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The doctors and staff at Orthodontic Specialists are here to assist you if you encounter concerns, problems or pain with your orthodontic appliances. The quickest way to get started is by texting or calling our office! Whether it’s a loose bracket, a displaced wire, or the appliance is causing you discomfort, Dr. Mike or Dr. Emily will guide you on ways to relieve your discomfort and when to schedule an appointment to repair the problem.
Patients may experience discomfort during the initial days of treatment as their teeth adjust to the pressure. To alleviate this discomfort, we recommend taking over-the-counter pain medication such as Ibuprofen or Aspirin. If you are unsure about what to do, don’t hesitate to give us a call for assistance!
If you have any issues like broken appliances, loose braces, broken or loose wires, broken or loose retainers, or lost appliances, it may be necessary to come in before your scheduled appointment to ensure your treatment remains on track. Please reach out to us immediately via text or phone call so we can address any discomfort and arrange an appointment as soon as possible. We are here to help!
If you experience a genuine dental emergency, such as trauma, injury, infection with swelling, or intolerable discomfort or pain, you should seek our help as soon as possible– please call or text us! Our goal is to provide comfort as quickly as possible, so if your emergency falls outside of our scope of care, we will assist you to ensure you receive the proper care.
Some of the most common dental emergencies include:
Avoiding orthodontic emergencies can help save you from unnecessary hassle and stress. Thankfully, there are simple measures you can take to prevent them.
These tips will help keep you and your orthodontic appliance safe:
Orthodontic treatment may cause temporary discomfort but generally does not require significant medication to tolerate. If the patient finds the pain too much to tolerate, we encourage you to notify us. We will assist you in any manner necessary to help you through the concern.
Below, we outline some of the most common non-urgent issues that may come up during orthodontic treatment, and some tips for how to address them. If you’re ever not sure what to do, we’re only a call or text away!
If the piece was simply swallowed, most of the time, the bracket will pass through your body on its own. Orthodontic materials are not digestible will not be dissolved by the acid in your stomach.
However, if you experience excessive coughing or difficulty breathing, it’s possible that the piece has been inhaled. If you are able to see the piece, you may carefully attempt to remove it. If you are unable to see the piece and believe it may have been inhaled, contact us immediately. If it is after hours, the messaging system at the office will provide instructions on how to contact a doctor.
Brackets are attached to the teeth using a special adhesive, but can be loosened or knocked off if you bite into hard food, chew something sticky, or accidentally get hit in the mouth while playing sports. Bands, on the other hand, are metal rings cemented around teeth. If bands are loose, there is no immediate danger, but not treating it for weeks can lead to gum or decay concerns. In these cases, it’s important to contact our office to schedule an appointment and determine next steps.
In the meantime, if your bracket or band is still attached to the wire, you should leave it in place and apply wax for comfort if necessary. If the bracket or band can be removed easily, place it in an envelope and save it to bring to your next appointment.
Sometimes, a wire used in braces may shift slightly and stick out, causing irritation in the mouth. To alleviate this discomfort, you can use a pencil eraser to gently push the wire back against the tooth. If this doesn’t work, applying orthodontic wax can provide some relief.
In more severe cases, when the wire is causing significant pain and the previous remedies don’t help, it may be necessary to carefully trim the wire using sharp clippers and apply orthodontic wax over any excess. However, it is strongly recommended to contact us for guidance and to schedule an appointment so that we can properly resolve this issue for you.
New braces can sometimes irritate the mouth, especially while eating. However, you can prevent rubbing and additional irritation by applying a small amount of orthodontic wax, which acts as a protective barrier between the metal and your mouth.
Simply pinch off a small piece, roll it into a ball, and then flatten it over the area of the braces that is causing irritation. Don’t worry if you accidentally swallow some of the wax while eating– the wax is harmless!
Sores can appear on various parts of your mouth, including your lips, tongue, or the inside of your cheeks, and braces can sometimes worsen these sores, causing discomfort. While not an emergency, dealing with these sores can be quite uncomfortable.
To alleviate the discomfort caused by these ulcers, simply apply a small amount of a topical anesthetic like Ora-Gel using a cotton swab. Reapply as needed to find relief. Additionally, using a mouth sore rinse like Colgate Peroxyl can not only soothe the discomfort but also aid in the healing process. If the discomfort continues for several days, we recommend reaching out to us for further assistance.
Ligatures refer to the small wires or rubber bands responsible for securing the wire to the bracket. In the event that a rubber ligature falls off, you may be able to put it back in place using a pair of sterile tweezers. On the other hand, if a wire ligature becomes loose, gently remove it using sterile tweezers. In case a wire ligature is protruding towards your lip but isn’t loose, you may bend it back down using a pencil eraser to eliminate irritation.
It’s important to note that when one ligature breaks, others may follow. We recommend calling your orthodontist so we can advise on next steps, and whether you may need to come in to have the ligatures fixed.
The first few days after any orthodontic appliance is delivered to you, you may feel general soreness in your teeth, gums or lips. We recommend choosing soft foods for meals until the tenderness dissipates and it doesn’t hurt to chew.
To alleviate irritated gums and other sore spots, simply rinse your mouth with warm saltwater. The saltwater served to reduce any swelling that may be present. At the start of orthodontic treatment with braces, it’s common for the lips, cheeks, and tongue to experience irritation as they adjust to the new position and surfaces of the braces. To alleviate this discomfort, applying wax to the offending areas can provide relief. We suggest using medications you may use for headaches for relief from orthodontic tenderness, if necessary. Additionally, relief can also be improved by placing a warm washcloth on the outside of your jawline to further help with your discomfort. If you need additional advice, don’t hesitate to call or text us!
While this may be a bit uncomfortable or embarrassing for a braces patient, it’s easily fixed with floss! Try tying a small knot in the middle of a piece of floss to help remove the food. You can also use an interproximal brush or toothpick to dislodge food caught between teeth and braces.
The Orthodontic Specialists team is always available to ensure you have access to emergency orthodontic care. Even when the office is not open, our team wants to assure we are here to help you. Both Dr. Mike and Dr. Emily live in the community and want to help address your emergency care. We understand that broken or loose appliances can be uncomfortable, and we are happy to help provide relief.
We’re always close by, with offices in both Munster and St. John. If you need a comfort visit, call or text us and we will make every effort to ensure you get an appointment as soon as possible.