Emergencies

What to do in case of emergency

Dental emergencies aren’t common, but they do happen. Please contact your primary care dentist as soon as possible regarding injuries to your mouth or teeth. If a tooth has been knocked out, severely displaced or fractured, your dentist will have the necessary materials needed to treat these injuries. If the orthodontic appliances are dislodged or displaced, call us so we can determine the urgency of the injury and schedule you accordingly. GENERAL SORENESS THAT CAN ARISE WITH BRACES Your teeth may become sore after braces are first placed in your mouth and after adjustments. This discomfort is normal, and should subside completely within two to three days. Rinsing your mouth with warm salt water or taking an over-the- counter pain reliever, such as Tylenol or Advil, will usually provide immediate relief. SORENESS RELATED TO ORTHODONTIC APPLIANCES This video provides instructions on how to handle some orthodontic emergencies at home. If a tie wire is irritating your mouth, cover it with bees wax or tuck it under the arch wire with a blunt object like a pencil eraser or Q-tip. A loose band or bracket can generally be left in place until seen in our office. Call our office during patient hours, when you notice a loose band or bracket. We will schedule you to reattach the loose appliance, if indicated. A broken or poking archwire can often be bent in with a pencil erasure or cut with nail clippers. Call our office, during patient hours, if you do not feel the problem has been resolved properly. TURNING YOUR EXPANDER A palatal expander is a commonly used orthodontic device. It is used to widen the upper jaw so that the bottom and upper teeth will fit together better. Watch an instructional video on how to turn your jaw expander.