When you get your braces on, you may feel general soreness in your mouth, and teeth may be tender to biting pressures for three to five days. Stick to a soft diet until your teeth become acclimated to the braces. Irritated gums and other sore spots can be relieved by rinsing your mouth with a warm salt-water rinses. Dissolve one teaspoonful of salt in eight ounces of warm water, and rinse your mouth vigorously. Placing Orajel on the affected area may also help relieve discomfort; Orajel can be found at most pharmacies. If the tenderness is severe, take Acetaminophen (Tylenol) or whatever you normally take for headache or similar pain. 

The lips, cheeks, and tongue may become irritated for one to two weeks as they learn a new posture and become accustomed to the surface of the braces. You can put wax on the braces to lessen this. We’ll show you how!

If the appliance (for example an expander) is loose but can be pushed back into position, we recommend temporarily pushing it back into position and calling our office on the next working day to let us know.  If your expander comes loose and you are in the active turning process, please stop turning immediately! Once the expander is re-secured we will continue the turning process.

If an appliance (such as an expander) comes completely loose and falls out of the mouth, please place it in a ziploc bag and bring it to your next appointment.  Call us on the next working day and we will schedule an appointment for re-insertion.  

If a part of your braces comes loose, roll up a small piece of orthodontic wax and cover the loose piece to stabilize.  Please call our office on the next working day to let us know and determine  when a repair can be completed.  If you are having trouble getting wax to stick, try chewing up a piece of sugar-free gum and place it on the loose piece similar to wax.  

If the part of your braces comes completely off, place the broken piece in a ziploc bag and bring it to your next appointment.

Braces have a slot or tube running through the middle.  If a wire comes out of the braces, try using a pair of tweezers or needle-nosed pliers to slide the wire back into the center slot/tube.  If you cannot put the wire into a comfortable position, try covering the end of the wire with orthodontic wax to pad the pokey portion of the wire.  If wax is not working, a last resort is to use a pair of fingernail clippers to clip the wire behind the last tooth to which it is securely fastened. If the end of the wire is still sharp place wax on it.  Garage wire cutters can also be used to clip the wire.  Please make sure to clean the wire cutters as best as you can before using them in the mouth.  

Please call our office on the next working day to schedule a repair appointment.  

Using a pencil eraser, push the poking wire down or place wax on it so that it is no longer poking.