Caring for Your Smile

You probably won’t experience a true orthodontic emergency because they’re rare.

But, since they do happen from time to time, our Abenoja Orthodontics patients should know how to handle them.

Here to Help Our Vestavia Hills Patients

Call our office at (205) 969-1969 as soon as possible if you break or loosen any of your appliances. Please do not come directly to the office.

By calling first, you allow us to create a time to see you properly. Even if you have a regular appointment scheduled soon, call us immediately to notify us if you need an appliance repaired.

Here are some home remedies for the most common orthodontic issues that may arise:

Discomfort

During the first week after your braces are in place and routine adjustments are complete, you may feel some discomfort.
 
You may take acetaminophen or other non-aspirin pain relievers while you adjust to your new braces. A warm washcloth or heating pad may reduce the soreness in your jaws.

Wire Irritation

Sometimes discomfort caused by a wire on your braces can be resolved by moving the wire away from the irritated area with a cotton swab or eraser. If the wire will not move, try covering the end of it with a small piece of cotton or a small amount of wax.
 
If the wire is painful, you can cut it with nail clippers or scissors that have been washed and sterilized in alcohol. If you cannot resolve the wire irritation, call our office for an appointment.

Loose Brackets, Wires, or Bands

Call our office immediately for advice if a bracket or wire is loosened. The bracket may need to be refitted as soon as possible. You may have a weekend or night-time situation that requires cutting a wire or sliding a bracket off the wire.
 
If you need to cut a wire in case of emergency, use fingernail clippers that have been washed and sterilized in alcohol. Please call our office the next business day so we may schedule an appointment for you.

Lost Separator

Most patients lose a separator during their treatment at Abenoja Orthodontics. Do not worry about losing a separator, but call our office to see if it needs to be replaced.