With most of our patients, the journey from the beginning of their treatment all the way to the end when we take their braces off and reveal their new smile is a smooth one, but for others, there are some bumps along the road. While orthodontic emergencies are pretty rare, knowing how to handle the most common ones can make life a whole lot less stressful should a bracket come loose or an elastic go missing. To make sure you’re completely prepared if something goes wrong with your child’s braces, your orthodontist in Powell is here to share a few helpful tips and tricks.
Loose or Broken Bracket
A bracket can become loose or be completely dislodged due to an accident or because someone has bitten into an especially hard piece of food. If the bracket is still attached to the wire, leave it in place and cover it in wax for comfort if needed. Or, if it has completely fallen out, be sure to find it and put it in a safe container. In either case, it’s best to give our office a call so we can fix the problem right away.
Poking Wire
Is your child experiencing discomfort because one of their wires is sticking out towards the back and irritating their cheek? First, you can use either a pencil eraser or cotton swab to adjust the position of the wire, and covering it with a bit of dental wax can help as well. If this doesn’t completely fix the issue, just give us a call, and we’ll be happy to snip the wire.
General Oral Discomfort & Soreness
Right after braces have been put on or adjusted, it’s very common for the teeth and gums to feel a little sensitive and tender. This simply means that the braces are working, as they are putting pressure on the teeth in order to move them. This discomfort should naturally go away after a few days. Initially sticking to softer foods and taking something like Tylenol or Advil can help speed up this process. However, if the pain persists for about a week and has shown little to no improvement, go ahead and give us a call.
Lost Elastic
Countless parents have had the experience of looking at their child’s braces and noticing that one of their elastics has “magically” gone missing. This shouldn’t be a major cause for alarm, and you should just give our office a call so we can schedule an appointment to replace it.
Trauma While Wearing Braces
If your child has been in a serious accident where their teeth and/or braces have been badly damaged, give us a call immediately so we can examine them and get to work fixing the problem right away. The sooner we’re able to see them, the better!
The Ultimate Emergency Tip
In the end, if your child is experiencing any type of issue with their braces in Powell, it’s a good idea to go ahead and contact our office just in case. Describe the situation over the phone, and our team will let you know whether or not your child should come in for an immediate appointment or if the problem can wait.
When you choose to straighten your child’s smile with Shirck Orthodontics, you can trust that we’ll be there for you every step of the way, especially if something goes wrong! To learn more about how to handle orthodontic emergencies and even avoid them altogether, give us a call.