Orthodontist dr. Collie treating a young patient during an orthodontic visit at wake pediatric dentistry & orthodontics.

Orthodontic Emergencies

Easing Your Worries and Discomfort

Orthodontic emergencies can happen unexpectedly, but not every issue requires an immediate office visit. At Wake Orthodontics & Pediatric Dentistry, we want patients in Raleigh, Garner, and Smithfield, NC, to feel confident knowing how to handle common braces and orthodontic appliance problems. Use this guide to identify your concern, learn what you can do at home, and understand when to contact our team or seek urgent medical attention.

Orthodontic Emergencies

Easing Your Worries and Discomfort

Orthodontic emergencies can happen unexpectedly, but not every issue requires an immediate office visit. At Wake Orthodontics & Pediatric Dentistry, we want patients in Raleigh, Garner, and Smithfield, NC, to feel confident knowing how to handle common braces and orthodontic appliance problems. Use this guide to identify your concern, learn what you can do at home, and understand when to contact our team or seek urgent medical attention.

Orthodontic emergencies

Major Orthodontic Emergencies: When to Seek Immediate Care

Some orthodontic concerns require more than a temporary repair. Significant injuries, uncontrolled bleeding, infections, or difficulty breathing or swallowing may require immediate medical or dental attention.

Severe Mouth or Dental Injuries

Injury to the face, jaw, or teeth, including a knocked-out or displaced permanent tooth.

What to do: Seek urgent dental care. Handle a knocked-out permanent tooth by the crown and keep it moist in milk. Never reinsert a baby tooth. Seek emergency medical attention for serious facial or jaw injuries.

Severe Swelling or Infection

Rapidly worsening facial swelling, severe pain with swelling, or fever associated with a possible dental infection.

What to do: Seek prompt medical or dental assessment. Go to the emergency department immediately for swelling that affects breathing or swallowing.

Uncontrolled Bleeding or Breathing Problems

Bleeding that does not stop with firm, continuous pressure, choking, or difficulty breathing.

What to do: Call 911 for choking, difficulty breathing, or life-threatening bleeding. For other uncontrolled bleeding, seek emergency medical attention.

After receiving emergency medical or dental care, contact Wake Orthodontics & Pediatric Dentistry so we can evaluate any damage to your braces or orthodontic appliances.

Minor Orthodontic Emergencies: At-Home Troubleshooting Guide

Many issues, like a protruding wire or broken bracket, can be managed at home before coming in for an appointment. Here are some common things that may happen while undergoing orthodontic treatment:

Leave a bracket attached to the wire in place when possible. Cover irritating edges with orthodontic wax, avoid hard foods, and call the office to arrange a repair. Keep any fully detached pieces.

Use orthodontic wax to cover the sharp end. A clean cotton swab or pencil eraser may help gently move an accessible wire away from the cheek. Contact the office before attempting to trim it.

Avoid chewing on the affected side and contact the office for repair. Do not attempt to glue or cement the band back onto the tooth.

Save a loose component if it comes away completely. Apply wax if it causes irritation and contact the office for guidance.

Choose soft foods, use warm saltwater rinses, and consider age-appropriate over-the-counter pain relief as directed on the label. Call if pain is severe or worsening.

Cover rubbing brackets with orthodontic wax and rinse gently with warm salt water. Contact the office if sores worsen, persist, or are accompanied by swelling.

Do not force the separator back between the teeth. Contact the office to find out whether it needs replacement before the next visit.

Do not wear a broken or poorly fitting retainer that causes pain or injury. Keep the appliance and contact the office for repair or replacement guidance.

If an aligner cracks, is lost, or no longer fits, contact the orthodontic team for instructions about which tray to wear next. Avoid forcing a damaged aligner into place.

Stop adjusting or activating an appliance that is loose, damaged, or painful. Avoid manipulating it and contact the office for instructions.

When you call our offices at Raleigh, Smithfield or Garner about a broken or loose appliance, our team may ask which part of your braces is causing the problem. Use the diagram below to identify the different components so we can better understand your concern and guide you toward the next steps.

Braces model

How to Prevent Orthodontic Emergencies

It is crucial you take proper care of your braces in order to ensure efficient and effective treatment. There are several preventative measures you can take to lessen your chances of having orthodontic emergencies. Here are a few of them:

  • Avoid hard, sticky foods like caramels and hard candies
  • Maintain proper oral hygiene like brushing, flossing and rinsing
  • Wear a mouthguard, especially during sports activities
  • Break bad habits like nail biting or chewing on pens/pencils

  • Keep orthodontic wax and basic braces-care supplies available at home.

  • Contact the office when an appliance becomes loose or uncomfortable rather than waiting until the next appointment.

Frequently Asked Questions About Orthodontic Emergencies

What qualifies as an orthodontic emergency?

A true medical or dental emergency may involve serious trauma, uncontrolled bleeding, severe swelling with signs of infection, or difficulty breathing or swallowing. Minor orthodontic problems, such as a loose bracket or poking wire, can often be managed temporarily at home, but you should notify your orthodontist for guidance.

You can often protect an irritated area with orthodontic wax or gently move an accessible loose wire away from your cheek. However, broken braces require professional evaluation and repair. Never attempt to glue a bracket back onto your tooth.

For routine soreness, try soft foods, warm saltwater rinses, orthodontic wax for irritation, and an age-appropriate over-the-counter pain reliever used according to the label. Contact our office if discomfort persists or becomes severe.

If you have difficulty breathing, choking, or persistent coughing after a piece comes loose, seek emergency medical attention immediately. If you believe a component was swallowed without breathing symptoms, contact a medical professional promptly for guidance and notify our orthodontic team.

Sometimes a loose bracket is not an immediate emergency. However, it may interfere with treatment or irritate your mouth. Contact our office so our team can determine how soon it should be repaired.

A poking wire usually does not require an emergency room visit. Orthodontic wax and other gentle measures may provide temporary relief. Contact our office if the wire cannot be managed safely or is causing significant discomfort.

First, determine whether the issue involves serious injury or symptoms requiring emergency medical care. For minor appliance issues, review the at-home instructions on this page and call Wake Orthodontics & Pediatric Dentistry at (919) 719-1780 for the practice’s current after-hours guidance.

Avoid hard and sticky foods, wear an appropriate mouthguard during sports, maintain good oral hygiene, and follow your orthodontist’s appliance-care instructions. Notify our team if anything becomes loose, damaged, or uncomfortable.

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Smiles Crafted With Precision, Care And Expertise

When it comes to your family’s oral health, seeking the expertise of Wake Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry is a choice that ensures quality, personalized care. Whether you’re seeking pediatric dental care or orthodontic treatment for your family, our team is dedicated to delivering exceptional service every step of the way. From the moment you reach out to us, you’ll experience professionalism, warmth and a commitment to creating healthy, beautiful smiles.