How Soon Should You Schedule an Appointment for an Orthodontic Emergency?

Pretty much immediately if there's real pain involved, or if something has actually broken off and could be swallowed. That's the short answer.

But this is what people fail to realize during that time when a bracket cracks, or that sharp wire starts jabbing your cheek at 11 at night; most of these issues aren’t emergencies.

Dr. Thomas Berchtold and our team at Summit Family Orthodontics deal with emergency orthodontics near you constantly, and we can almost always sort it out faster than you'd expect.
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When Is an Orthodontic Issue an Emergency?

Not everything requires immediate attention. There are many situations when you can wait several days without any problems. Knowing what situations fall under this category will greatly help you.

●  Things that need attention right away: severe pain despite taking ibuprofen or Tylenol, any injury to the face resulting in the dislocation of the appliance, and lost brackets which could cause choking.

For situations like that, getting emergency orthodontics in Littleton handled quickly isn't optional.

● Things that can wait: loose brackets attached to the wire, lost rubber bands, sore jaw from recent orthodontic work. Annoying perhaps, but not an emergency.
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How to Manage Orthodontic Discomfort at Home

There's actually a decent amount you can manage yourself for the first day or so before getting in to see us. You don't have to just sit there uncomfortably.

●  Dental wax: Press a ball between your fingers, soften it, and place it over anything that's sharp. The ball acts as a barrier between the sharp surface and the lining of your mouth.

●  Nail clippers: If an archwire has slid out and is poking the very back of your mouth, a clean pair of nail clippers can trim the extra length. Go slow.

●  Warm salt water: Swish several times daily. This will actually relieve inflammation of your gums and reduce swelling.

●   Pencil eraser: Sounds odd, but it works. The eraser end can nudge a poking wire tie back toward your tooth, so it stops scraping your cheek constantly.

These fixes are good for maybe twelve to twenty-four hours of relief. They're not a replacement for coming in and having an actual orthodontist near you look at it properly.
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Same-Day Care for Orthodontic Emergencies

This is one of the things we're genuinely proud of. When something's wrong and you're in pain, the last thing you need is being told the next available slot is in three weeks. We actually reserve slots in our calendar for emergency orthodontics near you.

Give us a call, let us know about your problem, and you will most likely be able to visit us on the same day. Dr. Berchtold will perform iTero digital scans to examine exactly what has moved and repair everything that was damaged.

You'll leave without pain and knowing exactly where things stand. We also explain everything before touching anything, which, honestly, a lot of people appreciate more than they expect.
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Why Delaying Orthodontic Repairs Can Set You Back

This is worth knowing. Putting off a repair because the week is busy or it doesn't seem that bad yet can actually add time to your total treatment. When a bracket breaks, that particular tooth stops moving. The surrounding teeth might start drifting back slightly. A few weeks of that quietly undoes progress that took months to make.

There's also a hygiene issue. A loose band creates a little gap between the metal and the tooth where food gets trapped, and a toothbrush can't reach. That situation leads to decay and those white spot marks on enamel that some people come out of treatment with. Catching things early by reaching out for emergency orthodontics in Littleton when something first goes wrong is just the smarter move every time.
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How to Prevent Orthodontic Emergencies

We'll always be here when something goes sideways, but honestly, the best version of this is nothing breaking to begin with. A few things that cause most of the damage we see:

●  Sticky candy. Caramels, taffy, anything that pulls and grips. Just avoid it entirely during treatment.

●   Foods such as whole apples and carrots have to be chopped up into smaller portions to eat instead of biting into them straight away.

●   Ice crunching is a habit that tends to damage orthodontic brackets more frequently than one can imagine.

And if you play any contact sport, please wear a mouthguard. One accidental hit to the face can do serious damage to both your lips and your appliances at the same time.
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Not Sure If It’s an Orthodontic Emergency? Call Us First

If anything seems off to you and you don’t know whether it constitutes an emergency situation, give us a call. We’ll talk things out on the phone and inform you truthfully if you really have to visit us immediately.

Summit Family Orthodontics provides orthodontic care to families throughout Littleton in an environment that caters to everyday life rather than a scheduled one. Call our orthodontist near you at (303) 933-5339.