Emergency Care in Rochester, NY
Fortunately, true orthodontic emergencies are rare. But if you experience an orthodontic emergency, we will be here to assist you. We recommend calling our office if you are experiencing severe pain or if your appliance is causing you pain and you are unable to resolve the situation on your own. If you are experiencing either of those situations, call us to book an appointment to resolve the issue.
You can solve many appliance problems yourself temporarily until you can come into our office for a permanent solution. If there is a loose piece that you can remove, put it in a plastic bag or envelope and bring it with you to your next appointment. If your braces are poking you, put soft wax on the piece that’s causing you discomfort. If the wire has slid to one side, you can use needle-nosed pliers to pull it back where it belongs.
Once you have stopped the discomfort, call our office to schedule a time to repair the problem completely. If you allow your appliance to remain damaged, you risk adding time to your treatment.
General soreness
When Dr. New places your braces, you can expect some general soreness in your mouth and tenderness in your teeth while biting. Don’t worry, the discomfort should go away in three to five days. We recommend sticking to a soft diet during this period and using warm salt-water mouthwashes to alleviate soreness. You can make you’re a salt-water rinse by dissolving a teaspoon of salt in eight ounces of warm water, then use this mixture to rinse your mouth vigorously. If you experience severe discomfort, take Acetaminophen (Tylenol) or whatever you would normally take for a headache. Avoid aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen sodium because these medications slow tooth movement.
Your lips, cheeks, and tongue may also become irritated. This discomfort usually lasts one to two weeks as you become accustomed to your new appliance. You can put wax on the braces to alleviate this irritation. We’ll show you how!
Headgear
If you experience discomfort from your headgear, you are probably wearing it wrong or it may be damaged. Refer back to the instructions provided by your orthodontist and inspect your appliance. If you find that the facebow (metal piece) is bent, please call our office to schedule an appointment to repair it. Also, remember that the more you wear your headgear, the less it will hurt so make sure you wear your headgear for the number of hours prescribed by Dr. New.
Loose appliance
If any part of your appliance is poking you, place wax on the offending part.
Loose bracket
If your bracket or band is still attached to the wire, leave it in its place and put wax on it 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
You can try to put your wire back into place using a pair of tweezers or small needle-nosed pliers. If necessary, you can use a piece of floss to tie the wire into place. As a last resort, you can use a fingernail clipper to cut the wire behind the last tooth to which it is secured. If after doing this, the wire is still sharp, place wax on it.
Poking wire
You can use a pencil eraser to push the wire down or place wax on it so that it is no longer poking.
3171 Chili Ave #200, Rochester, NY 14624