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Riverbend Orthodontics & Oral Surgery
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Riverbend Orthodontics & Oral Surgery
  • Our Practice
    • About Our Practice
    • What Sets Us Apart
    • Technology
    • Patient Testimonials
  • Orthodontics
    • Braces
      • Types of Braces
      • Braces for Kids
      • Braces for Teens
      • Braces for Adults
      • Braces FAQ
      • Payment Calculator
    • Invisalign
      • What Is Invisalign?
      • Invisalign for Teens
      • Invisalign for Adults
      • Invisalign FAQ
      • Payment Calculator
    • Other
      • Diode Laser Treatment
      • Surgical Orthodontics
      • TMJ/TMD
    • Resources
      • Are All Orthodontists Board Certified?
      • Types of Appliances
      • Life With Braces
      • Mouthguards
      • Herbst Appliance
  • Oral Surgery
    • Procedures
      • Anesthesia
      • Wisdom Teeth Extractions
      • Dental Implants
      • Frenectomy
      • Tooth Extractions
      • Oral, Head & Neck Pathology
      • Bone Grafting
      • Expose & Bond (Impacted Teeth)
      • Temporary Anchorage Devices (TADs)
    • Post-Op
      • Post-Operative Instructions
      • Pain Control Regimen
      • Sinus Communication Post-Op Instructions
      • Implant/Bone Grafting Post-Op Instructions
  • Patient Resources
    • Orthodontics
      • Your First Visit
      • Emergency Care
      • Financial Information
      • PPO Insurance Plans
      • Life With Braces
      • Brushing & Flossing
      • Retainers
    • Oral Surgery
      • Your First Visit
      • What is Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery?
      • Emergency Care
      • Financial Information
      • PPO Insurance Plans
  • Contact Us
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Emergency Care

Home » Orthodontics » Emergency Care

True orthodontic emergencies are rare, but when they occur, we are available to you. As a general rule, you should call our office when you experience severe pain or have a painful appliance problem you can’t take care of yourself. We’ll be able to schedule an appointment to resolve the problem.

You might be surprised to learn that you may be able to solve many problems yourself temporarily until you can get to our office. If there is a loose piece that you can remove, put it in a plastic bag or envelope and bring it with you to your next appointment. If your braces are poking you, put soft wax on the piece that’s sticking out. If the wire has slid to one side, you can pull it back to the other side with needle-nosed pliers, replacing it in the tube on the back tooth.

After alleviating your discomfort, it is very important that you still call our office as soon as possible to schedule a time to repair the problem. Allowing your appliance to remain damaged for an extended period of time may result in disruptions to your treatment plan.

General Soreness

When you get your braces on, you may feel general soreness in your mouth, and teeth may be tender to biting pressures for three to five days. Stick to a soft diet until your teeth do not hurt to chew. Irritated gums and other sore spots can be relieved by rinsing your mouth with a warm salt-water mouthwash. Dissolve one teaspoonful of salt in eight ounces of warm water, and rinse your mouth vigorously. If the tenderness is severe, take Acetaminophen (Tylenol) or whatever you normally take for headache or similar pain. Aspirin, Ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), and Naproxen Sodium (Naprosyn, Anaprox) actually slow the tooth movement, so it is not advisable to use them frequently while wearing braces.

The lips, cheeks, and tongue may become irritated for one to two weeks as they learn a new posture and become accustomed to the braces‘ surface. You can put wax on the braces to lessen this. We’ll show you how!

Headgear

Sometimes discomfort is caused by not wearing the headgear as instructed by your orthodontist. Please refer to the instructions provided by your orthodontist. If the facebow (metal piece) is bent, please call our office for assistance. The headgear should hurt less the more it’s worn, so be sure you get in the prescribed number of hours.

Loose Appliance

If your appliance is poking you, place wax on the offending part.

Loose Bracket

If your bracket or band is still attached to the wire, you should leave it in place and put wax on it if needed for comfort. If the bracket or band can be removed easily, place it in an envelope and save it to bring to your next appointment.

Loose Wire

Using a pair of tweezers or needle-nosed pliers, try to put your wire back into place. It is okay to use a piece of floss to tie the wire into place: tie the floss around the bracket in place of the missing colored o-ring. If you cannot put the wire into a comfortable position, and covering the end with wax doesn’t help, as a last resort, use a small fingernail clipper to clip the wire behind the last tooth to which it is securely fastened if the end of the wire is still sharp place wax on it.

Poking Wire

Using a pencil eraser, push the poking wire down or place wax on it so that it is no longer poking.

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4009 Corning Place
Charlotte, NC 28216
(704) 234-7774

Charlotte

4009 Corning Place

Charlotte, NC 28216

(704) 234-7774

Riverbend Orthodontics & Oral Surgery
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  • 4009 Corning Place
    Charlotte, NC 28216
  • (704) 234-7774

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