Your braces are delicately attached to your teeth and are very fragile. Special care must be exercised while eating and while playing so as not to loosen a bracket or bend a wire.

Below is a list of things that sometimes occur, as well as some remedies and instructions in case they do happen.

If your teeth become sore after a visit, we generally recommend that you take Tylenol, Advil or Motrin. This, of course, is the protocol only if there are no known allergies to these medications. Rinsing with a cup of warm water and a 1/2 teaspoon of salt can be soothing.

If food becomes stuck between your teeth, use dental floss or a proxy brush to dislodge the food.

If a wire causes irritation, push the wire away from the area using the eraser end of a pencil or a cotton swab. If the wire cannot be tucked away, cover the end of the wire with a small piece of wax, a cotton ball, or a piece of sugarless gum, until you can see us for an appointment.

If the main wire has come out of the brace or tube on a back molar tooth, place a piece of wax over the area.  If the wire is poking and wax does not help, please contact the office to schedule an emergency appointment so we can reposition the wire.

If you develop a sore spot, due to your braces irritating your cheek, place a small ball of wax over the offending bracket. This wax will cushion the irritated area as it heals. Also, to help the irritation heal, rinse with warm salt water.

If a brace comes loose from a tooth, it usually remains connected to the main wire and is not cause for an emergency visit. Tweezers can be used to reposition the brace if it flips around the wire and becomes a source of irritation. Call our office at your earliest convenience. It may be necessary to schedule a separate visit to repair the loose brace(s), since repairs of this nature usually take additional time.

If an expander comes loose, contact our office and we will schedule and emergency visit for you.

If you experience bleeding when brushing or flossing, that usually means there is a local area of infection. Continue to keep the area clean by brushing, flossing and rinsing with Listerine. If a particular area is painful or you notice a bump of any sort, you should bring this to the attention of our office as soon as possible.

If you notice some small spaces developing between your teeth while you have braces on, don't panic! This is usually normal and expected as teeth move into different positions, particularly in the early stages of treatment. They will close eventually.

If a part of your braces or your retainer breaks, save the piece and call to set up a repair visit.

If a separator comes out while eating or brushing do not be concerned. However, if a separator was intentionally removed, this can cause a problem at the next orthodontic appointment. There may not be enough open space to fit the band. Please contact our office for an appointment to have a new separator placed.

If you experience trauma to the mouth, contact our office immediately. If the office is closed you can still reach us through our answering service.

Brushing Tip:

You will notice that it is much harder to keep your teeth clean with braces. Food compacts in the brackets and between your teeth and can only be removed by brushing and flossing. If plaque remains on the teeth for any length of time it will leave a permanent white scar on the surface of your teeth. Brushing after meals should become a part of your daily schedule. The following list of foods should be avoided during your orthodontic treatment:

Sticky Foods (sugarless or otherwise) Caramels Sugar Daddies Sugar Babies Lolli-pops Starburst Toffee Bagels Apples (unless cut up)

Hard Foods Caramel Apples Tootsie Rolls Jolly Ranchers Jaw Breakers Licorice Nuts Pizza Crust Doritos Carrots (uncooked, unless cut up) Pretzels