We have a 24-hour answering service and are prepared to respond to emergencies should they arise. We are always available to answer questions or help our patients in an emergency situation.
True orthodontic emergencies are very rare, but when they do occur we are available to you. As a general rule, you should call the office when you experience severe pain or when you have a painful appliance problem that 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 temporarily solve many problems yourself until you schedule an appointment with our office. When working with your appliances, you need to know the names of the parts of your appliances so you can identify what part is broken or out of place. After alleviating your discomfort, it is very important that you still call our office to schedule a time to repair the problem. Allowing your appliances 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. This can be relieved by rinsing your mouth with warm saltwater mouthwash. Dissolve one teaspoonful of salt in eight ounces of warm water and rinse your mouth vigorously. If the tenderness is severe, take ibuprofen or whatever medication you normally take for a headache or similar pain, provided you can take this medication safely.
Your lips, cheeks and tongue may also become irritated for one to two weeks as they toughen and become accustomed to the surface of the braces. You can put wax on your braces until you are used to them. We’ll show you how!
Loose Appliance
If your appliance is poking you, place wax on the part causing discomfort.
Loose Bracket
If your bracket or band is still attached to the wire, you should leave it in place and put wax on it and neighboring teeth.
Poking Wire
Using a pencil eraser, push the poking wire down or place wax on it to alleviate the discomfort.
Orthodontics in Naperville
Phone: 630.904.7600
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Orthodontics in Oak Lawn
Phone: 708.425.1111
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