Skip to content 
True orthodontic emergencies are rare, but when they occur we are available to you. We have some tips for you written below or you may check our Patient Care Videos on Youtube .
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 may be able to solve many problems that are not emergencies by yourself temporarily until you can get to our office.
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 chewing.
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.
Placing Orabase on the affected area may also help relieve discomfort.
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 become accustomed to the surface of the braces. 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. The headgear should hurt less the more it’s worn, so be sure you get in the prescribed number of hours.
If the facebow (metal piece) is bent, please call our office for assistance.
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
f the wire has slid to one side, you can pull it back to the other side with a tweezer or needle-nosed pliers, replacing it in the tube on the back tooth.
If you have a missing colored elatic tie, you may use floss to tie the wire around the bracket in place of the missing colored o-ring.
As a last resort, use a small fingernail clipper to clip the wire behind the last tooth to which it is securely fastened.
Poking wire
Using a pencil eraser, push the poking wire down or place wax on it so that it is no longer poking.
Our Treatments
Everyone at TrueSmile orthodontics & esthetics is committed to caring for you as family. You will receive high-quality, individualized treatment and know you are heard, safe, and treasured for the remarkable person you are!
