EMERGENCY CARE
Orthodontic treatment is a vital aspect of maintaining oral health and perfect smiles. But what happens when you have an urgent orthodontic issue that cannot wait for the next appointment? This is where emergency orthodontic treatment comes in. True orthodontic emergencies are rare, but we are available to you when they occur. As a general rule, you should call our office when you experience severe pain or have a painful appliance problem you can’t take care of yourself. We can schedule an appointment to resolve the issue with our emergency orthodontic treatment in Bethlehem.
Cherry Orthodontics understands that emergencies can arise at any time, and we strive to provide timely care to ensure our patients are always comfortable and pain-free. Emergency orthodontic treatment involves addressing unforeseen issues such as broken brackets, loose wires, or severe pain. We prepare our team to provide quality treatment to our clients when these situations arise, ensuring that your orthodontic journey goes as smoothly as possible.
What You Can Do Until You Receive Treatment
You may be surprised to learn that you can temporarily solve many problems until you can get to our office. If a loose bracket or band is still attached to the wire, for example, leave it in place and put wax on it for comfort. If you have a bracket or wire that has come loose, 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 sticking out.
After alleviating your discomfort, it is essential that you still call our office as soon as possible to schedule a time to repair the problem. Allowing your appliance to remain damaged for an extended period 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. Stick to a soft diet until your teeth do not hurt to chew.
Irritated gums and other sore spots can be relieved by rinsing your mouth with a warm, salt-water mouthwash. Dissolve one teaspoonful of salt in eight ounces of warm water and rinse your mouth vigorously. If the tenderness is severe, take Acetaminophen (Tylenol) or whatever you usually take for headache or similar pain.
Keep in mind that some medications like Aspirin, Ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), and Naproxen Sodium (Naprosyn, Anaprox) slow the tooth movement, so it is not advisable to use them frequently while wearing braces.
The lips, cheeks, and tongue may become irritated for one to two weeks as they learn a new posture and become accustomed to the surface of the braces. You can put wax on the braces to lessen this. We’ll show you how!
Headgear
If you experience discomfort while wearing your headgear, check to ensure you’re wearing it as instructed by your orthodontist. You can refer to the instructions provided by our team or contact our office. Please call our office for assistance if the facebow (metal piece) is bent. Also, ensure you wear your headgear for the prescribed number of hours. Keep in mind that you should get used to the headgear as you wear it.
Loose appliance
If your appliance is poking you, place wax on the offending part.
Loose wire
Try to put your wire back into place using a pair of tweezers or needle-nosed pliers. It is okay to use a piece of floss to tie the wire into place: tie the floss around the bracket in place of the missing colored o-ring. If you cannot put the wire into a comfortable position and covering the end with wax doesn’t help, as a last resort, use a small fingernail clipper to clip the wire behind the last tooth to which it is securely fastened. If the end of the wire is still sharp, place wax on it.
Poking wire
Using a pencil eraser, push the poking wire down or place wax on it so that it is no longer poking.
Emergency Orthodontic Care in Bethlehem, PA
If you are looking for an orthodontist that you can trust, contact us to schedule a consultation with Dr. William Cherry. Cherry Orthodontics can help you achieve your smile transformation goals! You can schedule your appointment by contacting us or using our online booking system. If you’re experiencing an orthodontic emergency, we will assess your needs and provide a customized treatment plan to help you bring back your smile.
In addition to emergency treatment, we offer comprehensive, quality orthodontic treatments in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. This includes Invisalign, Damon Braces, and much more.
