MANAGEMENT OF COMMON ORTHODONTIC SITUATIONS

Open bracket door: If one of the doors on your braces comes open, try and push the wire back into the bracket and close the door with your finger or the end of a pencil eraser. If this is unsuccessful, please call our office.

Loose band or appliance: Place wax over the area if it’s causing irritation and call our office.

Pokey wire: If the wire is poking out the back, you can place wax over the pokey wire. If this doesn’t help, please call our office.

Sore teeth, gums, or cheeks: Swish with warm salt water and take ibuprofen or Tylenol^® (or whatever you take for a headache).

Rough or sharp spot on band or bracket: Place wax over the area that is causing the irritation. If it is still bothering you, call our office.

Bent, broken, or loose wires: Call our office! If irritating, push the offending wire out of the way or remove any loose wire segments with a pair of tweezers. Cover the sharp or protruding part with wax, gauze, or cotton balls.

Wire out of back bracket: Place the wire back into the slot using tweezers. If you can’t, call our office.

Missing elastic hook: Discontinue wearing elastics and call our office.

Need more elastics: Come by our office and we will give you more, or call our office and we will mail you more elastics.

Problems with elastic wear: Discontinue wearing elastics and call our office. We may be able to talk you through it, send you a reminder card, or have you stop by for some help.

Bent or broken retainers or any other appliance: Discontinue wear and call our office.

Lost retainers: Call our office as soon as possible and make an appointment to have a new retainer made for you. We discount our retainer fees for our patients.

Appointment conflict: Contact our office during regular office hours as soon as possible.