What to Do if You Have a Problem with Your Braces
Please call our office if you break or loosen any of your appliances. Please do not come directly to the office without calling first – by calling us, you will allow us to create a time to see you. Even if you have a regular appointment scheduled, please call to let us if you need to have an appliance repaired since repairs add time onto your appointment.
Loose Brackets or Bands
Call our office for advice if any of the braces or a wire is loosened. The braces may need to be re-fitted as soon as possible. You may have a situation that requires cutting a wire or sliding a bracket off a wire at night or over the weekend. If you need to cut a pokey wire, you may use fingernail clippers that have been washed and disinfected in alcohol. Please call our office the next business day so that we may schedule an appointment for you.
Wire Irritations
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 pokey wire is causing discomfort, you can cut it with nail clippers or scissors that have been washed and sterilized in alcohol. If you cannot resolve the wire irritation on your own, please call our office for an appointment.
Discomfort with Orthodontic Treatment
During the first week after your braces are in place and after routine adjustments are completed, it is common for you to feel some soreness or discomfort. You may take acetaminophen, ibuprofen or other non-aspirin pain relievers while you adjust to your new braces. A warm washcloth or heating pad can help if you have soreness in your jaws.
Orthodontic wax can be very helpful for relieving discomfort from a pokey wire or appliance. Two types of wax were included in the home care kit you received when the braces were placed.
If you need more orthodontic wax, please call our office (303) 651-1315. We will have some ready for you to pick up or we can send it to you. If you need wax outside of our business hours, we have given some to the Walgreens pharmacists located at 1041 Main St. in Longmont. Let the pharmacist know that you are a Mountain View Orthodontics patient, and they will give you some of our wax at no charge.
Lastly, if you cannot get to our office or to the Walgreens for more wax, most drugstores, Wal-marts, etc. sell orthodontic wax.
Lost Spacers
It is not uncommon for patients to have a spacer (AKA: separator) come out prior to their banding visit. Do not worry about losing a spacer, but please call our office to see if it needs to be replaced.