Orthodontic Emergencies

Depending on the kind of situation you find yourself in, you can look inside your mouth to see what happened with your braces or appliances. In most cases you should be able to see what is broken, loose, or causing you discomfort. This list encompasses almost every type of potential problem you could have with your braces, ranging from uncomfortable but non-serious to a real emergency.

Here we’ve compiled a list of possible problems you could experience with your orthodontics and what YOU can do while you’re waiting to see Dr. Riesenberger.

A rubber band fell off
If a small rubber band tie has come off, this is not a real reason to worry. You can wait until your next appointment to have it replaced.

Teeth discomfort after an adjustment
It is common for patients to experience discomfort anytime from one to seven days after an adjustment. If this is your situation, you can rinse with warm salt water and take one to two aspirins or Tylenol, as long as you’re not taking any other medication that makes this a risk for you. These actions can help relieve your present discomfort!

A wire or spring is loose and dangling
Remove the offending wire. You can use nail clippers to make a clean cut and then place a small piece of wax over the area. However, generally speaking, you should avoid cutting wires. Call to see if an appointment is necessary.

A bracket is loose and sliding on the arch wire
Here, you can use wax as needed. Make an appointment at our office and this will be taken care of at your next visit.

A small wire is sticking out
You can push the wire back and under the bracket with your fingernail. Place a small piece of wax over the area so your lip or cheek can heal. If an arch wire is protruding out the back and pushing into your cheek, you should treat it the same way by covering it with wax. Call our office for an appointment.

A band attached to the headgear, or a rubber band is loose
If this is the case, you should discontinue using the headgear and all rubber bands and call us for an appointment.

You have a severe toothache or known abscess
This qualifies as a type of emergency. Phone our office or your family dentist to get treatment for the infection/cavity as soon as possible.

You have been in a traumatic accident
Call our office ASAP and let our staff know that you have been in an accident and have facial trauma. This is a true emergency, and you need to see Dr. Riesenberger right away.

Here is more helpful information and a detailed explanation on how to handle wax application for emergencies.