First Aid
Wire Poking
If a wire causes irritation, push the wire away from the area using the eraser end of a pencil or a Q-Tip. If the wire cannot be tucked away, cover the end of the wire with a small piece of wax, a cotton ball, or a piece of sugarless gum until you can see Dr. Gray for an adjustment.
If the main wire has come out of the tube or pipe on your back molar tooth, attempt to reinsert the wire with a pair of needle-nosed pliers or tweezers. If the wire is not sticking you, place a piece of wax over the area. If the wire is sticking you and wax does not help, the wire can be cut with a small wire cutter or toenail clipper close to the back of the last brace. This is a last resort if professional help is unavailable.
Loose Bracket or Band
If a band or bracket becomes loose, it usually remains connected to the main wire. Eyebrow tweezers can be used to reposition the brace if it flips around the wire and becomes a source of irritation. Call our office and inform us of your situation.
If a piece of your braces breaks, save the piece and call our office to schedule a repair visit.
Herbst First Aid
After the Herbst appliance is placed, the tube and bar assembly has to be fine tuned and may take a few adjustments to perfect. In the meantime, the following can be concerns:
- Tube and bar become disconnected. To correct this, open your mouth wide enough and replace the bar in the tube. This requires a little patience but with practice this can be done quickly and easily. This can be prevented by learning the limits of mouth opening that the Herbst requires.
- Lower lip is rubbed by the screw. You will adjust to this but in the meantime, place the small cotton rolls that you were given between the screw and your cheek. The best time to do this is at night while sleeping.
- Cheek behind your upper molar is being poked by the bar. Call our office for an appointment. The bar is slightly too long for your mouth and needs to be shortened. This will not get better without our help.
Class II Springs
A broken Class II spring needs to be removed. A disconnected spring can often be reattached to the lower arch wire temporarily by the patient.
Seperatiors
In case a rubber spacer falls out, take two pieces of dental floss and insert them through the spacer. Pull on both pieces of floss to stretch the spacer, then slide the spacer back and forth between the two teeth where it belongs. Once the bottom half of the spacer slips under the tight spot between the teeth, release and remove the floss and the spacer will fit back properly.
Accidental Swallowing
Remain calm if you swallow a piece of your appliance. This will usually go into the stomach, passing out of the body in a bowel movement. However, should difficulty breathing be experienced you should seek immediate medical attention. X-rays will be taken to determine the location of the swallowed piece.
Retainer Problems
If a retainer is cracked, broken or doesn’t fit properly, call our office for adjustment as soon as possible, Bring all the pieces to our office for professional repair.
Soreness
Take Aspirin, Tylenol or Ibuprofen (unless allergic) if your teeth are sore after a monthly visit. Biting or chewing on your Therabite Wafer will increase blood supply to the sore teeth and make them feel better. Rinsing your mouth with a cup of warm water and teaspoon of salt can also be soothing.
Food Pack
If food becomes stuck between your teeth, use dental floss or a proxy brush to dislodge the food.
Bleeding
If you cut your gums, tongue or the inside of your cheek, apply finger pressure to the bleeding site for several minutes. If the bleeding does not clot, call your orthodontist or family dentist.