| Orthodontic Emergencies in
Langley, BC |
 |
|
Broken Bracket
 If the bracket or band is still attached to the wire, leave it in place. If uncomfortable, cover the area with wax. If the band or bracket comes out completely, bring it with you to your emergency appointment.
Allowing brackets or bands to remain loose for a prolonged period of time could delay your orthodontic treatment.
Note: It is important to call our office, even if your brace has come loose, or broken the same day as your appointment. If you do not call, we may not be able to fix your loose brace the same day as your appointment and you would have to come back to have the broken brace fixed.
Do not connect elastics (rubber bands) or other devices to a loose band or bracket.
|
|
Self-help directions for clipping, repositioning and removing long or dislodged wires.
These guidelines are not meant as a substitute for professional care and are offered solely as self-help information when an office visit is not available.
These techniques are designed as suggestions for a parent, guardian or other responsible adult. The first choice in care is an appointed office visit. In the absence of that, please try to cover the troublesome area with dental wax. Failing those circumstances, most long and dislodged archwires can safely be cut following the outlined procedures below. Any breakage or alteration of the braces should be reported to our office.
Examples of wires that have distorted or moved
A wire that has come out of it’s bracket or tube. Typically, the result of
the inappropriate chewing of large or chewy pieces of food. |
This wire is poking out of the last brace. The teeth may have moved or the
wire has slid out of position. |
Guidelines for self-help remedies to correct distorted or moved archwires
 Tools Needed
Cutting Long Wires
Removing Long Pieces
Repositioning bent, moved, or distorted archwires
Small diagonal cutters that have been cleaned with soap and water then wiped
with alcohol
Cotton
Tweezers (optional)
The images to the right are examples of “diagonal cutters” that can be obtained
from a hardware store.
|
Cutting Long Wires
 Step
1
If possible cover the wire by placing a small piece of cotton around and under
the wire end. This will help trap the fragment that is clipped off.
Step 2
Grasp the wire for cutting in a location that is easily accessible and as
near to the problem as possible. These are valid positions. However, the far
left placement is preferred.
Step 3 – Removing Long Pieces
Once the wire is cut, it can be removed with the cutter or a tweezers. Grasp
and slide the wire forward out of the brackets or remove the small piece cut
from the back.
Repositioning a wire that has slid or bent out of its tube
 |
Step 1
Grasp the wire with tweezers |
 |
Step 2
Slide the wire back into the brace or tube |
 |
Step 3
Sometimes the wire cannot be slid back. So grasp the wire as shown by
deflecting it and direct the loose end back into the brace tube. |
|
Loose Wires/Wire Out Of Tube
When you first get your braces on, it is very common for the wires to come out of the tubes due to the fact that we start with a very flexible, thin wire for initial movement of the teeth. Try to place the wire back into the tube with tweezers. If you are unsuccessful, place wax on the area if it is uncomfortable. Contact our office as soon as possible to schedule an appointment.
Wire Out Of Tube |
loose wirePlace Wire Back In Tube |
|
Poking Wires
Occasionally through the course of your treatment you may also experience a poking wire on one of your brackets or bands. If this occurs, bend the wire back with a spoon or pencil eraser.
If unsuccessful, cover the area with wax and call for an appointment.
Use an Eraser to Push The Wire Back |
Place Wax On The Area If Unsuccessful |
As your braces come into alignment, there may be occasions where the wire
will become long in back and start to poke. If this occurs, please contact our
office as soon as possible for an appointment. You may use wax or wet cotton on
the poking area until your emergency appointment if needed. |
 Wire Poking Out In Back
If these procedures are not sufficient, there are over the counter temporary dental packing or filling materials that can be used as wax substitutes. These temporary filling materials adhere well to irregularities and protect the surrounding tissues from irritation.
Examples of these materials are Dentemp O.S. and Temparin. They do not need mixing procedures and are typically available at
Shopper Drugs Mart or other pharmacies. Dental wax is also available at the pharmacy. It is important to use enough material (at least the size of a large pea) and to apply any wax or packing materials in liberal quantities.
|
 |
Broken Removable Retainers
Please call the office if your removable retainer is bent, broken or lost.
If a wire becomes dislodged from the back of your teeth, insulate the area with wax and call the office for an appointment.
If the attached wire comes out completely, save the wire, call the office and make sure you bring the wire with you to the repair appointment.
|
 |
Fixed Retainers
|
|
Lost Hook/Tie |
Lost Elastic Hook/Tie
Sometimes we will attach a hook or tie onto the bracket. If you find that an elastic
(rubberband) hook or tie is missing from your bracket, please contact the office as
soon as possible to see if you will need to have the tie or hook replaced before your next
appointment.
|
|
|
