An emergency typically involves a loose or broken brace or wire that is poking AND is causing discomfort.  Please be aware that a broken appliance that is not causing discomfort can typically wait until normal business hours to be repaired.  Call our office immediately at (843) 856-9323 if you have an emergency so we can create a time to see you.

Many times, you can fix a broken appliance at home. Read on to find out how to repair common problems.

Wire Irritation

For temporary relief, place wax over the part of the appliance that is causing discomfort. If wax doesn’t resolve the problem, try clipping the wire with sterile nail clippers or scissors. Call the office to make a repair appointment.

Small Spaces Developing Between Your Teeth

Don’t panic! This is usually normal and expected as teeth move into different positions, particularly in the early stages of treatment. Don’t worry – we will close them as treatment progresses.

Loosening of Teeth

This is to be expected throughout treatment and is completely normal! Teeth must loosen first so they can move. Over time, the teeth will again become rigidly fixed in their new, corrected positions.

If a Separator Comes Out

Separators help open spaces to fit bands. Contact our office, and we’ll let you know whether you need an appointment to have a new separator placed.

If a Bracket Comes Loose from a Tooth

Call our office to schedule a repair visit. Broken appliances will delay treatment time and need to be repaired as soon as possible.

Importance of Rubber Bands

Rubber bands should be worn as instructed to stay on track with treatment. If you forget how to wear them, please call the office for over-the-phone instructions.

If You Experience Trauma to the Mouth

Contact your dentist immediately. After seeing your family dentist, please call our office so that we can take care of dislodged or displaced teeth or damage to orthodontic appliances. If you are unable to reach your family dentist, call our office and we will be happy to assist you in the care of the injury.

Lost or Broken Invisalign® Aligner

It is very important that you continue to wear an aligner if you lose or break your current one. Usually, the best option is to try and move to the next scheduled aligner. If you do not have any additional aligners, please wear your previous aligner and call the office so we can decide how to move forward. We can’t stress enough how important it is to wear something – your teeth will move very quickly if you don’t wear anything and this will only add to your treatment time!