During orthodontic treatment, some part of your appliance may come loose, something may be sticking you or rarely, you might have swelling, jaw pain, jaw popping or jaw locking. If something hurts, we will want to see you right away. Otherwise, we may still want to see you before your next scheduled visit. If an appliance has come loose, call immediately so that we may be able to replace or repair that appliance at your next visit. We schedule emergency visits between 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., so as not to disrupt the busier early morning and afternoon schedule. If you have an emergency outside of office hours, you can call the office. The answering service will contact the doctor or a clinical assistant. One of them will get right back with you. If you are having pain, Dr. McMinn or a clinical staff member will arrange to meet with you immediately, so please don't hesitate to call and explain your problem.

Loose brackets or bands

Call our office immediately for advice if a bracket or wire is loosened. The bracket 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.

Wire irritations

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.

Lost separators

Most patients lose a separator during their treatment. Do not worry about losing a separator, but call our office to see if it needs to be replaced.

Discomfort with orthodontic treatment

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.