There is little the best orthodontist Orange can’t do to help you when you need him most regarding your treatment. Fixing your smile can be a long journey and there’s always the risk of unexpected accidents happening. This is especially true for teenagers who like to play contact sports. Don’t worry, though, as you’ll receive all the help you require to solve any orthodontic emergencies when and if they arise during your treatment. Make sure you get in touch with our office and ask for Dr. Justin Hong’s advice.
Dr. Hong and his team at Hong Orthodontics will offer you a few tips on how to get the situation under control and set an appointment to work on a permanent fix that will get your treatment back on track. Whether you’re using traditional metal braces or clear aligners for your treatment, we’ll be able to help you when facing these annoying orthodontic emergencies.
Orthodontic Emergencies Treatments in Orange, CA
Most patients face similar challenges when it comes to completing their orthodontic treatment without any problems. Many of those situations are related to what patients eat during their treatment with traditional metal braces. Other problems arise from daily activities, such as sports. Let’s check out some of these common orthodontic emergencies.
Loose Brackets
Conventional metal braces are the most well-known orthodontic appliance because of their effectiveness and durability. However, even medical-grade stainless steel and powerful bonding agents are no match for the power of physics. Simply put, many patients suffer from a loose bracket because they eat foods they shouldn’t and risk having smaller food pieces literally peel away their brackets.
There are a few solutions you can try while you wait for your next orthodontic appointment, but we’d suggest focusing on saving the bracket or repositioning it with a blunt object to prevent any unwanted swallowing and quickly having this piece become a choking hazard.
Lost Clear Aligners
The wonders of removable clear aligners can also be one of their biggest disadvantages. Because you can simply take out the clear aligner trays, many patients find themselves tempted to do so during wick snacks or to avoid talking with a bit of a lisp. The regrettable part is that they often leave without their aligners’ protective case. Many patients call back to our office, worried they lost their aligner trays and will now lose all the progress made.
Please get in touch with our office to determine if it’s possible to give you additional spares or if you can already swap to a new set of aligners.
Poking Wire
This is a tough situation to describe to patients because, sometimes, the archwire may come out all by itself. Granted, we’re not talking about the part that’s secured to each bracket with an additional ligature, though that can also happen when your braces’ rubber bands are old; instead, we’re referring to the ends of the archwire that poke out towards your cheeks and could cause mouth sores and bleeding.
The two best things you can try include using a blunt object to reposition the wire and essentially tuck it away with the existing anchors on your brackets, or covering the poking end of the wire with a bit of orthodontic wax. Using orthodontic wax will at least help reduce the discomfort.
Still, you should try giving us a call to learn more about the ways in which you can approach these situations.
What people are saying about us
“Doctor hongs office was a great experience. They made braces a very easy and good experience, would highly recommend.”
“Excellent service and I love my results. Waited a long time to fix my smile but I’m glad I got them fixed here. I started my treatment in late 2019 and I got my braces removed on April 2022. Faster than I expected. Thank you Dr. Hong!”
“Dr. Hong is incredible. He listens to my concerns and addresses them with understanding and genuine concerns for my needs. I would highly recommend Dr Hong to anyone.”
