Do you know what to do if you experience an orthodontic emergency?

If you experience an emergency involving your braces or aligners, do you know what to do? Are you able to fix your braces or aligners at home, or do you need to make an appointment to see your dentist? 

At Sheppard Family Dental Care, we offer dental orthodontic options, including ClearCorrect dental aligners, so we can help you out if you experience an orthodontic emergency at home. Did you know that nearly two-thirds of dentists approve of general dental offices to practice dental orthodontics? Many in the dental industry prefer to keep their orthodontic patients under their own care so that they can monitor their progress and provide support as needed. That is why many general dentists are also certified in dental orthodontics.

Help! I have a loose bracket!

If you have a loose bracket that is part of your braces, that is something the team at Sheppard Family Dental Care needs to repair for you. However, if you can’t get to the office to see us right away, orthodontic wax can be applied to help hold the bracket into place until you can make it into the office.

What if I can feel a wire poking into my gums or cheeks?

If you can feel a wire from your braces poking into your gums or cheeks, you can use orthodontic wax to cover the end of the dental wire to protect your cheeks and gums. While this isn’t an emergency, a wire that is too long can be uncomfortable and inconvenient, so you should make an appointment to get the wire checked out when it is convenient for you.

One of my rubber bands broke. Can I do without?

If one of the rubber bands that holds the wires in place to the bracket breaks, simply replace it with a new rubber band. We recommend always having a couple of spares with you, but if you don’t have one, you can do without a rubber band temporarily.

If you’ve lost or broken a rubber band towards the back of your mouth, this can risk your braces shifting slightly. If that’s the case, you should stop by Sheppard Family Dental Care to get it checked out. If you are worried, you can always use orthodontic wax to help keep everything in place.

I just got my braces, and I’m feeling some discomfort.

If you have recently gotten your traditional metal braces put on, or have recently changed your aligners, you could experience some tooth discomfort or soreness. This is because of the adjustments that have been made to your teeth or aligners, which is what will help make your teeth straighter in the end. If you are feeling some discomfort, you can use an over-the-counter pain medication to help ease some of the discomfort. You can also use a cold compress to ease some of the pain. Remember to wrap the cold compress in a dry towel before placing it against your skin over the area of discomfort, and don’t use the cold compress for more than 15 minutes at a time.

Oh no! My aligner has broken!

If one of your ClearCorrect aligners has broken, you need to make an appointment with Sheppard Family Dental Care immediately to get a replacement made. Since ClearCorrect aligners need to be worn for about 22 hours a day, it is important to get a broken aligner replaced as soon as possible.

ClearCorrect aligners have become a popular orthodontic treatment throughout the years because of how easy they are to wear and use. ClearCorrect uses a sequence of custom made clear aligners to slowly straighten your teeth over time. You usually wear one set of aligners for a week or two before switching to the next set of aligners.  Since the aligners are clear, no one knows you’re wearing them! Many orthodontic patients prefer ClearCorrect aligners over traditional metal braces because of their convenience. ClearCorrect aligners often work in about 12 to 18 months, versus the 18 to 24 months traditional metal braces take to straighten your teeth.

Visit Sheppard Family Dental Care for an orthodontic consultation today!

If you are interested in dental orthodontics to help straighten your smile, visit the team at Sheppard Family Dental Care. Our team is trained in dental orthodontics and can help you choose a treatment plan that is right for you.