There are occasions when you may experience a problem with your braces. During the course of orthodontic treatment you may find that your Invisalign aligner breaks; or a wire on your braces pokes or rubs your cheek causing irritation; or you eat something that causes a problem with your braces. When this happens, we have listed some simple solutions you can use at home until you are able to make an appointment to be seen by someone on our staff.
Please feel free to contact our office if you are experiencing any discomfort, or if you have any questions about your orthodontic appliance.
Loose Bracket
Occasionally, a glued bracket may come loose. You can remove the loose bracket and save it in an envelope to bring to the office. If a bracket becomes loose, call the office as soon as possible in order for us to allow time to re-glue the bracket.
Poking Wire
If a wire is poking your gums or cheek there are several things you can try until before scheduling an office appointment. First, try a ball of wax on the irritating wire. You may also try using a nail clipper or cuticle cutter to cut the extra piece of wire that is sticking out. Sometimes, a poking wire can be safely turned down so that it no longer causes discomfort. You can use a pencil eraser, or some other smooth object to tuck the offending wire out of the way.
Wire Out of
Back Band
Please be careful to avoid hard or sticky foods that may bend the wire or cause it to come out of its proper brace. If this happens, you may use needle nose pliers or tweezers to put the wire back into the hole in the back brace. If you are unable to do this, you may clip the wire to ease the discomfort. Please call the office as soon as possible to schedule an appointment to replace the wire.
Poking Elastic
(Rubber Band)
Hook
Some brackets have small hooks on them for elastic wear. These hooks can occasionally become irritating to the lips or cheeks. If this happens, you may either use a pencil eraser to carefully push the hook in, or you can place a ball of wax on the hook to make the area feel smooth.
Sore Teeth
You may be experiencing some discomfort after beginning treatment or at the change of wires or adjusting of appliances. This is normal and should diminish within 24-72 hours. A few suggestions to help with the discomfort:
1. Rinse with warm water.
2. Eat a soft-food diet.
3. Take acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil) as directed on the bottle.
4. If pain persists more than a few days, call our office.
