How To Avoid Orthodontic Emergencies

Being excited about the results is common while starting teeth alignment procedures. These oral procedures bring your teeth into alignment, improving your oral aesthetics. However, mishaps like painful wire, broken brackets, or a lost aligner can happen at any moment in time. These conditions slow down the progress and cause discomfort. If you are willing to get faster treatment results, avoiding orthodontic emergencies is important. Want to know how to do so? Read this blog till the end.

What is an Orthodontic Emergency?

This oral condition causes pain and affects your speaking or eating ability, significantly affecting the treatment plan. Here are some of the common that it causes:

• Severe Pain or Discomfort: While some soreness is normal, if you find the pain to be intense or persistent, it indicates there is something wrong.
• Broken or Lose Brackets: Brackets that hold the braces can get broken or detached, they can impact the treatment and irritate your mouth.
• Protruding or Poking Wires: A wire that sticks out causes painful sores.
• Lost or Broken Aligners: Losing an aligner or damaging it can hamper the treatment progress.
• Dental Trauma or Injury: Accidents that impact your teeth, like falls or sports injuries, can dislodge the orthodontic appliances. 

How to Prevent Orthodontic Emergencies?

The best way to handle these emergencies is to avoid them in the initial stage. In order to do so, follow these instructions:

Stick to a Soft and Safe Diet

Avoid hard, sticky, or chewy foods to prevent damaging the braces.

Maintain Excellent Oral Hygiene

Brush and floss regularly. This helps in avoiding plaque buildup and gum infection.

Wear a Mouthguard

If you are into sports, make sure you wear a protective mouthguard to prevent injury.

Skip Bad Habits

Some people are into the bad habit of chewing pens, ice, or fingernails. It is important to avoid them to prevent unnecessary damage. 

Attend the Scheduled Appointments

Visit your orthodontic care provider regularly as it helps in monitoring the progress of the treatment and also detect problems at the initial stage.

How to Handle Common Orthodontic Emergencies?

If you experience any of the above-mentioned symptoms, here are some quick solutions to manage the discomfort until you visit an orthodontist in Centennial:

• For Pain or Discomfort: Rinse your mouth with warm saltwater, take over-the-counter pain relievers, and use orthodontic wax to cover the irritated spots.
• In the case of Broken or Loose Brackets: If the bracket is still attached to the wire, leave it in place and cover it with wax. If it comes off completely, store it safely and bring it to your next appointment.
• If You Find Poking Wires: Use a clean cotton swab or the eraser end of a pencil to push the wire back to its place. If that does not help, cover the wire with wax. 
• For Broken or Lost Aligners: Contact your dentist immediately. In the meantime, you can seek a recommendation from your dental care provider on whether you can wear your previous aligner.
• Dental Trauma: if a tooth is knocked out, try to place it back in the socket or keep it in milk until you receive emergency dental care.

Orthodontic treatment is a journey, and like any other journey, preparation is key for outstanding results. When you know the ways to prevent and handle emergencies, it can keep your treatment on track. If you ever experience an issue, do not hesitate to call your orthodontic care provider, as a quick response can make all the difference. Therefore, stay proactive and notice the symptoms, follow the tips mentioned above, and get the smile you are looking for.