It isn’t an emergency unless discomfort is involved. Call the office to schedule an appointment as soon as possible. The appointment will usually require extra time to fix the broken bracket. If it is uncomfortable, call the office and try placing wax in the area until it can be fixed.

If your braces have recently been removed in the last 6 months, call the office immediately to schedule an appointment for necessary replacements. If it has been longer then 6 months, call the office as soon as you can, in order to prevent the teeth from shifting.

Over the counter analgesics like Advil, Tylenol, or Ibuprofen work well. If for a child under the age of 12 then follow the instructions indicated on the label.

If your gums or cheeks are sore and/or swollen, warm salt water rinse will help. 1 tsp. salt to 8 oz of water. Topical anesthetics, like Orabase, are also useful for cold sores and irritated cheeks.

If a wire has come out of the band, try and place it back in, possibly with some tweezers. If that does not work then try and hold the wire in place with some wax until coming into the office as soon as possible for a short visit.

If a wire is poking, then use the back of a pencil eraser to move it out of harms way. If that is not possible, cover the area with wax until you can come into the office for a quick visit.