When undergoing orthodontic treatment with braces, true emergencies are a rare occurrence. When one does come up though, we are here for you!
Depending on what type of "orthodontic emergency" you are experiencing, you can reference your take home packet that we give you the day you get your braces on. In that packet you will find all sorts of tips and tricks to help take care of anything that may be going on. As a general rule though, you should always call our office if you are having any severe pain or an orthodontic appliance is bothersome and you are unable to take care of it yourself. Our fantastic Front Office Team will be able to get you an appointment scheduled so we can take care of whatever may be going on.
If you do reference your orthodontic take home packet though, you will be surprised to see how many things you can take care of yourself or at least temporarily until we see you in our Longview office. If something is loose and you can remove it from the wire, or it is already off the wire, you can simply put it in a plastic bag and bring it in with you to your next visit. If something is poking you, please do not hesitate to use the wax we give you to cover anything that is poking or sticking out, such as a bracket or a wire. If you wire has shifted to one side, which can happen, you can pull it back to the other side with a narrow tweezers or pliers.
If you are experiencing any general soreness from your braces or your new orthodontic wire, a soft diet will surely help. If you have any irritated or sore spots in your mouth, whether from your braces or your clear aligners (invisalign trays), you can rinse with a warm salt-water mouthwash. Taking Tylenol will help, as well as ibproufen (Advil or Motrin).
Please do not hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions or are experiencing anything that you feel is out of the ordinary or not mentioned here or on our Braces First Aid page. Have a wonderful day!
If you have any additional questions about Mack and Hansen Orthodontics or want to discover how Dr. Spencer Mack and Dr. Andrew Hansen can help you gain straighter teeth and a healthier smile with braces or Invisalign please contact us today! You can also visit www.etxortho.com to learn more about our orthodontists or dental braces,. We’re conveniently located in Longview, TX right by Longview Regional Hospital and are just a quick drive from Marshall, Carthage, Henderson, Kilgore, and Gilmer.
