Orthodontic Emergencies

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Broken bracket:
The most common orthodontic emergency is a broken bracket.  This does need to be seen, but not immediately. Should you have a bracket come off, please give us a call and we will schedule you in to have it fixed. In the meantime, use some of your orthodontic wax to stabilize the loose bracket.  If the bracket comes out, please keep it in a safe place and bring it your repair appointment. 

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Poking long Wires:
Wires slipping can be quite uncomfortable.  If a wire is causing you discomfort we ask you give us a call to schedule a quick appointment to have it trimmed. In the meantime, use some of your orthodontic wax to cover the poky area.

Loose appliances (Herbst, Expander, etc):

Appliance can sometimes become loose. This isn't an emergency unless it is causing you harm.  We ask you give us a call should you have an appliance that is loose and we will schedule you in for a review and repair appointment. 

Loose wire behind teeth (lingual retainer wire): 

After your braces come off a wire is sometimes cemented to the back of the front teeth.  This helps to prevent the teeth from moving around over time. Ideally this wire should be in place for many years, and if it comes loose or breaks it should be replaced immediately.  While not an emergency, it is not something you want to put off for an extended period.  Having it replaced takes two appointments, one day apart.  In some cases we can get this done the same day.
 

As this type of issue can sometimes happen many years after treatment has been completed you may have moved away from Ottawa.  In these cases we recommend getting in touch with our office as we can help advise on how and where to have the wire repaired in your new location.  If you are still local, or planning on coming back to Ottawa in the next few weeks we can schedule an appointment to have you come in for a repair.  Please book this early as we do get quite busy ahead of holidays. 

Emergencies while we're closed:

For orthodontic emergencies while we are closed that you feel need to be seen immediately, we advise you contact your family dentist.  You can alternatively contact the Ottawa Dental Society's emergency service at 613-523-4185.

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