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Ok, well, 'emergency' may not be the right word to use. However, if something hurts, or if some little thing is bothering you, we want to help. At Robert W. Bruno, in Woodside, NY., we want to be sure you are as comfortable as possible through your orthodontic treatment.

Dr. Bruno and his team are here to help you through any orthodontic care urgencies you may be facing. If you have any questions or feel like something is a bit off to you, please do not hesitate to contact us. 

Maybe you feel your problem is tiny, or perhaps you're out of town or on vacation. Regardless of the reason, there may be something you can try to remedy the issue quickly. Read below for a guide to common orthodontic problems and how you can help them.

Mouth Sores and Irritations

Mouth sores happen to most who wear traditional metal braces, especially in the beginning. You can treat sores and remove pain from the inside of your mouth by using a small amount of orthodontic wax over the area bothering you. You may also use a topical anesthetic, such as Ora-Gel, which helps relieve pain and gives you time to heal.

Discomfort or Pain

Tooth soreness arises around the tightening phases of your braces. There is an increased amount of pressure or force on your teeth that causes movement and soreness. Typically after a couple of days, the soreness goes away. You can manage the pain with over-the-counter pain relievers making sure to follow the recommended dosages on the bottle and not exceed the maximum amount stated.

Being uncomfortable in braces is a typical experience. However, it should not last more than a few days. If you are distressed during treatment, there is likely an underlying issue. Call your orthodontist for a quick appointment.  

Lost Elastics

Losing an o-ring or the tiny wire in place of it is expected from time to time. The o-ring is essential to holding your braces together, so do not put off calling your orthodontist if it is lost. If it simply fell out, you might be able to reattach it yourself carefully with a pair of tweezers. 

Dislocated Wires

If you experience a poking archwire or an out-of-slot wire, you can most certainly use the wax over the wire until you can come and see us in person. You can also use a Q-tip to try and push the wire against your teeth until you can have it adjusted. Call your orthodontist and schedule an appointment to get it fixed. 

Loose or Broken Brackets

If your bracket is loose or has snapped off, try using the orthodontic wax to hold it in place until you can have it fixed. Suppose the bracket has been significantly loosened and will not stay in position. In that case, you can take it with you to the orthodontist. Please do your best to keep track of the bracket.

If you are experiencing any oral health emergencies, we are always available to you. Reach out to us, and we will help you through your orthodontic appliance problem as quickly and efficiently as possible.  

We want you to have the most pleasant experience and journey to straightening those crooked teeth and getting the beautiful smile you always wanted. Call and talk to one of our orthodontic consultants at Robert W. Bruno. We want to be your home for orthodontics in Woodside, NY.

IF YOU’RE OUT OF your teens, you might think you missed your chance for straight teeth, but that’s not true! Modern orthodontic treatment is for adults as well as teens. And even if you had braces before, your teeth might still shift over time, which is another reason to consider treatment as an adult.

How Teeth Shift As We Age

Our teeth naturally move and shift throughout our lives — including in ways we’d prefer they didn’t. In a process called mesial drift, our teeth slowly move towards the front of our mouths as we age. Other factors, including enamel loss, teeth grinding, and tooth loss, can move our teeth out of alignment too. The result is an increasingly crooked, overcrowded smile that is harder to keep healthy.

Daily Habits And Shifting Teeth

Some of the things we do every day without even thinking about it can contribute to our teeth shifting over time. Sleeping on your stomach and resting your head on your hands when sitting can both be culprits of dental shifting, but good posture and side or back sleeping will minimize this effect.

Good oral hygiene is also important for keeping your teeth where they should be, because it helps reduce enamel loss over time. So keep up with that daily flossing and twice daily brushing, and don’t forget about your regular dental appointments!

It’s Never Too Late For Orthodontic Treatment

Stopping bad habits and maintaining good ones is important, but it won’t reverse dental shifting that has already taken place, and that’s where adult orthodontic treatment comes in. While it’s true that our teeth can be guided into place more easily when we are younger, they will still respond to orthodontic appliances.

One advantage adult orthodontic patients have over teenagers is that they have the self-discipline to carefully follow the orthodontist’s instruction, which ensures better, timelier results!

Go Low-Profile With Modern Orthodontics From Dr. Bruno

Maybe you already knew that adults could get braces, and what’s really stopping you is the idea of spending a year or so as a “brace-face.” Don’t be discouraged! There are several ways to get orthodontic treatment without everyone noticing your appliance, such as Invisalign, ceramic braces, and even lingual braces (where the brackets are on the tongue side rather than the outside of the teeth). No one needs to know that you’re on your way to a straighter smile if you don’t want them to!

Schedule Your Consultation Today!

Everyone’s teeth are different, and so is their orthodontic treatment. We’re sure you still have many questions about what your treatment would involve, how long it would take, and, of course, the cost. We’d be happy to answer any questions you have about adult braces, so just give us a call or stop by!

Everyone deserves to have the smile of their dreams!

Top image by Flickr user tiarescott used under Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 4.0 license. Image cropped and modified from original.

The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

Thank you for taking the time to visit our blog. Please check back often for weekly updates on fun and exciting events happening at our office, important and interesting information about orthodontics and the orthodontic industry, and the latest news about our practice.

Feel free to leave a comment or question for our doctor and staff – we hope this will be a valuable resource for our patients, their families, and friends!