Fortunately, true orthodontic emergencies do not occur often; however, if you do experience an orthodontic emergency, our team is here to take care of your smile. In the case of an emergency situation, we encourage you to contact Dr. Lynnette Nyberg and our team as soon as possible by calling our office. We will schedule you an appointment as soon as we can to take care of the problem. A number of orthodontic issues can also be temporarily resolved at home to enhance your comfort until you can come to our office. Be certain to remember these simple tips:

  • If part of your appliance comes loose or breaks off, please be sure to save it and bring it with you for your appointment.
  • If your braces are poking or irritating your tongue, lips or cheeks, apply a piece of wax directly to the rough spot on your braces
  • If your braces archwire has slid to one side, you can pull it back to the other side using needle-nosed pliers and place it in the tube on the back tooth.

Even if you are able to temporarily resolve the problem, it is still important that you contact our office. Allowing your braces or other appliance to remain damaged for an extended period of time may result in disruption to your treatment, resulting in a longer overall treatment time. We encourage you to contact our orthodontic office for emergency care in Dover, New Hampshire.

The following information can help you take care of simple problems until you can come to our office for your appointment with our orthodontist.

General Soreness

When you first get your braces on, your mouth may feel generally sore and your teeth may be tender to biting and chewing pressures for 3-5 days. We recommend that you stick to a soft foods diet until you can chew without experiencing tenderness. If your cheeks, tongue, or gums are irritated by your braces, you can relieve the irritation by swishing warm saltwater. Mix one teaspoon of salt into eight ounces of warm water, and rinse your mouth vigorously. You can also try using the Healthy Gums Rinse by The Natural Dentist (which many patients find to be better tasting!). Placing Orabase on the sore area can also help to relieve discomfort (Orabase can be found in a pharmacy). If the tenderness is severe and is not lessened by saltwater or these other suggestions, you can take acetaminophen (Tylenol) or whatever type of pain reliever you usually take for a headache. It is not advisable to frequently take aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), or naproxen sodium (Naprosyn, Anaprox) during orthodontic treatment because these may actually slow the tooth movement. Your lips, tongue, and cheeks may feel irritated for 1-2 weeks after you first get your braces as they become accustomed to the surface of the appliance. You can place soft wax over the braces to ease this irritation – our team will be happy to show you how.

Loose Appliance

If your appliance is poking you, place soft wax over the part that is irritating you.

Loose Wire

Carefully use a pair of tweezers or needle-nosed pliers to put the wire back in place. You can use a piece of floss to tie the wire into place – tie the floss around the bracket in place of the missing colored elastic band (o-ring). If you cannot put the wire back in position and covering the end with wax does not relieve your discomfort, use a small fingernail clipper to clip the wire behind the last tooth to which it is securely fastened. If the end is still sharp, place wax on it.

Loose Bracket

If the bracket or band is still attached to the wire, leave it in place and put wax on it if needed to relieve irritation. If the loose bracket or band can be easily removed, put it in a plastic bag or envelope and bring it with you to your next appointment.

Poking Wire

If a wire is poking you, you can use a pencil eraser or the back of a spoon to push the wire down. You can also place wax over the wire so it does not poke you.

For more information, we welcome you to contact us today at Miller-Nyberg Orthodontics.