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 |  What to do in case of emergency Call our office as soon as possible if you break or loosen any of your appliances. Please do not come directly to the office – by calling us, you will allow us to create a time to see you. Even if you have a regular appointment scheduled, call us immediately to notify us if you need an appliance repaired. Loose brackets or bands 
Call our office immediately for advice if a brace or wire is loosened. The brace may need to be re-fitted as soon as possible. You may have a situation that requires cutting a wire or sliding a bracket off a wire at night or over the weekend. If you need to cut a wire in case of emergency, you may use fingernail clippers that have been washed and sterilized in alcohol. Please call our office the next business day so that we may schedule an appointment for you.Wires If a wire has slipped out of the slot in the back, you may be able to flex it gently between your index finger and thumb and slide it back into the slot. If this is not possible, place wax over the wire at the slot to stabilize the wire. If the wire is protruding out the very back and sticking in the gum tissue, place a small piece of wax over the wire. In the case of an extreme situation, where it is needed, most wires can be clipped with a sanitized pair of nail clippers. Lost separators Most patients lose a separator during their treatment. Do not worry about losing a separator, but call our office to see if it needs to be replaced. Discomfort with Orthodontic Treatment During the first week after your braces are in place and routine adjustments are complete, you will likely feel some pain, soreness, or discomfort. You may take acetaminophen or other non-aspirin pain relievers while you adjust to your new braces. A warm wash cloth or heating pad may reduce the soreness in your jaws. Trauma If there is trauma to the mouth and one or more of the teeth are loose or pushed back/forward, contact our office immediately. The braces, however, should help to support the traumatized teeth. If the lip or cheek is caught in the orthodontic appliances, try to carefully free the check or lip from the braces. If a tooth comes out of the mouth due to trauma, place the tooth back in its socket if possible and apply light pressure so the tooth does not slide back out. If this is not possible, wrap the tooth in a tissue and place it in the corner of the patients' cheek. A third option would be to place the tooth in a glass of milk. Contact our office immediately.  |
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