EMERGENCIES CAN HAPPEN
Emergencies happen and it is highly important that the patient receives immediate emergency care. An orthodontic crisis happens to be rare, however, when something does happen Amazing Smiles Orthodontics is available to you. As a general rule, calling the office is the best way to set up an appointment. Anyone experiencing severe pain or a painful appliance problem should notify their orthodontist. Here at Amazing Smiles Orthodontics, we will make you the first priority when you schedule an appointment with us.
You might be surprised to learn that you may be able to temporarily solve many problems yourself until you schedule an appointment with our office. When working with your appliances, you need to know the names of your appliances’ parts so you can identify what part is broken or out of place. After alleviating your discomfort, it is very important that you still call our office as soon as possible to schedule a time to repair the problem. Allowing your appliance to remain damaged for an extended period of time may disrupt your treatment plan.
Don’t ever hesitate to ask your orthodontist questions on oral hygiene and general brace care.
The following solutions may help you relieve your discomfort for emergencies:
Protruding or Poking Wire
If braces with wire is poking you, first try to bend it with a spoon or a pencil eraser. If you are unsuccessful, place a small piece of wax or wet cotton over it to buffer it. You may also try to snip the wire with nail clippers or wire cutters for emergencies.
Loose Bracket
If a bracket, or brace, is loose and still attached to the archwire, leave it in place. It can flip around the wire and become uncomfortable, simply flip it back around so it is facing the normal direction. If it remains uncomfortable, cover it with wax and call for an appointment.
Loose Bands
If a band (metal circle around the back teeth) is loose and is still attached to the archwire, leave it in place. Do not attempt to connect elastics to a loose band. Discontinue wearing elastics until the band is re-cemented.
Loose Wire
Using tweezers, try to place your wire back into place. If doing this and using wax does not help, as a last resort use a small fingernail clipper to clip the wire behind the last tooth to which it is securely fastened. If your discomfort continues, place wax on it.
General Soreness
When you get your braces on, you may feel general soreness in your mouth and teeth may be tender to biting pressures. Take acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil) as you usually would for a headache. Plan soft foods for meals until the discomfort goes away — which is usually 2-4 days. If the discomfort gets progressively worse or remains the same after 4 days, call us!
The lips, cheeks, and tongue may also become irritated for about one week as they adjust and become accustomed to the surface of the braces. There are a few things you can do to help cope with this. You can put wax on the offending braces to provide a smoother surface. We’ll show you how to do this! Also, you can be relieved by rinsing your mouth with warm salt water mouthwash. Dissolve one teaspoonful of salt in 8 ounces of warm water, and rinse your mouth vigorously. Lastly, placing Orabase on the affected area may numb the area; this can be found in your local pharmacy.
Bleeding While Brushing
If you experience any bleeding when brushing or flossing, that usually means there is a local area of infection. Continue to keep the area clean by brushing, flossing, and rinsing with Listerine. If a particular area is painful or you notice a bump of any sort, you should address this with Dr. Azariy Yusupov as soon as possible.
In Case Of An Emergency
Should you need to get in touch with Dr. Azariy Yusupov for an emergency, call the special emergency hotline at 1-(800) 449-1810.