During your child’s orthodontic treatment, they may experience an orthodontic emergency. An orthodontic emergency is when something happens to the traditional metal braces that could severely damage your gums, teeth, or soft tissues. Keep reading to learn more about Wood Orthodontics, an emergency orthodontist in Weatherford, Texas.
When do you Need an Emergency Orthodontist?
There are a few times when your child may need to call Wood Orthodontics for an emergency orthodontist appointment. Sometimes your child may experience discomfort after tightening their braces at the orthodontist. A bit of pain is expected. Encourage your child to eat soft foods and rinse with warm saltwater to combat this. Another situation that can be uncomfortable is if there is food stuck between their teeth while wearing braces. The best solution for this is to floss your teeth well. If the pain persists, call Dr. Wood at Wood Orthodontics. Keep reading to learn more about emergency orthodontist procedures in Weatherford, Texas.
Irritation of the Lips or Cheeks
Your child may experience irritation on their lips or cheeks from the metal orthodontic pieces in their mouth. Irritation can be caused by eating, talking, or mouth sores. If your child develops continuous mouth sores irritated by the braces, apply Orabase or Ora-Gel to help decrease the irritation. If the brackets and wires irritate their gums and cheeks, place non-medical wax on the area. Ask Dr. Wood and his team for the wax to help you through your orthodontic journey. Additionally, do not worry if the wax gets loose and your child accidentally swallows it — the wax is edible.
Protruding Wire
If a piece of the wire comes loose, do not worry. You or your child can push the wire back into place using a Q-tip. Then, place wax on the wire to prevent it from tearing the soft tissues of your child’s gums and cheeks. Next, call Dr. Wood and his team at Wood Orthodontics for an emergency orthodontic appointment in Weatherford, Texas. When you tell us why you are coming into the office, we will prepare for your arrival to be ready to help you and your child when you arrive.
Loose Brackets, Wires, or Bands
Call our office right away if your child experiences a loose bracket, wire, or band. If the flexible appliance is causing your child discomfort, try to place it back into place. If the device is still bothering them, place wax on the instrument to decrease pain. Once you call our office, we will prepare for your emergency orthodontic appointment.
What Happens if I Swallow My Braces?
Although this is rare, some patients have swallowed a piece of their braces, such as the bracket or band. If your child has trouble breathing after ingesting a piece of their braces, call 911 immediately for further assistance. If your child is not having difficulty breathing and you could not remove the piece from their mouth, contact Dr. Wood and his team at Wood Orthodontics. We will schedule your child for an emergency orthodontic appointment.
Other Types of Orthodontic Emergencies
Call our office if your child is experiencing significant pain that pain medication cannot control with over-the-counter pain medication. We can schedule you for an emergency orthodontic appointment to help diagnose and treat your child’s pain.
Orthodontic treatment is an exciting time in many teenagers’ and young adults’ lives. It is a time when they can achieve the smile of their dreams. If your child has an orthodontic emergency during their treatment, call Dr. Wood at Wood Orthodontics for an emergency orthodontic treatment.