Orthodontic Emergencies New England

Gentle, Urgent Care for Orthodontic Injuries

a patient with braces smiling

Orthodontic emergencies are pretty unpredictable, and in truth, they have a knack for occurring when you least expect them to. However, time is of the essence in any emergency, which is why we’ll do everything we can to set up an appointment as soon as possible, even on the same day if needed. In the meantime, though, you need to be able to contain the situation and improve your discomfort on your own, and luckily, there are plenty of ways you can do that. Read the tips below, and don’t forget to call any of our New England orthodontic offices for additional help.

Why Choose Simply Orthodontics for Orthodontic Emergencies?

  • 12 Convenient Locations Across New England
  • Same-Day Emergency Appointments Available
  • Patients of All Ages Proudly Welcome

How We Treat Orthodontic Emergencies

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When something goes wrong with your braces or clear aligners, the last thing you need is to feel unsure. Our team is here to respond quickly, ease your discomfort, and get your treatment back on track as quickly as possible. Whether you are dealing with a broken bracket, a damaged aligner, or a loose appliance, we will assess the situation, explain your options clearly, and provide expert care. Rest assured that we treat every orthodontic emergency with the urgency it deserves!

The Most Common Orthodontic Emergencies

Not every orthodontic mishap is a true emergency, but some issues do require prompt attention. The most common concerns we see include broken or loose brackets, protruding or snapped wires, lost or damaged retainers, loose bands, and mouth sores aggravated by appliances. Knowing what to watch for, as well as when to reach out, can make a significant difference in protecting your progress and your comfort.

Understanding the Cost of Orthodontic Emergencies

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Our team doesn’t want to add more stress to your plate, which is why we do our best to be as transparent as possible when it comes to communicating your potential treatment costs. While every situation can vary, our team will always discuss your options with you before proceeding. We also work with most major insurance plans and offer flexible financing, so financial concerns never have to stand between you and the care you need!

Every Orthodontic Emergency Is Different

Woman pulling her lips back to reveal braces with blue elastics

The cost of treating an orthodontic emergency varies depending on the nature and complexity of the issue. Some orthodontic emergencies, like a dislodged bracket, can be taken care of quickly and are often inexpensive. On the other hand, more serious issues, like entirely broken brackets or wires, might end up being more costly. Because of this, your emergency dentist in New England will have to perform a thorough exam, and then we can provide you with an accurate estimate.

Does Dental Insurance Cover Orthodontic Emergencies?

Dental insurance form sitting on a desk

 It depends on the specifics of your policy. Most plans (and particularly those that offer orthodontic coverage) do offset some of the expenses related to orthodontic emergencies, so it’s worth checking the details of your benefits. Remember that our team is very familiar with how dental insurance works and can help you navigate your plan. If you confirm your policy information with us ahead of time, we can tell you how much coverage to expect.

Other Options for Making Orthodontic Emergencies Affordable

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For those that don’t have access to dental insurance, we happily provide flexible financing options through CareCredit.

CareCredit is a third-party financier with a reliable reputation. They can offer our patients many different monthly payment plans at little-to-no interest. Instead of paying for all of your treatment expenses at once, a CareCredit plan will allow you to break your costs down into smaller, more manageable chunks. That way, you can spread your expenses out over multiple paychecks and lessen the strain on your budget.

To help with more long-term orthodontic costs, we also offer an in-house savings plan called the Preferred Plan.

Signing up for our Preferred Plan covers up to four replacement retainers per year, five years of retainer checks, a post-treatment take-home whitening kit (ages 16+ only) and the option of clear or metal braces. It’s a great way to invest in your smile!

Taking Care of Your Smile Can Save You Money

Woman with braces smiling brightly

We understand that no one wants to spend money on an orthodontic emergency. The fact of the matter is, though, that doing so will ultimately benefit your budget. Going for days or weeks with a broken bracket, for example, can affect how your teeth move and result in prolonged treatment times or the need for more orthodontic intervention.

The health and wellness of your smile is our priority. At the same time, we do want to help make your experience as stress-free as possible. If you’re concerned about affording orthodontics in New England, please let us know!

Keys to Preventing Orthodontic Emergencies

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While not every mishap can be avoided, a few simple habits go a long way toward keeping your treatment on course:

  • Steer clear of hard, sticky, and crunchy foods that put excess stress on brackets and wires.
  • Wear a mouthguard during any sport or athletic activity.
  • Maintain excellent oral hygiene by brushing and flossing daily, as well as cleaning your appliances.
  • Attend all scheduled appointments at our office to allow our team to catch small issues before they become bigger ones.

