Emergency Care

True orthodontic emergencies are very rare, but when they do occur, we will help to make you comfortable as soon as possible. As a general rule, you should call the office if 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. If Dr. Organ is away from the office, alternative care arrangements with another orthodontist will be made.

You might be surprised to learn that you can temporarily solve many problems yourself until we are able to see you. First, you will need to know the names of some of the parts of your appliances so you will be able to identify which 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 time to repair the problem. Allowing your appliance to remain damaged for an extended period of time may disrupt your treatment time.

The following solutions may help you relieve your discomfort:

• Poking wire or "pigtail ligature": Using the eraser end of a pencil, push the wire down and out of the way. Or, you can place soft wax (we always have a supply in our mailbox) or a small piece of a wet cotton ball on it.
• Loose bracket or band: If your bracket or band is still attached to the wire, you should leave it in place. Don't worry, you won't swallow it. If it bothers you, put a small ball of wax on it to prevent it from moving around. If the bracket comes off the wire completely, just save it so we will be able to attach it later.
• Loose wire: If the end of the archwire has come out of the tube of the last back tooth, try to use tweezers to put it back into the tube. You may need a flashlight to help you see better. If you can't get it back in place, and the end of the wire is bothering you, put some wax on it. If this still doesn't help, take a nail clipper and cut the wire behind the last tooth to which it is securely fastened.
• General soreness: As mentioned previously, when you get your braces on, you may feel general soreness in your mouth and teeth may be a little tender for three to five days. This can be relieved by rinsing your mouth with a warm saltwater mouthwash several times a day. Dissolve one teaspoon of salt in approximately eight ounces of warm water and swish it around for 30 seconds. If the tenderness is severe, take whatever analgesic you normally take for similar pain or fever. The lips, cheeks and tongue may also become irritated for 7-10 days as they toughen and become accustomed to the surface of the braces. You can use the soft wax we give you to help lessen the initial irritation.

For further information, view the Canadian Association of Orthodontist's Emergency Web Site.

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