Emergency Information

Orthodontic emergencies are rare, and you can take care of most of the problems you’ll experience on your own at home. Still, if you encounter a problem that you can’t remedy, call and schedule an appointment as soon as possible. Here are some common problems that might arise while wearing braces and tips on how to handle them on your own:

Sore teeth after a visit can be handled with acetaminophen or other aspirin-free pain reliever. Warm salt water rinses, heating pads, or warm wash cloths can counteract jaw soreness as you adjust to braces.
Wire irritation is a common problem. You can use a cotton swab or pencil eraser to move the wire away from the irritation. If that doesn’t work, you can cover the end of the errant wire with some cotton or wax. If the wire continues to cause pain, sterilize nail clippers or a pair of scissors in alcohol and then cut the wire.
Loose brackets or problems with the main wire need immediate attention, so call our Kilgore or Henderson, TX orthodontic offices if such a problem develops. If you must, you can cut the wire using sterilized fingernail clippers and slide the bracket off. Make sure to schedule an appointment for repairs as soon as possible.
Losing a separator is common. If this happens, call our offices in East Texas to find out whether or not it needs to be replaced.