Orthodontic Emergencies

Occasionally there are emergencies that arise while you child is in orthodontic treatment. Some emergencies may have to do with the orthodontic appliances themselves. Others may be more traumatic having to do with injury or severe pain.

First, do not panic. Most appliance problems are repairable. If you feel that it is an issue that requires our care and you cannot resolve it on your own, please call and we will make an appointment for your child. If it is a problem that you can solve or remedy temporarily, you can make a regular appointment to be seen at a later date. Let us know what the issue is so that we can take a look at it on your next visit with us.

For emergencies that require our immediate attention, call our office in Park Slope so that we can schedule an appointment and examine your child as soon as possible. Such emergencies include things like trauma to the mouth – sports accidents, falls, impact and such. Occasionally a child will have an infected tooth that needs treatment. This may have nothing to do with the appliance itself. Pain and swelling around a tooth that worsens is an indication of an infection which will need to be treated as soon as possible.

These situations are rare; however, we realize that parents appreciate knowing that we are here in the event that their child should have some kind of mouth trauma. Hospital emergency rooms are usually not equipped to handle dental emergencies and the wait can be long. Give us a call and we will schedule an appointment to see your child right away.

Emergency Care for Braces

There are minor problems that can arise with braces. Wires poking out, loose brackets, wires or elastics or a loose appliance are all a part of normal usage. You can take care of most of these problems temporarily until the next visit. Use wax to cover loose brackets or wires. This will help ease the discomfort. If a wire is sticking out, it can be moved with a cotton swab or you can use sterilized nail clippers to clip it down. Put a small bead of wax on the cut end to prevent it from causing irritation. Contact us today of you have an orthodontic emergency.