True orthodontic emergencies are rare, but when they occur, we are available to help you. As a general rule, you should call our office whenever you experience severe pain, have a painful appliance problem, or long wire that you can’t take care of yourself or by using wax for a short time. We will be able to schedule an appointment to resolve the problem and give you helpful advice in the mean time.
You may be surprised to learn that you can temporarily solve many problems yourself until you are able to come in to our office. If there is a loose piece that you can remove, put it in a bag or envelope and bring it with you to your next appointment. If your braces are poking or rubbing you can start by putting a piece of the soft wax from your care package on the problematic spot. (Tip: if you dab the spot with paper towel to dry it off, the wax will stay on better)
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.