Emergencies

What To Do In Case of Emergency

Should you have an orthodontic emergency after office hours, please call your office for immediate assistance.

General Soreness That Can Arise With Braces

Your teeth may become sore after braces are first placed in your mouth and after adjustments. This discomfort is normal, and should subside completely within two to three days. Rinsing your mouth with warm salt water or taking an over-the-counter pain reliever, such as Tylenol or Advil, will usually provide immediate relief.

Soreness Related To Orthodontic Appliances

This video provides instructions on how to handle some orthodontic emergencies at home.

If a tie wire is irritating your mouth, cover it with beeswax or tuck it under the arch wire with a blunt object like a pencil eraser or Q-tip.

A loose band or bracket can generally be left in place until seen in our office. Call our office during patient hours, when you notice a loose band or bracket. We will schedule you to reattach the loose appliance, if indicated.

A broken or poking archwire can often be bent in with a pencil erasure or cut with nail clippers. Call our office, during patient hours, if you do not feel the problem has been resolved properly.

Turning Your Expander

A palatal expander is a commonly used orthodontic device. It is used to widen the upper jaw so that the bottom and upper teeth will fit together better.

Watch an instructional video on how to turn your jaw expander.