The worst part of emergencies is the very nature of them. They do not give you any warning, and they can literally happen at any time of the day or night. However, instead of rushing out to the emergency room or frantically calling your orthodontist, you can follow these suggestions in these emergency care situations.

Soreness

It is normal to feel soreness in your mouth after you have had braces put on, and that pain typically happens in the first three to five days. Still though, that doesn't mean it's a pleasant sensation to experience.

Allow teaspoon of salt to dissolve into eight ounces of warm water. Then, rinse your mouth out with the solution. Also, the braces can cause soreness for your lips, cheeks and tongue, but you can use wax to alleviate that pain. Speak with your orthodontist early on to learn how to use that wax.

Headgear

When you place your headgear on, you may not have properly followed the instructions, which can result in discomfort. Before you do anything else, take out your instructions; make sure that you have followed them exactly.

Also, ensure that you are wearing it for the proper amount of time. The more you wear it, the more the pain can go down. In the event that you are still experiencing pain, give us a call for advice or to schedule an appointment.

Loose Appliance

If one of the appliances has popped out and is poking you, you can use your wax to prevent it from jutting into your cheek, lip, gum, tongue or other area.

Loose Wire

It is also possible that one of the wires could come out. The goal is to get it back into place, and you can accomplish that goal by carefully using a pair of tweezers. Parents should help children with this process. It is often easier for someone else to put the wire back in anyway. Wax can be used to alleviate discomfort. Also, if it won't stop bothering you, take a tiny fingernail clipper. Clip off the wire after the last tooth to which it is attached.

Loose Bracket

The bracket may still be attached to the band or the wire, and if that is the case, you can use wax to help you out here. In the event that it is no longer attached, wrap the bracket up in a tissue for safe-keeping.

Poking Wire

The wire may begin to poke at you, and you can take a pencil eraser to push it down into place. When that does not work, or if the wire is still causing you discomfort, you should use wax to alleviate that issue.

All of these problems can come into fruition, and many of them can be, at least temporarily, resolved by using wax. However, you do want to call your orthodontist as soon as possible to get a permanent fix to the problem. Instead of waiting around for the issue to get worse, call Beecroft Orthodontics at 540-898-2200 for assistance.

Emergency Care