Orthodontic Emergencies

This isn’t an emergency, but it can be uncomfortable or embarrassing. It’s easily fixed with a piece of dental floss.

Try tying a small knot in the middle of the floss to help remove the food or use an interproximal brush or toothpick to dislodge food caught between your teeth and your braces.

You may experience some discomfort if you do not wear your headgear as instructed by Dr. Babaan and Dr. Chan. Please refer to the instructions given to you by our office and follow them closely to prevent any unnecessary risks.

If the facebow (the metal piece of your appliance) is bent, please notify our office so that we can assist you. Your headgear will hurt less the more it’s worn, so be sure to wear it for the prescribed number of hours.

Tiny rubber bands or small, fine wires, known as ligatures, hold the wire to the bracket. If a rubber ligature comes off, you may be able to put it back in place using sterile tweezers. If a wire ligature comes loose, remove it with sterile tweezers.

If your wire ligature is sticking out into the lip but is not loose,  you can bend it back down with a Q-tip or pencil eraser so it doesn’t irritate your lip. Of course, when one ligature pops off or breaks, others may follow.

Be sure to examine all your ligatures. Missing or broken ligatures should be brought to the attention of Dr. Babaan and Dr. Chan. If a rubber or wire ligature is lost, tell Dr. Babaan and Dr. Chan so they can advise whether you should be seen.

Your teeth may be sore after you first receive braces or have any adjustments.

You may take ibuprofen, acetaminophen, or other non-aspirin pain relievers to alleviate the soreness while the teeth are moving.

You may be susceptible to mouth sores. While your braces don’t cause them, they may be made worse by irritation from braces.

One or several patches of sores may appear on the cheeks, lips or tongue. This is not an emergency, but it may be very uncomfortable for you.

Get quick relief by applying a small amount of topical anesthetic (such as Orabase or Ora-Gel) directly to the area with sores using a cotton swab. You can reapply as needed.

During treatment, you may experience irritation on your cheeks and gums. Rinsing your mouth with a saltwater solution can help the sores heal.

In addition, you can alleviate the irritation by taking a small ball of wax and flattening it over the bracket causing the irritation.

Sometimes the wire comes loose and can poke into your cheek or gum. You can try to move the wire away from the affected area with a soft tool like a pencil eraser or cotton swab and cover the end with some wax.

If the wire still irritates you, you can use a fingernail clipper or scissors sterilized with alcohol to clip the protruding wire behind the last bracket. If this happens, call the office to schedule a follow-up appointment to make Dr. Babaan and Dr. Chan aware of the problem.

If your braces come loose in any way, call Dr. Babaan and Dr. Chan to determine the next steps.

A loose bracket can generally be left in place until you can come into our office for a repair appointment. If the bracket falls off, save it if possible.

If the loose bracket irritates you, you can place some wax over the bracket to hold it in place.

This is rare, but when it does happen, it can be alarming. It’s important to stay calm.

If you're coughing excessively or having difficulty breathing, you may have inhaled the piece into your airways or lungs.

If you can see the piece, you may carefully attempt to remove it.

DO NOT try to remove it if you could cause harm.

If appropriate under the circumstances, examine your braces for problems that may result from the missing piece, such as looseness or irritation, and treat as specified above.

If you can’t see the piece and believe you may have inhaled it, call Dr. Babaan and Dr. Chan immediately.