Contact Us for Emergency Care!
Are you having an orthodontic emergency?
If so, give our Pataskala, New Albany, Westerville or Newark location a call immediately. Depending on your situation, we may want to see you as soon as possible, or we might just schedule an appointment to address the issue at your convenience. Even if we can't see you right away, notifying us quickly is important, especially if your appliance is broken or out of place. A damaged appliance is one that's not working as it should and could negatively impact your treatment if not repaired quickly.
Below, you’ll find a few tips on how to handle common orthodontic emergencies before we can see you.
General Soreness
Right after you’ve gotten braces or had them adjusted, it’s normal to feel some discomfort in your teeth and gums for about 3-5 days afterward…this just means they are working! To help manage it, you can rinse your mouth with warm saltwater or use an over-the-counter pain reliever like Tylenol, Advil, or Aspirin. If your pain persists for more than a week, however, be sure to call us and let us know!
Facemask
When you wear your facemask for the first time, it’s very common to feel some slight discomfort, and it should recede after a few days.
However, if part of the appliance is broken or damaged, please let us know so we can schedule an appointment to quickly fix it.
Loose/ Lost Bracket
If one of your brackets is loose but still attached to the wire, simply apply some dental wax to help secure it in place. However, if the bracket has come out completely, be sure to store it in a tissue and come see us as soon as you can.
Loose Wire
If one of your archwires is starting to become loose (as in you can easily move it with your tongue), try to carefully pull it back into place using tweezers. If this doesn’t help, use a pair of fingernail clippers to bend the ends of the wire so that it stays still.
Poking Wire
If one of your wires is poking you, first try applying dental wax to the area that is causing the irritation. Or, you can push the wire down using the eraser end of a pencil. If you have neither, you can also apply a cotton ball as a temporary solution.
If you’re unsure whether you’re experiencing an orthodontic emergency or not, just give us a call anyway and we’ll be able to tell you what to do!
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