The most important thing to do when something goes wrong with your braces or aligners, or any other orthodontic appliance, is to stay calm. This can be difficult during emergencies. Someone at our office can always be reached by calling (321) 254-5232.

Remember that not every problem involving your orthodontic appliance is an emergency. We may be able to help you deal with the problem over the phone, rather than having you come in for an emergency appointment. How do you tell the difference between an orthodontic emergency and a problem that can wait a day or two? Keep reading to find out!

Minor Orthodontic Problems

Problems with braces or aligners can happen after hours or on the weekend when your orthodontist’s office is closed. Minor issues can almost always wait a day or two. Melbourne Orthodontics will get you scheduled for an appointment as soon as possible for minor problems. Some of the most common minor problems that we see with braces, aligners or other orthodontic appliances include:

• Brackets break or come loose
• Wires break or comes loose
• Wires poking the cheeks, gums or tongue
• Discomfort from the braces or appliance (likely from improper fit and needing a slight adjustment)
• Losing your Invisalign aligners

We realize that some of these situations can be scary for patients, especially for children. Our office will walk you through ways to temporarily relieve the issue, and we’ll get you scheduled to come into the office for a quick fix.

Orthodontic Emergencies

A genuine orthodontic emergency is often extremely painful. In these cases, call our office and we’ll gladly meet you there for an emergency appointment to help get you out of pain. The following are serious emergencies that should always warrant an immediate call to our office:

• Mouth or facial swelling due to infection
• Facial trauma or injury that impacts the orthodontics and/or the inside of the mouth
• Extreme facial or oral pain

We’ll meet you at the office and after hours if necessary to fit you in for an emergency appointment. The important thing is that you call first, so that we can make a plan of action to get you the best and fastest treatment possible.

How to Deal with Minor Problems or Emergencies

The dental wax that we provide you with is going to be your best friend for most of the minor problems listed above. Let’s take the example of a loose bracket first. Every once in a while, the cement that holds a bracket in place on a tooth will fail. The bracket might slip or turn upside down. Try to gently move the bracket back into place, and then put a blob of dental wax on it to hold it in place. Keep securing it in place for a day or two until your appointment.

The same goes for a loose wire that is poking the inside of your cheek or gums. Apply some dental wax to the part that’s poking you, and then call our office to schedule an appointment. Most minor problems involve a really fast repair at the office. Just remember to call our office, whether it’s a major emergency or a minor problem. We’re here to help!

In the case of a genuine emergency, contact our office immediately. If it’s after hours, call the number provided on the after-hours message. That will put you in touch with Dr. Reddick or one of our on-call staff members. Describe the problem to us, and then we’ll “call in the troops” to help you during an emergency appointment.

Contact Us

Our office can be reached at (321) 254-5232. If you are calling after business hours, follow the instructions on the office message. We’ll do everything we can to help you, whether it’s a minor problem or a genuine orthodontic emergency.