Small difficulties occasionally occur during orthodontic treatment and in many cases can be taken care of at home, with a follow-up appointment if needed. Although Dr. Gomez is available for help with emergencies, here are some situations that crop up, with instructions on how to deal with them. 

Has Food Become Lodged Between the Teeth?

You can remove the food easily by tying a small knot in the middle of a piece of dental floss, or by using an interproximal brush or a toothpick. 

Have the Ligatures Come Off?

If a rubber ligature has become removed, put it back into place with a pair of sterile tweezers. If it’s a wire ligature, use the sterile tweezers to remove it. Is the wire still in place but is sticking into the lip, causing irritation? Bend it back to where it belongs by using a Q-tip. Be sure to check all ligatures. If any are missing or broken, notify Dr. Gomez.

Do You Have Sores in Your Mouth?

Irritation from braces may cause uncomfortable sores to appear on cheeks, lips or tongue. These can be alleviated by putting a topical anesthetic ( Orabase or Ora-Gel, for example) on the sores with a cotton swab, reapplying when necessary.

Are Lips or Cheeks Becoming Irritated by Braces?

If braces irritate the mouth when the patient is eating, pinch off a small amount of non-medicinal relief wax to form a pea-sized ball, flatten it, and put it over the section of braces that is providing an irritation. This wax is harmless, so if it’s accidentally swallowed, there’s no need to worry.

Is a Wire Protruding?

If a wire works its way into the patient’s mouth, push it flat against the tooth with a Q-tip or cover it with relief wax. (see above) , then call Dr. Gomez. In rare cases (such as being on vacation) when the patient cannot see Dr. Gomez in a timely way, it may be necessary to clip the wire with a pair of sharp, sterile clippers. First put folded tissue or gauze around the affected area, snip away the protruding wire, and put relief wax on the irritated part of the mouth.

Are the Brackets, Wires or Bands Loose?

The brackets, wires, and bands that are part of the braces occasionally may loosen or become out of place. If this happens, Dr. Gomez’s office should be notified so the problem can be taken care of at a convenient time. However in most cases, the loosening or displacement of these items is not an emergency.

Brackets are the parts of the braces that are attached to the teeth with a special adhesive. They should be protected with a mouth guard when a patient plays sports. Hard or crunchy foods should be avoided, since eating them may dislodge the brackets.

In rare cases the adhesive holding a bracket may fail and the bracket will become off center. If this happens, call the office to arrange for the bracket to be rebonded.    

Courtesy American Association of Orthodontists