Determining If You Have an Orthodontic Emergency

One of the most frequent questions we get asked at Myers Orthodontics is what should our patients consider an orthodontic emergency and when should they make an emergency visit. While most of the time they are rarely real emergencies that warrant going to the hospital, some do require our patients to visit our offices before their next regularly scheduled visit. To help better inform our patients, we will explain which orthodontic emergencies need attention sooner than later, and which can wait until your next visit.

When Should You Make An Emergency Appointment

While there are many different reasons to make an appointment before your next scheduled visit, these are the most common that we have found. You should contact Myers Orthodontics immediately if:

• Your fixed or permanent retainer has come off. (Make sure to keep and bring the retainer bar with you!)

• A bracket comes off your tooth and is causing you pain. This could be from a wire sticking out or the bracket rubbing on the inside of your cheek.

• If your forsus appliance (the meta spring and bar attached to your top and bottom jaw) comes off or loosens.

• When a spacer between your teeth pops out.

• One or more turbos become dislodged or are loose.

• Whenever a rubber band attachment pops off.

If any of these instances mentioned above happen, call your orthodontist immediately to make an emergency visit. While these won't harm your health other than some mild discomfort, they can hinder your orthodontic treatment and should be addressed as soon as possible.

When Shouldn't You Make an Emergency Appointment

You should always call Myers Orthodontics if you are worried about something that happened to your braces, but some instances do not require an emergency appointment. These include:

• If an O-ring or color tie pops off of a bracket

• A bracket breaks and is not hurting or bothering you

• Your archwire is feeling looser than normal

These cases are not to be expected but are somewhat common. Your archwire for instance will from time to time be loose, and this is a sign it is doing its job and your teeth are shifting.

When in Doubt Call Myers Orthodontics

We understand when something strange happens to your braces it can be frightening. If you ever have any concern about your braces, retainer, or Invisalign, contact Myers Orthodontics! We will be happy to answer any questions you may have. However, if you are experiencing any of the emergency conditions mentioned, please contact us as soon as possible and make an appointment today. Whatever the situation, we hope to see you soon!