Orthodontic Emergencies
Braces 101
In the case of an extreme emergency, where trauma to the face and mouth has occurred, please proceed to the nearest hospital emergency room or urgent care facility.
For direct injuries to the mouth and teeth, contact your dentist as soon as possible. Usually an x-ray of the involved tooth or teeth is needed to ascertain the extent of the injury. After seeing your family dentist, call our office immediately to schedule an appointment to repair any damaged orthodontic appliances.
True orthodontic emergencies are rare. As a general rule, you should certainly call the orthodontic office when you experience severe pain or when you have a painful appliance problem that you cannot take care of yourself. Oftentimes you will be able to solve many problems yourself, with direction from our office until your appointment. Please do not come directly to the office. By calling us, you will allow us to serve you better.
After alleviating your discomfort, it is important that our office is aware of the problem so that the appropriate repair can be made. Without timely repair broken or loose appliances cannot do the orthodontic work that they need to do, and a disruption/lengthening of your treatment plan may occur.
Call either our Eagan clinic (651.454.6274) or our Lakeville Clinic Business Office (952.469.6760) during regular business hours (Monday through Friday 8 AM to 5 PM) to report an orthodontic emergency. When calling after hours, our answering service will provide you with a pager number to call. One of our highly qualified clinical staff members will call you back to assist you.
Braces Problem Video
Detailed below is a listing of situations that may arise and some direction on how to deal with them:
Loose Band or Bracket:
If the band is still attached to the wire, leave in place. If uncomfortable, place wax on it. If it comes out completely, wrap brace or bracket in tissue.
Loose Wire:
Try to place wire back in place with tweezers or needle nose pliers. If that is not possible, clip the wire with fingernail clippers behind the last tooth to which it is securely fastened. If uncomfortable, place wax on it.
Poking Wire:
If a wire causes irritation, using a pencil eraser or a Q-tip, push the poking wire down and away from the area, or place wax on it to alleviate the discomfort.
Lost Tie Wire or Elastic Tie Soreness:
Notify us at your next scheduled appointment.
Headgear does not fit:
Sometimes caused by not wearing as prescribed by your orthodontist. If facebow is bent, call office for assistance. Surprisingly, the headgear may cause less discomfort if it's worn more, so be sure that you're getting the prescribed hours.
Loose Appliances:
General Soreness:
When you first have your braces placed, you may feel general soreness in your mouth and your teeth may be tender to biting pressure for three to five days. This can be relieved by rinsing your mouth with a warm saltwater mouthwash. Dissolve one teaspoonful of salt in 8 ounces of warm water, and rinse your mouth vigorously. Placing Orabse on the affected area may help; this can be found at your local pharmacy. If the tenderness is severe, take whatever over the counter pain medication that you normally take for headache or similar pain.
The lips, cheeks and tongue may also become irritated for one or two weeks as they become accustomed to the surface of the braces. You can put wax on the braces to lessen this.
Lost Separators:
If you lose a separator, please call our office to determine if it needs to be replaced. You can reposition the spacer by taking two pieces of dental floss and inserting them through the spacer. Pull on both pieces of floss to stretch the spacer, then slide the spacer back and forth between the two teeth where it belongs. Once the bottom half of the spacer slips under the tight spot between the teeth, release and remove the floss and the spacer will fit back properly.
Swallow a Piece of Appliance:
Remain calm if you swallow a piece of your appliance. It will usually go into the stomach and pass out of the body later. However, if difficulty breathing is experienced, you should seek immediate medical attention. X-rays will be taken to determine the location of the swallowed piece.
