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2 Convenient Locations
McMURRAY (724) 942-5130
2000 Waterdam Plaza Dr #160,
McMurray, PA 15317
BETHEL PARK (412) 833-6188
4880 Library Rd,
Bethel Park, PA 15102
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Toothache

Is a toothache an emergency? Right after you’ve started your orthodontic treatment (or after an adjustment or new aligner), it’s normal to feel some discomfort in your teeth and gums for about 3-5 days afterward…this just means they are working! However, in rare cases, tooth pain could indicate a dental emergency. If your pain persists for more than a week, is getting worse, or is accompanied by a bump on the gums, be sure to call us and let us know!

How you should handle toothaches: To help manage soreness, you can rinse your mouth with warm saltwater or use an over-the-counter pain reliever like Tylenol, Advil, or Aspirin. Applying a cool ice pack to the outside of the mouth or eating or drinking cold things can also help numb discomfort. If you suspect something may be caught between your teeth and braces to cause irritation, try flossing.

Loose Bracket or Wire

Is a loose bracket or wire an emergency? A braces bracket is the small attachment that connects the archwire to your teeth. Your braces are designed to stay firmly in place as you go about your day, but they can be knocked loose. Should this happen to you, call us right away. The tightness of your brackets and wires is essential for moving your teeth into their ideal positions, so we will need to treat you right away to ensure your treatment stays on track.

How you should handle a loose bracket or wire: If one of your brackets is loose but still attached to the wire, do your best to maneuver it back into place and cover it with dental wax or sugarless gum. Not only will this help hold it in place, but it will protect your soft tissues from irritation. Avoid touching a loose wire, as this could further the issue. If needed, you can use dental wax or sugarless gum to secure it, but this is only a temporary measure until we can see you.

Broken Bracket or Wire

Is a broken bracket or wire an emergency? A damaged braces wire or bracket often requires more urgent attention than one that has simply become loose. Broken orthodontics can cause serious irritation and sores to the soft tissues of your mouth, including the inside of your cheeks, lips, and your tongue. Or, they may poke your gums or scratch your teeth! Call us as soon as you can.

How you should handle a broken bracket or wire: If there are completely broken-off pieces, collect them and bring them with you to your appointment. Rinse your mouth out with water to ensure there are no unconnected pieces of your orthodontics in your mouth that you could accidentally swallow. If there are sharp edges, cover them with orthodontic wax or sugarless gum.

Protruding/Poking Wire

Is a poking or protruding wire an emergency? When you first get braces, your soft tissues will feel a bit sore as they adapt to your new brackets and wires. However, in some cases, a wire may poke the inside of your mouth after this adjustment period. This may happen after tightening your braces or if a wire comes loose. We want you to feel as comfortable as possible during your treatment, so give us a call if your poking wire bothers you for more than a day.

How you should handle a poking or protruding wire: First, try using the eraser end of a pencil to gently push and bend the wire so it doesn’t cause any irritation. However, don’t force it! You could accidentally end up breaking your braces, so don’t use too much force. If this doesn’t help, you can also try covering it in some dental wax, which we’ll give you. Take an over-the-counter pain reliever or rinse with warm saltwater to address soft tissue irritation.

Mouth Sores or Irritation

Are mouth sores or irritation an emergency? In the early days of your treatment, braces and other orthodontic appliances can irritate your soft tissue, often leading to sore spots. This problem should subside as your mouth becomes adjusted, but in the interim, it can feel uncomfortable. Generally speaking, mouth sores and irritation do not count as an emergency unless they become infected.

How you should handle mouth sores or irritation: We recommend placing dental wax on the area of your braces that is resulting in sores. You should also rinse with warm water mixed with a teaspoon of salt somewhat regularly. This will clean away bacteria, protect against infection, and help reduce swelling and discomfort. If these suggestions do not provide any relief or the sores/irritation seems to be growing worse and worse, please let us know right away.

Broken Ligature

Is a broken ligature an emergency?  Ligature is another term for the rubber bands that secure the archwire to your braces brackets. If one of these ligatures comes off, there’s no reason for alarm. Follow the instructions below or give us a call for more instructions on how to put it back in place. However, if your ligatures keep falling off, or if many of them have come off, give us a call to schedule an appointment right away. This could be a sign of a larger underlying issue.

How you should handle a broken ligature: If the ligature is intact, you may be able to put it back onto the designated bracket with sterile tweezers. However, if it is broken, you’ll need to come in to have it replaced.

Cut Lips, Cheeks, or Tongue

Is a cut lip, cheek, or tongue an emergency? If you suffer from an impact to the face, check to make sure that you haven’t broken any facial bones like your jaw. In that case, you need to go to the emergency room right away. Next, check for knocked-out teeth, damage to your brackets, and other injuries. These injuries are emergencies that need to be treated right away! Call us for the next available appointment so that we can make any adjustments to keep your treatment headed in the right direction.

How you should handle a cut lip, cheek, or tongue: Most soft tissue injuries can be handled at home. Rinse your mouth out with water to clean the area and use a wet washcloth or piece of gauze to apply pressure to the area. Once the bleeding has stopped, you can use an ice pack or over-the-counter pain reliever to address discomfort. If you can’t get the bleeding to stop after 10 minutes, go directly to your local ER.

Something Stuck Between the Teeth

Is having something stuck between the teeth an emergency? It’s common for patients undergoing orthodontic treatment to get something stuck between their teeth. Should that happen, you must remove the debris as soon as possible. Otherwise, you could experience pain and have a higher chance of developing certain oral health problems. Don’t worry – you can always give us a call if you can’t get it out on your own!