Orthodontic Emergencies FAQs

What Counts as an Orthodontic Emergency?

You’ll be happy to hear that true orthodontic emergencies are rare. A genuine emergency involves things like severe pain, trauma to the face or mouth, a broken tooth, or a loose or swallowed appliance. Most issues, such as a poking wire, a loose bracket, or mild soreness, are urgent inconveniences rather than emergencies, but we still want to hear from you so we can examine your smile and determine the best next steps. That means if you’re ever unsure, you should call one of our offices in New England so we can get you or your loved one the help you need!

I Lost or Broke My Retainer; How Urgent Is This?

A lost or damaged retainer is fairly urgent, since without your retainer, your teeth can begin shifting back to their original, incorrect positions in as little as a few days. Contact us right away and let us know, so that we can assess whether a replacement retainer is needed. You shouldn’t try to repair a broken retainer yourself, since this may end up causing more damage to the appliance—or your teeth and gums if you try wearing it. If your retainer feels painful, distorted, or will not fully seat when being worn, you should also contact our team before wearing it further.

My Teeth Are Sore After an Adjustment; Is This Normal?

Rest assured, it is completely normal to feel pressure or tenderness for a couple of days after a wire change or adjustment appointment. This is actually a sign that your treatment is working as intended! Many patients are able to find relief using over-the-counter pain relievers, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen, taken as directed by the label. It’s also helpful to alter your diet and eat soft foods that require little chewing for the next couple of days. In some cases, rinsing with warm salt water can also help to ease any irritation. If your pain persists or worsens after a few days, give our office a call so that we can evaluate the situation.   

When Should I Go to the ER Instead of Calling an Orthodontist?

You should go to the ER or call 911 if you experience any difficulty breathing or swallowing, or if you’re dealing with significant facial swelling that is spreading, a jaw injury or suspected fracture, or uncontrolled bleeding that doesn’t stop after several minutes of applying pressure. For other issues involving your orthodontic appliances, just give us a call and let us know what happened; we’ll provide you with first-aid tips over the phone and let you know if you need to come in urgently or if things can wait until your next checkup.  

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Toothache

Is a toothache an emergency? Some discomfort is normal as you’re going through orthodontic treatment. After all, a small amount of pressure is being applied to your teeth in order to move them! This is also common after adjustment appointments. However, lingering tooth pain can sometimes indicate that something more serious may be going on. If things don’t improve or worsen, or you feel a sharp ache when biting down, you’re likely dealing with an emergency.  

How you should handle toothaches: If your tooth pain remains after a few days, don’t hesitate to give one of our New England dental offices a call and let us know what’s going on. We will schedule you for an emergency appointment as soon as we can. In the meantime, we’ll provide you with first aid tips over the phone. This includes using over-the-counter pain relievers and cold compresses to ease any discomfort or potential swelling. Rinsing with salt water can also help by killing the bacteria from a potential infection.  

Loose Bracket or Wire

Is a loose bracket or wire an emergency? Often, this type of issue doesn’t cause any real pain, so it might not seem as urgent as an injury. That said, it still needs to be fixed as quickly as possible to ensure that your treatment stays right on track and to lessen the chance of the bracket or wire breaking entirely. As soon as you notice that a bracket or wire is loose, give our office a call.

How you should handle a loose bracket or wire: If the bracket or wire is completely off, bring it with you to your appointment if you can. You can also try to use orthodontic wax to keep it in place inside your mouth. Most of the time, our team will be able to easily reattach your bracket and send you on your way. In rare cases, it might need to be replaced.  

Broken Bracket or Wire

Is a broken bracket or wire an emergency? These situations are a little more urgent than something like a loose bracket or wire, simply because the damaged pieces may poke and cut the soft tissues of your mouth. However, it isn’t something that you should attempt to fix yourself, since you could end up further damaging the braces or accidentally hurting the inside of your smile. Instead, give our office a call, and we’ll schedule you for an appointment.  

How you should handle a broken bracket or wire: You should collect any pieces that have separated from your braces and bring them with you to your appointment. If there are any sharp spots poking the inside of your mouth, you should cover them with orthodontic wax to protect yourself. Sugar-free chewing gum can also do the trick. Once you’re here, we’ll be sure to quickly fix the problem.   

