True orthodontic emergencies are very rare, but when they do occur we are available to you. As a general rule, you should call the office when you experience severe pain or when you have a painful appliance problem that you can't take care of yourself. We’ll be able to schedule an appointment to resolve the problem. You might be surprised to learn that you may be able to temporarily solve many problems yourself until you schedule an appointment with our office.

When working with your appliances, you need to know the names of the parts of your appliances so you are able to identify what part is broken or out of place. After alleviating your discomfort, it is very important that you still call our office as soon as possible to schedule a time to repair the problem. Allowing your appliance to remain damaged for an extended period of time may result in disruptions in your treatment plan.

The following solutions may help you relieve your discomfort:

Poking Wire

Using a pencil eraser, push the poking wire down or place wax on it to alleviate the discomfort.

Loose Bracket or Band

If your bracket or band is still attached to the wire, you should leave it in place and put wax on it. If the wire comes out entirely, wrap the bracket with a tissue.

Loose Wire

Using a tweezers, try to place your wire back into place. If doing this and using wax does not help, as a last resort use a small fingernail clipper to clip the wire behind the last tooth to which it is securely fastened. If your discomfort continues, place wax on it.

Loose Appliance

If your appliance is poking you, place wax on the offending part of your appliance.

Headgear Does Not Fit

Sometimes headgear discomfort is caused by not wearing the headgear as instructed by your orthodontist. Please refer to the instructions provided by your orthodontist. If the facebow is bent, please call our office for assistance. Surprisingly, the headgear may hurt less if it’s worn more, so be sure you’re getting in the prescribed hours.

General Soreness

When you get your braces on, you may feel general soreness in your mouth and teeth may be tender to biting pressures for three to five days. This can be relieved by rinsing your mouth with a warm salt water mouthwash. Dissolve one teaspoonful of salt in 8 ounces of warm water, and rinse your mouth vigorously. Placing Orabase on the affected area may help; this can be found in your local pharmacy. If the tenderness is severe, take aspirin or whatever you normally take for headache or similar pain. The lips, cheeks and tongue may also become irritated for one to two weeks as they toughen and become accustomed to the surface of the braces. You can put wax on the braces to lessen this. We'll show you how!

Retainers

Soreness

You can take some Tylenol until soreness passes, usually a couple of days.

Canker Sores

Remove the appliance from your mouth and rinse with Peroxyl rinse, then use wax to put on the wire to keep it from rubbing.
If sores persist then take the appliance out of your mouth for a few days and call the office.

Lost Retainer

Call the office to make an appointment for a new impression and to order the appliance.

Gum is stuck to retainer

You can stick the appliance in the freezer for a few minutes until the gum is hard and then you should be able to pick it off the appliance.

Lost Key

You can use a small paper clip or straight pin.

Braces

Brackets are rubbing lips

Use a thin piece of wax over the bracket that is rubbing.

Soreness

Use Tylenol as needed.

Broken Bracket

You can use wax to keep bracket from moving, call the office to schedule an appointment to put the bracket back on.

Broken Wire

If the wire is poking call the office immediately and we will get you in to change the wire.

Elastic thread comes off

At the next appointment Dr. Klempner will replace it.

To page a doctor, call 289-0909, or 928-9800

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