Emergency Orthodontist – Ludlow, MA

Getting Smiles Out of Pain & Back on Track

Woman experiencing orthodontic emergency covering her mouth

Some discomfort is common during orthodontic treatment, even if things go according to plan, but severe pain is never normal. If you’re experiencing intense pain or an urgent problem with your orthodontic appliance, such as a broken bracket or lost clear aligners, you need assistance from a trained orthodontist right away. Here at Ludlow Orthodontics, Dr. Sam Alkhoury and his talented team are ready to help patients with orthodontic emergencies get out of pain and back on track with their treatments. Call us right away to schedule your appointment for treatment during orthodontic emergencies in Ludlow!  

Why Choose Ludlow Orthodontics for Orthodontic Emergencies?

  • Same-Day Appointments Available
  • Gentle, Experienced Orthodontist & Team

What to Do in an Orthodontic Emergency

Woman in pain due to poking orthodontic wire

When you or someone you know is suffering from an orthodontic emergency, the very last thing you should do is panic! Instead, keep calm and take appropriate action by following these simple steps:

  1. Call Our Office – We’ll usually be able to assess the situation over the phone and begin walking you through what steps you should take. This usually includes things like rinsing your mouth with water or applying orthodontic wax. If you can’t handle the issue yourself or don’t know what to do, we’ll have you come in for a same-day appointment.
  2. Attend Your Appointment – Sometimes the issue can be totally resolved over the phone, or it can wait until your next routine checkup, but if you do need to come in, we’ll immediately inspect your orthodontic appliance(s) upon arrival and quickly determine the best course of action.
  3. Get The Urgent Care You Need – Once you’re seated and we’ve determined the problem, we’ll be able to address your discomfort, correct the problem, and ensure that your orthodontic treatment isn’t derailed or ultimately set back. In some cases, a follow-up appointment may be necessary, but we’ll be sure to help you set this up if needed. In rare cases, if we discover that your emergency was due to an underlying oral health issue or if we detect damage to your teeth, we may refer you to your general dentist for proper care.

The Most Common Orthodontic Emergencies

Even if you aren’t sure if your situation is an emergency or not, it’s sensible to contact us when you experience any sort of complication or abnormality with your orthodontic treatment! It’s worth mentioning that most orthodontic emergencies can be handled at home over the phone with the expert help of our knowledgeable dental team. However, it’s never wise to leave anything to chance. Listed below are some examples of common orthodontic emergencies and how we can help:

Understanding the Cost of Orthodontic Emergencies  

Orthodontic team member taking dental insurance information

Realistically, no two orthodontic emergencies are exactly alike. This means it’s difficult to know how much your treatment will cost before you reach our office for evaluation. But don’t fret; once we’ve had a chance to look at your situation, we’ll review our findings with you before reviewing the expected costs of recommended treatment routes. We never want the cost of care to prevent you from getting the help you need, which is why we accept numerous dental insurance policies, offer third-party financing options, and look down every avenue for ways to help you affordably resolve your urgent situation!

How to Prevent Orthodontic Emergencies

Person brushing teeth to avoid orthodontic emergencies

Orthodontic emergencies can be stressful, even with a reliable, experienced, and caring team just a phone call away. While you can’t completely avoid any type of emergency, taking the right precautions can reduce your risk of urgent orthodontic problems. That’s why we encourage our patients to:

Avoid Crunchy and Sticky Foods

Woman smiling while eating lunch in kitchen

To prevent a bracket from coming loose or an attachment from coming off, we recommend staying away from certain foods, like raw almonds, hard pretzels, and tortilla chips. Instead, you should fill your plate with smile-friendly foods that have a softer consistency (i.e., cottage cheese, cooked sweet potatoes, plain yogurt). It’s also a good idea to drink lots of water throughout the day since doing so will help you stay hydrated and prevent dry mouth.

