Orthodontic emergencies can strike when patients and their families least expect – maybe a sports injury has led to a dangerously loose bracket, or maybe there’s a big piece of food caught under the wires that’s causing severe pain. At Glenpool Braces, Dr. Georgy is happy to lend a helping hand when you need it most for these inconvenient and oftentimes worrisome situations. Please don’t hesitate to contact us in Glenpool, OK to schedule an emergency appointment. In many cases, our team can fit you in on the same day as your first call!
What constitutes an orthodontic emergency in the first place, though? Here are some of the most common cases we treat and some helpful tips for how to best manage them at home until you’re able to safely reach help:
Over time, chewing on particularly hard foods can lead to breakage regarding orthodontic brackets. First of all: are you experiencing serious pain? If the answer is “no,” you won’t need to hurry in to Glenpool Braces right away for emergency treatment. Instead, you can leave the bracket in place and cover it with wax in the meantime for optimal comfort. If the bracket has completely come out of the mouth, contact Dr. Georgy’s office and plan to bring it with you to our location for further inspection.
Every once in a while, your orthodontic wire can start to stick out from the brackets and irritate the soft issue in the cheeks. If this is happening regularly, a good technique for stopping the pain fast is to take a pencil eraser or a swab of cotton and gently nudge the wire back into its original position. Additionally, applying a small ball of wax to the end of the wire can offer some much-needed temporary relief until our team is able to take a look. If you have clean nail clippers and some rubbing alcohol, you can even try snipping the wire yourself as a last resort – but please don’t hesitate to contact our team first if you’re struggling to resolve the issue alone.
In the first few days after braces are put into place over a patient’s smile, general soreness and discomfort is extremely common. We encourage you to stick to a diet of soft foods and take painkillers (such as Advil or Tylenol) as needed to reduce these effects until your mouth becomes accustomed to the new addition. If the pain is overly aggressive or continues after a full week of wearing braces has gone by, contact Dr. Georgy right away for further assistance.
If you’ve experienced a severe facial injury that may have damaged your braces, Dr. Georgy will want to assess their condition as soon as possible and provide any new/adjusted components as needed to keep your treatment plan on the right track. If any bones are broken or you’re bleeding profusely, please go to your nearest emergency room first.
Knowing how to handle the most common orthodontic emergencies is a great first step in ensuring you get the fast, effective relief when you need it most. With that being said, if you’d like to be even more prepared, we’ve answered a few of the most frequently asked questions below. If you need immediate assistance or would prefer to speak directly with our team, don’t hesitate to give us a call!
Although accidents are entirely preventable, there are a few best practices you can implement to protect you from having to make an urgent trip to our office:
From broken brackets to protruding wires, most orthodontic emergencies can be swiftly handled by our experienced team. However, if your injury results in a potentially life-threatening condition, like a broken jaw, severe oral bleeding, or difficulty swallowing, then you should get to your local emergency room right away. Once you receive the medical attention you need there, you can schedule a same-day appointment at our office for further treatment.
Whether you are scared of potential judgment or believe your schedule is too jam-packed to accommodate an emergency appointment, it is important to know that avoiding urgent orthodontic treatment can be hazardous. For example, a protruding wire has the potential to tug or tear the soft tissue in your mouth, requiring treatment and unnecessary pain. Other issues, like tooth pain, could be the result of decay, which can significantly delay your timeline if not addressed early on. Simply put, it’s better for your smile, schedule, and wallet to seek treatment right away.
If you sustain an orthodontic emergency while you are out of town, don’t wait to seek help. Instead, find a local orthodontist who can treat the root of the issue. Not only will this allow you to enjoy the rest of your time away, but it will also prevent further damage from occurring. From there, contact our office to share the details of the injury. If necessary, we will schedule an appointment with our team once you return home.
We hope these orthodontic emergency FAQs in Glenpool help you get the fast, effective treatment you deserve when you need it most. To schedule an appointment with our team or to learn more about handling a braces-related injury, don’t hesitate to get in touch!