How you should handle something stuck between your teeth: Thoroughly rinse your mouth with warm water to dislodge the debris. If that doesn’t work, you can use dental floss to carefully remove the stuck item. Consider using special tools like a threader, pick, or interdental brush as they’re helpful for patients with braces. Avoid using a sharp object like a toothpick because it can accidentally hurt your soft oral tissues.

Broken or Lost Retainer

Is a broken or lost aligner or retainer an emergency? Not usually! However, you should still address a broken or lost aligner as soon as possible to prevent treatment delays and orthodontic relapse. Contact us right away to make an appointment. We’ll help get your treatment back on the right track!

How you should handle a broken or lost aligner or retainer: A broken aligner or retainer can move your teeth into the wrong positions. That’s why you should touch base with our team immediately to ask about your next best steps. We’ll resolve the issue quickly to ensure your pearly whites stay nice and straight. If you’ve lost your appliance, the best thing to do is retrace your steps and carefully look for it in the small crevices it could’ve fallen into.

Loose Teeth

Are loose teeth an emergency? Braces are meant to move your teeth gradually and carefully. It’s intentionally done this way to ensure they don’t come loose. However, you should not feel like your teeth are wiggling. If that’s the case, schedule a same-day appointment to rule out gum disease or another oral health issue.

How you should handle loose teeth: Do not touch your loose tooth or teeth with your fingers or tongue! While you wait for your appointment, avoid chewing on that side of the mouth as well to prevent further damage. The best thing you can do is keep your mouth clean and visit our orthodontist as soon as possible for assistance.

Orthodontic Emergencies — Bethel Park, PA

Fast Care When You Need It Most

Closeup

An orthodontic emergency can happen in the blink of an eye, leaving adults and children alike struggling with sudden oral pain and worry. Thankfully, Cartwright Orthodontics is here to help. Dr. Cartwright and Dr. Palmer always make time for urgent cases as soon as they possibly can, and our friendly staff members can also provide assistance over the phone if you’re unable to reach our office right away. We have two locations in McMurray, PA and Bethel Park, PA – please  contact the one closest  to you when experiencing an orthodontic emergency.

Why Choose Cartwright Orthodontics for Emergency Dental Care?

  • #1 Compassionate Orthodontist with Well Over 2 Decades of Experience
  • #2 Same-Day Appointments Available for Emergencies
  • #3 Two Convenient Locations

What to Do in a Orthodontic Emergency

Woman with orthodontic emergency in Bethel Park pointing at braces

If you or a loved one experiences an orthodontic emergency, follow these steps right away:

  • Step 1: Call us right away. Call us as soon as you can so we can schedule you for a same-day emergency appointment
  • Step 2: Follow our instructions until you reach us . Over the phone, one of our team members will walk you through how to manage your emergency until you arrive at our office.
  • Step 3: See Dr. Cartwright or Dr. Palmer for an emergency exam . When you arrive, they will see you right away to evaluate your situation and alleviate any serious pain.
  • Step 4: Get the professional care you need . Dr. Cartwright or Dr. Palmer will review their findings with you and how they recommend moving forward. In most cases, we’ll be able to completely address the issue right away, but if needed, we can schedule you for a follow-up appointment.

You should visit our office for any emergency that involves fixing your orthodontic appliance, or any questions you have about treatment. However, if a serious injury occurs that affects your breathing, or there is uncontrollable bleeding, you should head to the nearest emergency room as fast as you can. If you’re unsure, you can also call our office, where one of our friendly team members can give you steps on what to do next.

The Most Common Orthodontic Emergencies

It’s important to understand that if any part of your braces becomes loose or broken, you should book an appointment with our office immediately. Waiting too long to correct your orthodontic appliance can extend your treatment time dramatically. Additionally, if you feel any pain, call our office right away. Soreness and tenderness are completely normal, but we need to treat any severe, persisting discomfort as soon as possible. Here are some of the common situations we see from patients and some helpful tips for what you can do to improve your situation before you arrive at either of our locations:

How to Prevent Orthodontic Emergencies

Happy woman with braces smiles after orthodontic emergency in Bethel Park

While orthodontic emergencies should never be considered 100% avoidable, there are ways for patients to be more conscious and minimize their overall risk of experiencing an emergency situation. Please follow the guidelines below:

  • Do your best to avoid foods that are overly chewy, sticky, hard, or brittle in nature. These items can damage your brackets and warp the wires.
  • Some discomfort is normal after braces have been placed or adjusted, but if you’re still experiencing significant pain after three to five days, contact Cartwright Orthodontics right away.
  • Make sure to protect your braces from harm during athletic events by wearing a mouthguard.
  • Brush and floss thoroughly! It’s easier than ever for small particles of food to get trapped between teeth and cause decay when you’re wearing braces.
  • When flossing, feed the short end of your floss through the space that exists between the main arch wire and the upper part of the tooth. Make sure not to use too much force when flossing near the wire!
  • Consider investing in a brush that is specially designed for cleaning braces, such as a proxabrush. This brush should be inserted from the top of the mouth and then up from the bottom, using several strokes to clean the spaces between the braces.
  • When wearing a retainer, make sure to clean it too! You can disinfect it by soaking it in denture cleanser – just make sure to rinse it thoroughly with water before placing it back inside your mouth.
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