What to do in Case of an Orthodontic Emergency?
Are you having an orthodontic emergency? Unaware as to what you should be doing other than calling your orthodontist? Read this post and find out what to do in case of an orthodontic emergency. Sometimes an orthodontic emergency doesn’t need to be tended to right away and a simple quick fix at home can save you a trip to the orthodontist. However, if the following tips don’t work on your issue at hand then please call your orthodontist so they may assist you and determine if you can postpone coming in or if you need to come in right away.
Loose Bracket – Eating chewy and sticky foods while wearing braces can cause a bracket to become loose and when this occurs the bracket might poke you. When this happens you’ll want to use the wax that your orthodontist provided you so you can apply it over the bracket so that it won’t scratch or poke you. The wax should help to provide temporary relief for you as you will need to see your orthodontist eventually.
Loose Band – You might notice metal rings that are wrapped around the teeth in the back of your mouth. If one or both of the rings gets loose or falls off then you should schedule an appointment with your orthodontist so that they can place it back or re-cement it back around the tooth. Remember not to throw away the ring as your orthodontist can just use the existing ring and place it back.
Broken Wire – When a wire breaks or sticks out it can poke different areas in your mouth from your cheeks to the tongue or even poke your gums, all of which can hurt your mouth and might even cause some bleeding. If you can’t see your orthodontist right away, you might want to try and take the end of a pencil where the eraser is and use that to push the wire around into a more comfortable place. NOTE: NEVER CUT THE POKING WIRE.
Lose Separator – Spacers and Separators are the rubber rings that are placed in between your teeth which allow for a small gap to open up between the teeth so that bands can be placed there. Sometimes a spring or a brass wire will be used to help keep the band in place but sometimes they might fall out too. If this separator falls out then call your orthodontist so they can schedule you in for an appointment to be able to place the bands in.
As you can see some orthodontic emergencies can be resolved in the comfort of your own home but some might need immediate attention. If you still feel like you are in need of assistance, please contact your orthodontist so they can assist you or schedule you in for an appointment.