Orthodontic Emergencies West Seattle Orthodontics Office Phone Number (206) 938-9380

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Lost Separator

There are several reasons why you may lose a separator during treatment. There is no need to fret, just call our office to see if it needs to be replaced.

Discomfort During Orthodontic Treatment

After you get your braces on or start using clear aligners, your teeth and mouth will feel sore. To help with the discomfort, we suggest using acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Enjoying cold food, such as ice water, applesauce, or ice cream can also help.

Braces: Applying wax to the brackets can help lessen any irritation that the brackets may cause against your lips and cheeks.

Invisalign: Please feel free to buff any rough edges of your aligners with an emery board or nail file; also you can trim any rough edges with disinfected nail scissors or a cuticle cutter. Please keep the ‘trimming’ to a minimum to avoid affecting the fit or effectiveness of the aligners.

Poking Wires

Use tweezers or a pencil eraser to coax the wire away from the irritated area. If that is not possible, cover the poking wire with a small amount of the wax we gave you in your braces care kit (the wax is also available in most pharmacies). If the wire is painful, you can cut it with nail or cuticle clippers that have been washed and sterilized in alcohol.

Loose Bracket

Please call our office in this situation. Your bracket will need to be re-attached, but the urgency of this matter could vary. If the broken bracket is not causing pain or discomfort; it is missing or spinning on the wire, please call our office the next business day to schedule your comfort visit. If the broken bracket has caused a poking wire, please first attempt to comfort this area, by bending the wire; using wax, or clipping the wire (using the above instructions); then call our office.

Loose Wire

Loose wires can usually be manipulated into place using a pair of tweezers that have been sterilized in alcohol. If that does not work, try to move the wire from the area of discomfort with your tweezers; use wax or cotton to pad the area, or clip the wire behind the last bracket where it is attached. You should then call our office in this situation to schedule your comfort visit.

Loose Appliance

If your bonded upper or lower appliance has become loosened or dislodged, please call our office first. Our staff will schedule a time for your comfort visit. If the appliance becomes loose after office hours, please call the emergency line so that we can make arrangements to help you as soon as possible.

For Orthodontic Emergencies, call West Seattle Orthodontics Office Phone Number (206) 938-9380, Option 1