Wear a Mouthguard When You’re Active

Group of women smiling during workout class

Do you like to start your morning with a run? Maybe you prefer to stay active by riding your bike, playing tennis, or taking workout classes. Whatever the case may be, it’s important to wear a mouthguard specifically designed for orthodontic patients. That way, your braces, your teeth, your gums, and the soft tissue in your mouth are protected if something unexpected happens, like you accidentally fall.

Commit to a Solid At-Home Oral Hygiene Regimen

Closeup of woman flossing her teeth in bathroom

Another great way to reduce your risk of experiencing an orthodontic emergency is by taking good care of your smile at home. The first step? Using a soft-bristle toothbrush and fluoridated toothpaste to brush your teeth twice a day. Then, floss (you can use a pre-threaded one, if that’s helpful!) and rinse with mouthwash each morning or evening. If you have aligners, make sure to clean them as well.

Break Harmful Habits

Closeup of woman biting her nails

Preventing common orthodontic problems also requires you to avoid certain things, like smoking. Additionally, you shouldn’t bite your nails, chew on ice cubes, or do anything else that could cause your enamel to chip or crack. Finally, avoid using your teeth as tools to open things, even if it’s something as seemingly harmless as using them to tear open plastic wrapping.

Prioritize Your Progress Visits

Patient smiling at reflection at mirror

Your routine check-in visits are important for several reasons, starting with the fact that they allow us to examine the condition of your brackets, attachments, and any other orthodontic accessories. If we notice anything unusual, we can bring it to your attention and fix it on the spot, saving you from an emergency visit in the process.

Important reminder: you should give our orthodontic office a call if you experience serious pain that lasts longer than three days after getting your braces tightened. From there, we can schedule an appointment with our emergency orthodontist in your area and walk you through what to do in the meantime.

Toothaches

Is a Toothache an Emergency? Slight sensitivity and discomfort are normal from time to time, particularly in the hours following your adjustment appointments. With that said, you shouldn’t dismiss a dull, persistent throbbing or a sharp, stabbing pain. If that happens, you should schedule an appointment with our emergency orthodontist in Ludlow so we can determine if an untreated oral health problem is the culprit.

How You Should Handle Toothaches: If your toothache stems from a cavity, then your orthodontic treatment will be put on hold until your oral health is restored. If that’s not the case, then the best thing to do is use a cold compress, rinse with warm saltwater periodically, and sip on cool water throughout the day. If needed, you can take OTC pain medication as directed, too.

Loose Bracket

Is a Loose Bracket or Wire an Emergency? Since a loose bracket or wire can lead to significant discomfort and even result in you losing some of your hard-earned progress, we do recommend calling us right away. Over the phone, we will learn more about what’s going on and, if necessary, schedule a same-day appointment at our office.

How You Should Handle a Loose Bracket or Wire: If you can, use a piece of orthodontic wax to hold the bracket or wire in place until your visit. Since this is only a temporary fix, it’s important that you take certain precautions, like not chewing on that side of your mouth. Once you arrive at our office, we can reattach and restabilize your braces, getting you back on track with your treatment plan in the process.

Broken Wire

Is a Broken Bracket or Wire an Emergency? Broken braces in Ludlow are more urgent than a loose bracket or wire due to the increased risk of a serious soft tissue injury. So, don’t wait – call our office. The sooner you do, the sooner a helpful member of our team can schedule an emergency appointment.

How You Should Handle a Broken Bracket or Wire: If you have the broken pieces, place them in a small, clean container and bring them with you to our office. It’s also a good idea to stick to extremely soft foods, like cottage cheese, and to cover any sharp edges of your braces with dental wax so the soft tissue in your mouth is protected.

 

Protruding/Poking Wire

  • Is a Poking or Protruding Wire an Emergency? Do not wait to seek professional help for this type of braces emergency in Ludlow. A poking or protruding wire that rubs against your gums, cheeks, lips, or tongue can cause more damage to these soft tissues.
  • How You Should Handle a Poking or Protruding Wire: The best items to use when addressing a poking or protruding wire are a Q-tip or a pencil eraser. These can be used to push the wire flat against your tooth, so it no longer irritates your tissues. It is also helpful to use orthodontic wax as a barrier between the wire and the rest of your mouth.

