Complications arising seemingly out of nowhere can be scary, but don’t worry! Our team at Clauss Orthodontics is here for your orthodontic emergencies! Though some of these situations are unlikely to occur, it is always best to be prepared. Here are some tips and tricks we have put together for you to keep in mind when dealing with a predicament.
An Orthodontic Emergency
Some potential issues can be spotted during regular checkups, while others may happen out of the blue. Emergencies can range from a slight ache like a loose bracket to needing immediate attention from Dr. Clauss, like severe tooth pain.
Some discomfort is completely normal when it comes to your teeth adjusting to the presence of braces or Invisalign. That is how you know your teeth are shifting! However, when you have a persistent ache or pain that just is not letting up, please don’t hesitate to give us a call to see what we can do for you.
Let Us Support You
We are here to support you each step of the way. One of the best things you can do is stay calm and try your best to avoid touching the problem area. Our team has the expertise you need to quickly figure out what happened and take the necessary steps to fix what is bothering you.
Protect Your Smile!
Regular Check-Ups
Just like with any other doctor’s appointment, regularly attending your orthodontic checkups helps our team spot any potential problems early on. It allows us the opportunity to update you on your treatment progress, make sure you are on the right track, and answer any questions you have. Dr. Clauss may even be able to see something out of your periphery and prevent a potentially bigger problem from occurring later.
Oral Hygiene
One of the best ways to keep your teeth healthy at home is by maintaining your daily oral hygiene. Brushing and flossing your teeth twice a day is one of the simplest yet most important things you can do. Some other good habits you can subscribe to are using a tongue scraper, swishing with mouthwash, and drinking water!
Food Choices
When you have any kind of fixed braces (metal or ceramic), making food choices may be tricky. A great way Clauss Orthodontics recommends to protect them is avoiding foods such as gum, sticky candy, hard cookies, and nuts. Anything that could potentially crack, get stuck between or loosen your brackets/wires is a no-go.
Should you have Invisalign, you can continue eating as normal so long as you remember to always brush your teeth and trays thoroughly before placing them back in. This will ensure no small piece of food is left behind, which allows bacteria to thrive.
Mouthguards
If you are a braces wearer and play sports, an important measure you can take to prevent emergencies is wearing a mouthguard. This simple step gives your teeth and jaw added protection against potential knocking or contact sports injuries. Some mouthguards are made with the assumption you are wearing braces so they can still sit comfortably in your mouth.
Common Emergencies
Loose Brackets
If you eat hard foods or bump your braces into something, your bracket may come loose, thus running the risk of cutting your tongue or gums or disrupting the progress of your treatment.
What You Can Do At Home
- For a temporary fix, carefully use sterile tweezers to slide the bracket back between two teeth, rotate it to the correct position, and then place it back in the center of the tooth.
- Let us know of the situation as soon as possible so Dr. Clauss can determine the next steps!
Though on the more serious side of the emergency scale, don’t fret! This is still entirely treatable with the right steps being taken promptly!
Mouth Sores
Taking the form of a canker sore, these can develop on the lips, tongue, gums, inner cheeks, and the roof of your mouth. They typically worsen due to braces-related irritation, such as wires and brackets.
What You Can Do At Home
- Avoid touching the area as best as you can.
- Obtain an over-the-counter topical anesthetic such as Orabase or Ora-Gel and smear it directly on the sore with a cotton swab to lessen the pain.
Luckily, mouth sores will disappear within a week or two. If they persist or worsen, give us a call, and we can help you determine the next steps.
Severe Tooth Pain
Usually, the symptoms of a larger problem, swelling and tooth pain can cause a lot of discomfort. This can be caused by various factors related to treatment.
What You Can Do At Home
- Thoroughly rinse your mouth with warm saltwater.
- Apply a cold compress or take over-the-counter pain relievers to ease any pain.
If you experience tooth pain that does not let up, contact our office, and we can determine its severity and help you through the best next steps.
Protruding Wire
As your teeth shift, a wire may dislocate itself and irritate your mouth.
What You Can Do At Home
- Use a pencil eraser, Q-tip, or the like to push it flush against your tooth and in a more agreeable position.
- Tear off a small piece of non-medicinal relief wax to cover the wire and avoid cuts.
- Last resort: clip the wire with sterile nail clippers if it continues to be bothersome.
Give our practice a call to notify Dr. Clauss by describing the wire condition, and we can discuss what to do next!
Stay Calm, We Are Here To Help!
At the start of your treatment, it is totally normal to be unsure of an issue’s severity. Do your best to keep calm, and remember, you are not alone! Our teams at the Watertown and Middlebury offices are always ready to take action in case of an orthodontic emergency to make your smile journey as stress-free as possible. Give us a call today to schedule an appointment, or so we can answer any questions you may have!