| Q: What if I have a poking wire?
A: Use wax. Take a small amount of wax and roll it into a ball between your fingers, this will warm it so that the wax will be a little softer. Put it on the end of the poking wire. If the wire has come out of the tube in the back, you can either try to put the wire back in the tube temporarily or you can clip the wire with wire cutters up to the next bracket. Call our office during regular business hours and we will be happy to make an appointment to correct the problem.
Q: What should I do if I have a loose, broken or missing hook for rubber bands?
A: Discontinue wearing rubber bands on both sides. Call our office during regular business hours to make an appointment.
Q: What if I can’t remember how to wear my rubber bands?
A: Discontinue wearing them if you are unsure which bracket you should attach them to. Call our office during regular business hours and we will be happy to instruct you on how to wear them.
Q: What should I do if I have a broken bracket?
A: If a bracket comes loose from your tooth please call our office during regular business hours. It will have to be re-bonded. If it is bothering you, for temporary relief, you can take off the colored tie with tweezers and remove the bracket from the wire, this will prevent it from sliding around on the wire. This is not an “emergency” unless it is somehow causing pain.
Q: What should I do if I have sores in my mouth from my new braces?
A: The inside of your mouth is trying to get used to the brackets. Rinse with warm salt water and put some wax on the brackets. Wax acts as a band-aid for your mouth. This will guard against further discomfort. Be sure to dry the area off first, the wax will stick much better that way.
Q: I have a steel tie wire that is poking
A: Take a pencil eraser and gently push the steel tie towards the tooth surface until it is no longer poking you. Place wax over it if necessary.
Q: I ran out of / lost my rubber bands
A: Call our office during regular business hours so we can have them ready for you when you come by. Do not wait until your next appointment. We can mail some to you if you can’t make it to the office
Q: What if one of my colored ties comes off?
A: This is not an emergency. If the wire is still across the center of the bracket, it will be ok to wait until your next visit.
Q: One of my spacers came out. Do I need to come in to have it replaced?
A: If it came out on it’s own (without being flossed out or pulled out by something sticky), don’t worry. This just means that there is enough space between those teeth. If it was pulled out or flossed out please call our office during regular business hours to make an appointment to have it replaced.
Q: My expander (RPE) is loose.
A: Discontinue turning the expander if applicable. Do not remove the expander. The bands on the back molars may have come loose and will need to be re-bonded. Please call our office during regular business hours to make an appointment.
Q: My retainer is not fitting
A: Please call our office during regular business hours and we will be happy to make an appointment to have the retainer adjusted.
Q: My retainer hurts when I wear it
A: If you have recently received a new retainer, your teeth may be a little tender at first. Try to take some ibuprofen to ease the discomfort. If it persists, call our office during regular business hours to make an appointment to see Dr. Ohmart. If the retainer is rubbing on your gum tissue, or catching your tongue, please call our office during business hours to make an appointment to have the retainer smoothed.
Q: My invisible retainer is rubbing my gums/tongue
A: Try to smooth the edge of your retainer, by filing in the area causing irritation, with a metal nail file or emery board. If this does not work, contact our office during regular business hours to schedule an appointment.
Q: I just started wearing rubber bands and my teeth hurt
A: This is normal, continue to wear them, take some ibuprofen for any discomfort. You may also chew sugarless gum to help you adjust to rubberband wear. The discomfort should go away in a couple of days.
RECOMMENDED FOR DISCOMFORT
- Wax – Wax protects the inside of your mouth from the brackets and poking wires. By placing a small amount of wax over the bracket, it can guard against further discomfort. Be sure to dry the area off before you place the wax – it will stick better that way.
- Ibuprofen is the best pain reliever for sore teeth. There are many brands of Ibuprofen on the market such as Advil and Motrin.
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