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Orthodontic Emergencies and Troubleshooting

Orthodontic emergencies are rare, but there is a possibility you may experience soreness or discomfort from adjustments, broken wires, or other minor mishaps.

In most cases, there are at-home solutions to temporarily alleviate your discomfort until you can make an appointment.

If these emergency care solutions do not temporarily fix the problem or if you experience pain, call 405-604-3745 – even after hours. Our on-call clinician will help you as soon as possible.

ORTHODONTIC EMERGENCIES AND SORENESS

It’s normal to experience soreness or discomfort for a couple of days after you get braces or following an adjustment. Try an over-the-counter pain reliever, rinse your mouth with warm salt water (just a tablespoon of salt in a cup of water) and switch to softer foods.

ORTHODONTIC EMERGENCIES AND A LOST SPACER

Call the office to make an appointment.

ORTHODONTIC EMERGENCIES WITH WIRE POKING, WIRE OUT OF BRACE OR BROKEN WIRE

Sometimes the wire of your braces may move and poke out of the back brace. You may try to reinsert the wire with a pair of needle-nosed pliers or tweezers. If you can’t reinsert the wire, simply take nail clippers and clip the wire as close as possible to the brace. If you can’t clip the wire, put wax on it to reduce discomfort. If the wire breaks between two braces, attempt to cut the wire or use wax until your appointment.

Please call our office to let us know about the situation, and we will help you decide if an earlier appointment is needed.

WIRE TIE POKING

The wire tie connects the main wire of your braces to the brackets. If the twisted end of this tie feels sharp, use a pencil eraser to gentle push the tie back into a comfortable position.

BROKEN BRACE

Brackets are very durable, but it is possible for them to become loose or unbonded from eating. The rubber ring, or O-tie, usually keeps the bracket from coming off completely. If your bracket flips around the wire and is irritating, use tweezers to reposition it.

O-TIE OFF A BRACE

If the O-tie has come loose, double check the wire: Is it attached to the brace with a smaller wire, or ligature? If so, your doctor will fix this during your next appointment. If there is no ligature, call the office.

LOOSE EXPANDER

Unfortunately, there is no at-home solution for this. Call the office to make an appointment.

LOST OR BROKEN RETAINER

Call the office to make an appointment.