Mouth Sores/Irritation

  • Are Mouth Sores or Irritation an Emergency? No, these problems are not considered orthodontic emergencies unless you develop an infection or pain worsens. Generally, soreness and mild irritation are normal when wearing braces, especially as it takes time to adjust to the new appliances in your mouth.
  • How You Should Handle Mouth Sores or Irritation: You will find that regular saltwater rinses help reduce inflammation and soreness, as well as keep your mouth clean and promote healing. Cold compresses and chilled foods and drinks can also help numb any discomfort you experience, and OTC pain relievers are highly effective as well.

Broken Ligature

  • Is a Broken Ligature an Emergency? You should plan to call and schedule an emergency visit if you notice that your ligature has become damaged or has popped off. As the piece that holds your archwire against the bracket, it’s an essential component of your braces, which means it’s necessary to ensure successful results.  
  • How You Should Handle a Broken Ligature: If your ligature is not damaged but has come off, you can carefully attempt to place it back onto the bracket using sterilized tweezers. If you notice that your ligatures are popping off regularly, it’s best to get in for an appointment so that we can determine the problem. If you’re unable to reattach your ligature or it is lost, call our office.

Soft Tissue Cuts

  • Are Soft Tissue Cuts an Emergency? It is not an orthodontic emergency if you notice a mild cut to your lip, cheek, or tongue. These commonly occur while wearing braces; however, if you sustain a serious injury or notice the bleeding does not stop after 10 minutes, go to a local emergency room for immediate medical attention.
  • How You Should Handle Soft Tissue Cuts: It’s best to rinse out your mouth with warm saltwater to effectively clean your mouth. You can then use a clean, wet washcloth to stop the bleeding before using orthodontic wax to establish a barrier between the appliance and your soft oral tissues. A cold compress and OTC medication can be used once the bleeding has stopped to numb the pain and reduce inflammation.  

Something Stuck Between the Teeth  

Is Having Something Stuck Between the Teeth an Emergency? Not usually, no. With that said, you shouldn’t hesitate to schedule an appointment with our team at Ludlow Orthodontics if you’re having trouble removing the debris. In fact, we recommend that instead of reaching for a toothpick or something else sharp.

How You Should Handle Something Stuck Between the Teeth: First, dissolve some salt in warm water. Then, rinse with the mixture a few times (always making sure to spit it out when you’re done). Next, grab a strand of floss and gently clean between your teeth, removing the debris in the process. If that doesn’t work, then call our Ludlow office so we can provide further assistance.

Broken/Lost Aligner or Retainer

Is a Broken/Lost Aligner or Retainer an Emergency? Yes. After all, a broken/lost retainer or aligner can jeopardize your hard-earned progress! So, it’s important that you schedule an appointment with our emergency orthodontist in Ludlow, even if there is only a small, hairline crack running along the surface.

How You Should Handle a Broken or Lost Aligner/Retainer: As we mentioned above, calling us is crucial. Over the phone, we can learn more about your situation, take a look at your treatment plan, and determine the best way to proceed. For example, if you lost one of your aligners, we may ask you to progress to the next set in the series a bit early.

Tip: To reduce the likelihood of you accidentally losing/breaking your aligners or retainers, place them in their designated case anytime you aren’t wearing them.

Loose Teeth  

Are Loose Teeth an Emergency? Loose teeth are normally cause for concern. However, this is to be expected from time to time during your orthodontic treatment. The exception is if your teeth feel like they are on the brink of falling out. If that’s the case, then you should schedule an appointment at our office ASAP.

How You Should Handle Loose Teeth: If your teeth feel slightly loose, then you should stick to soft foods, like oatmeal and scrambled eggs. If they continue to feel that way after a few days, or you start to notice other warning signs of trouble, like dark discoloration, then we recommend coming to our office right away.