REPAIR AND EMERGENCY INFORMATION

General Soreness

When you first have your braces put on, you may feel general soreness in your mouth and teeth may be tender to biting pressures for three to five days. This can be relieved by rinsing your mouth with a warm salt water mouthwash. Dissolve one teaspoonful of salt in 8 ounces of warm water, and rinse your mouth vigorously.

If the tenderness is severe, simply take whatever you normally take for headache or similar pain. The lips, cheeks and tongue may also become irritated for one to two weeks as they toughen and become accustomed to the surface of the braces. You can put wax on your braces to lessen this. We'll show you how!

Loosening of Teeth

Loosening of teeth is to be expected throughout treatment. Don't worry! It's normal. Teeth must loosen first so they can be moved. The teeth will again become rigidly fixed into their new positions.

Care of Appliances

In order to successfully complete the treatment plan, the patient must work together with the orthodontist. The teeth and jaws can only move toward their corrected positions if the patient consistently wears the rubber bands, headgear or other appliances as prescribed. Damaged appliances lengthen the treatment time.

Loose Wire or Band

Don't be alarmed if a wire or band comes loose. This happens occasionally. If a wire protrudes and is irritating, use a blunt instrument (back of spoon or the eraser end of a pencil) and carefully, gently push the irritating wire under the archwire. Simply get it out of the way. If irritation to the lips or mouth continues, place wax or wet cotton on the wire to reduce the annoyance. Call our office as soon as possible for an appointment to check and repair the appliances. If any piece comes off, save it and bring it with you to the office.

Athletics

If you play sports, it's important that you consult us for special precautions. A protective mouthguard is advised for playing contact sports. In the case of any accident involving the face, check your mouth and the appliances immediately.

If teeth are loosened or the appliances damaged, phone at once for an appointment. In the meantime, treat your discomfort as you would treat any general soreness.

Emergency Care

As a general rule, an emergency appointment may be made when there is severe pain, a loose band, a broken wire or something sticking out that you can't take care of. It's important to know the names of the parts of your appliances. It will help, when you phone the office, to be able to identify what part is broken or out of place.

Parts Of Your Braces

• Appliance
  Anything the orthodontist attaches to your teeth to move your teeth or to change the shape of your jaw.
• Archwire
  A metal wire which is attached to your brackets to move your teeth.
• Band
  A metal or elastic ring that is usually placed on you teeth to hold on parts of your braces.
• Bracket
  A metal or ceramic square that is glued onto a tooth and serves as a means of fastening the archwire.
• Breakaway
  A breakaway is a small plastic piece with an internal spring which is used to provide force on a facebow.
• Buccal tube
  A small metal part that is placed on the outside of a molar bank. The buccal tube contains a slot to hold archwires, lip bumpers, facebows and other appliances your orthodontist uses to move your teeth.
• Chain or Orthodontic Chain
  A stretchable plastic chain used to hold archwires into brackets and to move teeth.
• Facebow, Headgear
  Facebows are wire apparatus used to move your upper molars back in your mouth which creates room for crowded or protrusive anterior teeth. Generally, the facebow consists of two metal parts which have been attached together. The inner part is shaped like a horseshoe. This part goes in your mouth and is connected to your buccal tubes. The outer part has two curves. The curves go around your face, and connect to the breakaways or high pull headgear.
• Ligating module
  A small plastic piece, shaped like a donut, which is used to hold the archwires in the brackets on your teeth.
• Lip bumper
  A lip bumper is used to push the molars on your lower jaw back to create more space for other teeth. The lip bumper consists of an archwire which is attached to a molded piece of plastic. You mount the arch wire into the buccal tubes on your lower jaw, and plastic piece rests against your lips. When you eat or talk, you push the plastic piece back which in turn pushes on your molars.
• Mouthguard
  A device that is used to protect your mouth from injury when you are participating in sports. The use of a mouthguard is especially important for orthodontic patients, to prevent injuries.
• Neck pad
  A neckpad is a cloth covered cushion which you wear around your neck when you put on your facebow. Generally, the breakaways are attached to the neckpad to provide force for the facebow.
• Palatal Expander
  A device used to make your jaw wider
• Retainer
  A custom made appliance that the orthodontist gives you to wear after your braces are removed. The retainer attaches to your upper teeth and/or lower teeth and holds them in the correct position.
• Safety Strap
  A plastic strap which prevents a facebow from coming loose and hurting you.
• Separator
  A plastic or metal part which the orthodontist uses to create space between your teeth for bands.
• Wax
  A clear wax used to prevent your braces from irritating your lips when your braces are first put on, or at other times.