True orthodontic emergencies are very rare, but when they do occur we are available to you. As a general rule, you should ALWAYS call the office when you experience severe pain or when you have a painful appliance problem. We'll be able to schedule an appointment to resolve the problem for you. If we are not in the office, please leave us a message, and we will return your call as soon as we return to the office.

If you have an orthodontic emergency that is causing extreme discomfort and cannot wait until normal business hours for it to be addressed, please call the Emergency phone number listed on our voice mail system. One of our assistants will be available to help you.

You might be surprised to learn that you may be able to temporarily solve many problems yourself until you schedule an appointment with our office.

Poking Wire:

Using a pencil eraser, push the poking wire down or place wax on it to alleviate the discomfort.

Loose Bracket or Band:

If your bracket or band is still attached to the wire, you should leave it in place and put wax on it. If the bracket comes off of the tooth/wire completely, please place the bracket in a baggie and call the office to schedule an appointment.

General Soreness:

When you get your braces on, you may feel general soreness in your mouth and teeth may be tender to biting pressures for three to five days. Try to maintain a soft diet and any over-the-counter pain medication can be taken as needed to alleviate the soreness.

The lips, cheeks, and tongue may also become irritated for one to two weeks as they toughen and become accustomed to the surface of the braces. Try placing wax over the irritating portions of your braces, and Dr. Erhart recommends rinsing out your mouth with Colgate's® Peroxyl® Antiseptic Oral Cleanser at least two to three times a day until affected areas begin to heal.

For more information about Colgate® Peroxyl® rinse, please visit:

http://www.colgate.com/app/Colgate/US/OC/Products/OverTheCounter/ColgatePeroxyl.cvsp

After alleviating your discomfort, it is very important that you still call our office as soon as possible to schedule a time to repair the problem. Allowing your appliance to remain damaged for an extended period of time may result in disruptions in your treatment plan.