Sometimes parts of your appliances may become loose or cause irritations to your gums, lips or cheeks. Many of these situations you can take care of yourself, while others need to be addressed in our office. Calling us will help you determine how urgently the repair needs to take place. Please do not come directly to the office; by calling us, you will allow us to create a time to see you.
Call our office for advice if a brace or wire is loosened. The brace may need to be re-fitted as soon as possible. You may have a situation that requires cutting a wire or sliding a bracket off a wire at night or over the weekend. If you need to cut a wire in case of emergency, you may use fingernail clippers that have been washed and sterilized in alcohol. Please call our office the next business day so that we may schedule an appointment for you. Please remember to bring any broken parts to the office when you come in for the repair.
Sometimes discomfort caused by a wire on your braces can be resolved by moving the wire away from the irritated area with a cotton swab or eraser. If the wire will not move, try covering the end of it with a small piece of cotton or a small amount of wax. If the wire is painful, you can cut it with nail clippers or scissors that have been washed and sterilized in alcohol. If you cannot resolve the wire irritation, call our office for an appointment.
Sometimes a separator will come out before your next appointment. This usually means that it has done its job and enough space has been created. A quick call to our office can be made to determine whether it needs to be replaced or not.
During the first week after your braces are in place and routine adjustments are complete, you will likely feel some pain, soreness or discomfort. You may take acetaminophen or other non-aspirin pain relievers while you adjust to your new braces. A warm wash cloth or heating pad may reduce the soreness in your jaws.
