Orthodontics are important for correcting misalignments in your teeth and jaws and are vital to achieving the smile of your dreams. While orthodontic treatment is often complication free, orthodontic emergencies have been known to occur. In today’s blog we will be looking at what you should do in the event of an Orthodontic Emergency.
Determine the severity of the Emergency
The first thing you should do when an orthodontic emergency is identifying its severity. Is your orthodontic device broken? Is there severe pain? Is there bleeding? All of this information will be helpful to your orthodontist when advising you about what steps to take next. If any pieces or parts of your orthodontic device have fallen out you should be sure to hold on to them as they may help your orthodontist make repairs.
Manage any pain or discomfort
There are a variety of ways to manage any pain or discomfort caused by the emergency. If wires are out of place and poking the inside of your mouth, make use of orthodontic wax to protect your mouth. Consider icing the affected area to reduce swelling and regularly rinse your mouth out with warm salt water to prevent infection and keep the area clean. Over the counter pain killers like ibuprofen may help manage pain and inflammation caused by the emergency.
Contact your Orthodontist
The next thing you should do is contact your orthodontist as soon as possible. Your orthodontist will be able to advise you on the severity of the emergency, recommend steps you can take to mitigate the emergency, and schedule you for any device repairs or other treatment that may be necessary.
Follow Interim Care Instructions
Your orthodontist will have recommendations on how best to cope with the effects of the emergency while you are waiting for your appointment. You should be sure to follow these recommendations as closely as possible as this will help you care for your damaged appliance or deal with any injury or discomfort that occurs as a result of the emergency.
We hope we have been able to demonstrate the steps you should take in the event of an orthodontic emergency. If you have any questions about orthodontic treatments, please feel free to contact us.
The Hicks orthodontic practice has been around for over 40 years, with Bryan Hicks taking over for his father. Dr. Hicks works hard to give his patients extraordinary outcomes from their orthodontic treatment.
If you have any questions about this article or need to talk to someone in the office, give us a call at (604) 922-0111.
