Occasionally, some patients will experience an injury to the mouth during treatment. Dental emergencies while wearing braces or other orthodontic appliances generally fall into two categories.
Emergencies Related to Orthodontic Appliances
Most problems you may encounter in your orthodontic care are not considered a true orthodontic emergency and can be handled during regular patient hours.
It’s normal for appliances to occasionally become loose or broken during your orthodontic care. If you are feeling discomfort (from a pokey wire, loose bracket, etc.) and it’s outside of normal patient hours, please call the office and listen to the telephone prompts, which will guide you in reaching our on-call team member. Please keep in mind that for your convenience and the convenience of scheduled patients, it is not possible to handle emergencies on a walk-in basis, so please call to schedule a follow-up appointment with us during normal business hours at your earliest convenience.
Direct Injuries to the Mouth and Teeth
Following a direct injury to your mouth or teeth, whether undergoing orthodontic care or not, you should contact your regular dentist as soon as possible. Usually, an x-ray of the involved tooth or teeth is needed to determine the extent of the injury.
If a tooth has been displaced, knocked out, or fractured, it is best to contact your family dentist first since we may not have the necessary materials or anesthesia required to treat these injuries. If the appliances are dislodged or displaced, we will need to replace or adjust the appliances as soon as possible after you have seen your general dentist, depending upon the comfort level of the patient.
