Braces Emergencies
Whether we like it or not, people often base their first impression on our appearance. Although there is nothing wrong with having a little gap in your teeth or having slightly misshapen teeth, many people feel self-conscious if they do not have a perfectly straight and even smile.
If you have misaligned or crooked teeth, Amy James, DMD, MS at Dr. Amy James and Associates Orthodontists can help you straighten your teeth with the help of ceramic braces, lingual braces, or self-ligating braces.
While you are getting your teeth straightened, you may experience a few orthodontic mishaps. These braces emergencies are quite common and are not cause for too much concern. If you experience any braces emergency at home, it can be managed at home until you schedule an appointment with us.
Teeth Sensitivity
When you first get your braces, and sometimes after getting them adjusted, your teeth may feel sensitive to biting pressure for a few days. This sensation, though uncomfortable, will go away on its own after a few days. To alleviate it, you can eat soft and pureed food like soups, scrambled eggs, applesauce, yogurt, and ice cream. If the sensitivity is high, we may prescribe you some simple over-the-counter medication to relieve the pain.
Mouth Soreness
Your braces may feel a bit bulky in your mouth when you first start to use them. In addition, the wires and brackets may rub against your inner cheeks and lips, causing them to become sore and irritated. To lessen the soreness, make a saltwater solution and rinse your mouth with it regularly. In addition, you can also press some dental wax onto the wires and brackets to lessen their contact with the soft tissue of your mouth. An anesthetic gel can also help provide you relief and heal the sores.
Trauma To The Mouth
Your braces may injure your mouth while you are playing sports or are involved in some sort of accident. If the soft tissue of your mouth has been punctured, it is important that you get an emergency appointment with us to get it treated promptly.
The blow to the face may also have shifted your brackets out of their alignment, so we may need to adjust them back into place. To avoid this sort of incident, make sure you always wear a mouthguard when playing sports.
Broken Wire
If you chew on something hard or sticky, sometimes your wire can snap and poke into your cheek. Don’t panic if this happens. There is a simple way to manage this emergency at home.
Grip the wire with a pair of small tweezers and place it back into its space. You can also take nail clippers to cut the wire behind the last tooth to which it was attached. Then place a small amount of dental wax or sugar-free gum at the exposed end. At your next appointment, we can fix the wire for you.
Loose Brackets
Your brackets are tightly glued to your teeth, but sometimes they can snap off. Since these brackets are connected by the wire, they may hang on to the wire without any issue. If this is the case, attach it to your tooth with some dental wax. If the bracket comes off entirely, put it in a piece of tissue paper and bring it with you to your appointment to be checked and repaired. In some cases, a small child may swallow a bracket. If this happens, don’t panic. Your brackets are small pieces of metal and won’t get stuck going down your digestive tract. They will then pass through your system naturally.
Braces emergencies are quite common and can happen to anyone. If the emergency is causing pain in your teeth or gums, it can be a cause for concern. If this happens to you or your child, call us at (856) 216-8009, and we will schedule an urgent appointment to diagnose the issue and fix it quickly.