Protruding/Poking Wire

Is a poking or protruding wire an emergency? Over time, a protruding wire can cause irritation to the soft tissues inside your mouth or even cut them open. This can open the door to infections that cause pain or complications with your oral health. However, this isn’t something that you have to deal with on your own, so let us know, and we can quickly provide assistance.

How you should handle a poking or protruding wire: Using a cotton swab, you can gently move the protruding wire back into place; don’t use your finger, since you could accidentally hurt yourself. You can also apply some orthodontic wax or sugarless chewing gum over the wire to keep it from poking you. Once you’ve made it to one of our New England dental offices, we can quickly put the wire back into place and keep your treatment on track.

Mouth Sores/Irritation

Are mouth sores or irritation an emergency? Mouth sores from braces are a normal part of the orthodontic journey, since the soft tissues inside your mouth need some time to adjust to the presence of the brackets and wires. Typically, these mouth sores should heal and become more comfortable after a few weeks. However, persistent or recurring sores are a different story and may indicate another issue.

How you should handle mouth sores or irritation: If your mouth sores aren’t improving or they’re starting to hurt more, give us a call and let us know. We’ll check out the area and help to relieve any discomfort, and if any adjustments are needed to prevent fewer issues in the future, we can make those as well.

Broken Ligature

Is a broken ligature an emergency? When you’re wearing ligatures with your braces (which are rubber bands), it’s usually very easy to put them back in place when they fall off. However, you should let us know as soon as you realize one or more of your ligatures are broken. These elastics play a large role in keeping your wires in place, which in turn keeps your treatment going smoothly.

How you should handle a broken ligature: If a ligature falls off, the last thing you should do is panic! Instead, use a pair of tweezers to very gently reattach it. However, if the ligature completely snaps, get in touch with us since this issue can directly impact your orthodontic treatment.

Cut Lips, Cheeks, or Tongue

Is a cut lip, cheek, or tongue an emergency? If you get hit in the face, your braces could end up cutting the inside of your mouth. These cuts may bleed a bit, but they aren’t normally a dental emergency. For bigger cuts, we can stitch them closed if needed. However, if the bleeding hasn’t stopped after 10 minutes of constant pressure on the wound, you should go to your local emergency room for help.

How you should handle a cut lip, cheek, or tongue: You can gently clean the area with a wet washcloth by rinsing your mouth with clean water. Apply light pressure to the cut with a clean gauze pad or washcloth. You can also use an over-the-counter pain reliever to ease any pain, and if you’re dealing with any swelling, a cold compress might help, too.

Something Stuck Between the Teeth

Is Having Something Stuck Between the Teeth an Emergency? Even a relatively small piece of food that’s stuck between your teeth can lead to significant discomfort. The good news is that most patients are able to quickly and painlessly remove it with the steps outlined below.

How You Should Handle Something Stuck Between the Teeth: It’s important that we mention here that you should NOT reach for something sharp, like a toothpick. Instead, you should dissolve some salt in warm water and rinse with the mixture (always spitting it out when you’re done). Then, use a clean strand of floss to gently remove the debris. If that doesn’t work, then give our team at Simply Orthodontics a call so we can provide further assistance.

Broken or Lost Retainer

Is a Broken/Lost Aligner or Retainer an Emergency? Oftentimes, patients assume that orthodontic emergencies are painful. However, there are a few exceptions, like a broken/lost aligner or retainer. Although this likely won’t come with any pain or discomfort, it can jeopardize the time and money that you’ve invested in straightening your teeth. As a result, it warrants an immediate call to our office.

How You Should Handle a Broken or Lost Aligner/Retainer: Getting in touch with us is priority number one! Over the phone, we will ask you a few questions to get a better understanding of what happened and determine the best way to proceed. For instance, if you lost one of your aligners, we may give you the green light to progress to the next set in the series a bit earlier than originally planned.

Loose Teeth

Are Loose Teeth an Emergency? It is normal for your teeth to feel slightly loose from time to time throughout your orthodontic treatment. What is NOT normal is for them to feel extremely loose, especially if it feels like it’s on the brink of falling out. If that’s the case, then you should get in touch with one of our emergency orthodontists immediately.

How You Should Handle Loose Teeth: If your teeth feel slightly loose following your adjustment appointment or a transition to a new set of aligners, then stick to extremely soft foods, like plain yogurt, applesauce, and cottage cheese. If you’re concerned, you can also give us a call; a friendly and experienced member of our team can assist you from there!