First aid in orthodontic emergencies
Please call us! The following tips are merely first-aid measures. They are not meant to replace a visit to our practice.
If one of the following problems occurs, please schedule an emergency appointment!
Pain, pressure on the teeth
There may be a temporary sensation of pressure when a new appliance or arch wire is implemented. Take pain relievers as needed (aspirin is ideal due to its blood-thinning effect). If the situation doesn’t improve, please schedule an emergency appointment.
Broken or lost appliance? Did a bracket or band come loose?
Please contact us to adjust your next appointment accordingly or schedule an earlier one.
Oral ulcers
Despite the proper precautions, if an ulcer develops on the inside of the lip, cheek, or tongue, rinsing with Kamillosan or sage tea can promote healing. Dental wax can also be very helpful in protecting the ulcer from further irritation. Simply apply a pea-sized amount to the problem area of the orthodontic appliance. If the situation doesn’t improve, please schedule an appointment with us.
Poking wire
You can try to carefully bend the errant wire back with your fingernail or manually push it back into the buccal tube. If that doesn’t work, cover the poking wire with wax or a piece of sugar-free gum and make an appointment with the orthodontist.
Fixed retainer come loose?
Please make an appointment with the orthodontist as soon as possible because the teeth could migrate back very quickly. If the patient also has a removable retainer, it should be worn every night until the next appointment.
Removable appliances irritating the gums
If the appliance puts too much pressure on the gums, please make an appointment with us.
Lost Invisalign aligner
Please inform us immediately if you lose your aligner. If you just began wearing the aligner, try wearing the previous aligner until the new one is made. If you had already been wearing the aligner for some days, try skipping ahead to the next aligner and continuing the treatment from there.
Broken Invisalign aligner
Please make an emergency appointment with us immediately. Try to keep wearing the broken aligner in the meantime. This usually works without any problems.
