What do I do in the case of an ortho emergency?
Call the office number. An emergency number will be provided if nobody is in the office.
How do we accommodate emergencies requiring an office as it pertains to scheduling?
Patients will be seen that same day if the office is open. Dr. Hall will open the office on other days in the event of a true emergency.
What constitutes an orthodontic emergency and what you can do:
Please refer to our video on “Emergencies” for more information on how to handle emergency orthodontic situations. (If the doc decides to implement our PEC.)
Loose or Poking Archwires
If a wire causes irritation, push the wire away from the area using the eraser end of a pencil or a Q-tip. If the wire cannot be tucked away, cover the end of the wire with a small piece of wax or a cotton ball until you can see us for an adjustment.
If the main wire has come out of the tube on the back tooth, attempt to reinsert the wire with a pair of needle-nose pliers or tweezers. If the wire is not sticking you, place a piece of wax over the area.
Loose Brackets
If a bracket becomes loose, it usually remains connected to the main wire by a little colored rubber ring or a small steel Iigature tie. Tweezers can be used to reposition the brace if it flips around the wire and becomes a source of irritation. Call our office and inform us of the problem. If a piece of your braces break, save the piece and call our office to schedule a repair visit.
Lost Separators
In the case where a rubber spacer or separator falls out, call our office so that we can arrange to replace it for you.
If You Swallow Something
Remain calm if you swallow a piece of your appliance. It will usually go into the stomach and pass out of the body in a bowel movement. However, if difficulty breathing is experienced, you should seek immediate medical attention. X-rays will be taken to determine the location of the swallowed piece.
Broken Retainer
If a retainer cracks or breaks, remove the retainer from your mouth and bring all the pieces to our office for professional repair. There may be a fee associated with the repair or replacement of the retainer.
Sore Teeth or Sore Gums
Take ibuprofen (Motrin/Advil) or acetaminophen (Tylenol) if your teeth are sore after your appointment. PLEASE CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN BEFORE TAKING ANY MEDICATIONS, PARTICULARLY IF YOU HAVE ANY HISTORY OF ALLERGIC REACTIONS.
Rinsing your mouth with a cup of warm water and half a teaspoon of salt can also be soothing. If your teeth get sore suddenly in the middle of the month, give us a call because it is unusual for the teeth to get sore several weeks after your last office visit.
Minor irritations and canker sores will heal much more quickly if you apply Zylactin or Orabase according to the manufacturer’s directions.
To decrease the discomfort associated with minor irritations and canker sores, consider applying an over the counter topical pain reliever, such as Zilactin or Orabase, according to the manufacturer’s directions.