uncomfortable.

  4. Rinsing with warm salt water.

  5. Placing a heating pad on the jaw.