Dental emergencies while wearing braces or other orthodontic appliances fall into two categories:

• Direct injuries to the face, mouth or teeth
• Emergencies to orthodontic appliances

Direct Injuries To The Face, Mouth Or Teeth

Following a direct injury to your face, mouth, or teeth, whether undergoing orthodontic care or not, you should be seen by your regular dentist, or an oral surgeon, as soon as possible. Usually an X-ray of the involved tooth or teeth is needed to ascertain the extent of injury. If a tooth has been knocked out, severely displaced or fractured, it is best to contact us and your family dentist immediately. In some instances, it may be necessary for an oral and maxillofacial surgeon to be seen. If the orthodontic appliances are dislodged or displaced, we will need to replace or adjust them in the near future.

Please call us immediately after seeing your family dentist. If you are unable to reach your family dentist or alternate emergency facility, call our office and we will try to assist you in locating someone to care for the injury.

Emergencies Related To Orthodontic Appliances

Broken appliances may occur from time to time during your orthodontic care. If there is any disturbance, such as loose bands, broken or jabbing wires, call our office as soon as possible so that we can evaluate the urgency of the problem and schedule you to be seen accordingly. In the interim, here are helpful hints to remedy some of the problems that you may encounter until you can be seen in our office:

• If a wire is irritating your mouth, cover it with orthodontic wax.
• A loose band or bracket can generally be left in place until seen by the doctor. Call the office as soon as you notice a loose band or bracket so that we can schedule an appointment to reattach the loose appliance. If you have an appliance that happens to come off, do not discard it! Bring it with you to the office at the time of your appointment. If you do not call ahead and alert us to the fact that there is a problem, our schedule may require us to repair or replace your appliance at another scheduled time.
• A broken archwire, or one that is irritating the gum or cheek tissue may need to be seen in the near future for possible replacement or adjustment.
• A bent headgear, facebow, or removable appliance that is not fitting well is not to be worn until it can be properly adjusted at the office. Call as soon as possible to schedule an appointment to have the doctor make the adjustment.

Emergencies

If you have an emergency on a weekend or on a day that the office is closed, please call the office phone number. The message will direct you to a person that is capable of handling your emergency. If you are unable to contact us, contact your family dentist or an alternate emergency facility.