Occasionally, some patients will experience an injury to the mouth during treatment. Dental emergencies while wearing braces or other orthodontic appliances generally fall into two categories.
Emergencies Related to Orthodontic Appliances
Sometimes, appliances might be broken or bent during your orthodontic care. If there are any disturbances, such as loose bands, loose brackets, broken or poking wires, please call our office and we will fit you in as soon as possible! In the meantime, here are some helpful hints to remedy some of the problems you may encounter until our office can see you.
- If a wire tie is irritating your mouth, cover it with orthodontic wax or tuck it under the archwire with a blunt object like a pencil eraser or Q-tip.
- A loose band or bracket is usually not a imminent emergency and can generally be left in place until seen in our office. Call Anchored Orthodontics when you notice a loose band or bracket. We will schedule you to reattach the loose appliance as soon as possible.
- A broken or poking archwire can often be bent in with a pencil eraser or cut with nail clippers. Call our office if you do not feel the problem has been resolved properly.
Direct Injuries to the Mouth and Teeth
Many of our patients are active teens that play sports or instruments and are more prone to injury. If a direct injury to your mouth or teeth happens, whether undergoing orthodontic care or not, immediately ice the injured area and contact us and your regular dentist as soon as possible. Usually, an x-ray of the involved tooth or teeth is needed to determine the extent of the injury. If a tooth has been displaced, knocked out, or fractured, it is best to re-implant the tooth if possible or keep the tooth in milk until you can see us our your general dentist. If the appliances are dislodged or displaced, we will need to replace or adjust the appliances as soon as possible, after you have seen your general dentist for necessary treatment, depending upon the comfort level of the patient.
After Office Hours
If an orthodontic emergency arises where the patient is in pain after hours, please contact our office via phone, text or email. We will respond as quickly as possible! Dr. McMahon lives close to the office and is available for emergencies after hours when necessary!
