Emergency Care
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 discover a loose or broken part of your braces, or when you experience severe pain or discomfort. We'll be able to schedule an appointment for repair of your braces or to help alleviate any discomfort you may be experiencing.
When working with your braces, you need to know the names of the parts of your braces so you are able to identify what part is broken or out of place when you call our office. Allowing your appliance to remain damaged for an extended period of time may result in disruptions in your treatment and delay of treatment completion.
The following solutions may help you relieve your discomfort:
Poking Tie-Wire
Using a pencil eraser, push the poking tie-wire back under the archwire or place wax on it to alleviate the discomfort. If the problem persists, please call to schedule an appointment for us to repair it for you.
Loose Bracket or Band
If your bracket or band is still attached to the wire, leave it in place. If it is uncomfortable, cover it with relief-wax. If it comes out completely, bring it with you to the next appointment. Call our office immediately for an appointment. Do not connect headgear or elastics to a loose band!!
Headgear or Lip-Bumper Does Not Fit
Sometimes headgear or lip-bumper discomfort is simply caused by not wearing the headgear or lip-bumper as instructed - a reduction of wear following a period of recommended wear, for example. Please refer to the instructions that were handed out to you when your appliance was initially delivered. If it seems that the lip-bumper or the face-bow part of the headgear is bent, please call our office for assistance - it may only require a simple adjustment. Surprisingly, headgears and lip-bumpers may hurt less if they are worn more, so be sure you're wearing the appliance for the prescribed hours.
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