We recognize that emergency situations may occur. That's why our office phone is answered 24 hours a day to take care of your needs. Our staff will teach you how to handle the most common types of problems yourself, but if anything is causing discomfort, please call us right away. We will schedule a special appointment time for repairs or allow more time at the next regular appointment. We try very hard to keep the office schedule on time and understand how valuable your time is. Please realize that the amount of repair work done will depend on the risk of making other regular appointed patients wait.

As with any device, there is always the remote possibility of things just happening with orthodontic appliances. Below is a list of things that sometimes occur, as well as some remedies and instructions in case they do happen.

• If your teeth become sore
• If food becomes stuck
• If a wire causes irritation
• If the main wire has come out of the brace or tube
• If a brace comes loose from a toot
• If a piece of a brace breaks
• If a retainer cracks

If your teeth become sore after a visit, we generally recommend that you take an analgesic such as acetaminophen (e.g., Tylenol) or ibuprofen (e.g., Advil, Motrin). This, of course, is the protocol only if there are no known allergies to these medications. Rinsing with Peroxyl or a cup of warm water and teaspoon of salt can also be soothing.

If food becomes stuck between your teeth, use dental floss or a proxy brush to dislodge the food.

If a wire causes irritation, push the wire away from the area using the eraser end of a pencil or a cotton swab. If the wire cannot be tucked away, cover the end of the wire with a small piece of wax, a cotton ball, or a piece of sugarless gum, until you can see us for an adjustment.

If the main wire has come out of the brace or tube on a back molar tooth, attempt to reinsert the wire with a pair of needle nosed pliers or tweezers. If the wire is not sticking you, place a piece of wax over the area. If the wire is sticking you and wax does not help, the wire can be cut with a small wire cutter or nail clipper close to the back of the last brace. This is a last resort if professional help is unavailable.

If a brace comes loose from a tooth, it usually remains connected to the main wire and is not cause for an emergency visit. Tweezers can be used to reposition the brace if it flips around the wire and becomes a source of irritation. Call our office at your earliest convenience. It may be necessary to schedule a separate visit to repair the loose brace(s), since repairs of this nature usually take additional time.

Loose Expander - Call the office and we will let you know what to do.

Trauma to the Mouth - Call the office we will let you know what to do.