Many orthodontic issues can be managed at home until the office can see you. A loose bracket, poking wire, or general soreness usually does not require immediate treatment, but severe pain, swelling, or a tooth or jaw injury should be addressed promptly.
Both offices are open Monday through Thursday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and closed Friday. Repairs are handled by appointment rather than on a walk-in basis, so calling first gets you seen faster than showing up.
What to do right now
A wire is poking your cheek, lip or gum
Cover the end of the wire with orthodontic wax. A small piece pressed over the wire can usually reduce irritation until the office can help.
If wax is not enough, you may gently move the wire away from the sore area with the eraser end of a pencil or a cotton swab. Do not cut a wire unless the office has specifically told you to.
If you are out of wax, a small piece of wet cotton can help temporarily. If the irritation continues, call the office for guidance.
A Bracket or Band Has Come Loose
Leave the bracket or band in place if it is still attached to the wire. Do not pull on it or try to reattach it yourself.
Call the office so the repair can be scheduled. If your next visit is already coming up soon, let the team know so they can decide whether it can be handled at that appointment.
Something Has Been Knocked Out or Broken in Your Mouth
If a tooth has been knocked out, moved, chipped, or fractured, contact your family dentist first. They may need to take X-rays or treat the tooth before any orthodontic appliance is adjusted.
If there is swelling, apply a cold compress to the outside of the face. Once your dentist has evaluated the injury, call Reznik Orthodontics if braces, wires, or appliances were damaged.
Call us when needed
Call promptly if you have:
Severe pain that does not improve
Swelling that is getting worse
An appliance that has come out completely
An injury involving the teeth, mouth, or jaw
A wire or bracket causing irritation that wax does not control
Some issues can usually wait for the next available appointment, including a loose bracket, a wire that wax is covering comfortably, a lost elastic, or mild tooth looseness during treatment. Teeth can feel slightly loose as they move, and they become firmer again after treatment is complete.
Unless the office tells you otherwise, keep wearing your rubber bands as instructed. If something breaks or feels uncomfortable, call before stopping part of your treatment routine.
What if it happens out of office hours?
Call our usual office number and follow the instructions on the recording. The message will explain how to get assistance and who to contact.
Many orthodontic issues can be managed temporarily with wax, careful eating, and the instructions above until the office can see you.
Sports, mouthguards and braces
If you play football, basketball, soccer, or another contact sport, talk with the office before the season starts. Patients in braces should wear a mouthguard during contact sports to help protect the teeth, lips, cheeks, and orthodontic appliances.
If you wear Invisalign clear aligners, remove them before using a sports mouthguard. Put your aligners back in after the activity unless the office gives you different instructions.
If your braces, wire, or appliance is hit during play, call the office so the team can review what happened and decide whether a repair visit is needed.
Invisalign clear aligner problems
Invisalign patients may have different concerns than patients in braces.
If an aligner cracks, do not tape, trim, or glue it. Call the office for instructions. Depending on where you are in the sequence, the team may recommend wearing the previous aligner, moving to the next aligner, or coming in for an evaluation.
If an attachment comes off a tooth, keep wearing your aligners and call the office. A single missing attachment may not stop treatment, but the doctor should know so it can be checked.
If an aligner is lost, call before deciding what to do next. The right step depends on how long you wore the current aligner and where you are in the treatment sequence. See Invisalign for more about how aligner treatment works.
Keep an orthodontic kit at home
A small orthodontic kit can make minor issues easier to manage between visits. Helpful items include:
Orthodontic wax
A soft toothbrush
Spare elastics if you wear them
An over-the-counter pain reliever approved for you or your child
Ask for extra wax at any visit if you are running low. Keeping it available can help manage small irritations before they become more uncomfortable.
Contact Reznik Orthodontics
Odessa: 3831 E 52nd St, Odessa, TX 79762, (432) 333-7105 Midland: 4810 Loop 250 Frontage Rd, Ste A, Midland, TX 79707, (432) 682-1222
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I be charged for an emergency repair visit?
It depends on the repair and on your treatment plan. The office will explain any fee before the work is done, so nothing arrives as a surprise afterwards.
A bracket came off two days ago and nothing hurts. Do I still need to be seen?
Yes, at some point. It does not need to be today, but a bracket that is not attached is not moving that tooth, and leaving it for weeks extends treatment. Call and book it into the next convenient slot.
Can I cut a poking wire myself with nail clippers?
Not unless the office has specifically told you to and explained how. A wire cut in the wrong place can cause a bigger problem than the one it solved.
My child swallowed a piece of an appliance. What now?
Call the office and describe what came off. Small orthodontic components usually pass without incident, but anything causing coughing, choking or breathing difficulty is a medical emergency and needs immediate care, not a call to an orthodontist.