What Are the Common Orthodontic Emergencies?

Straightening your teeth and fighting tooth decay are essential pillars of these medical disciplines. But they are not restrictive to that.

It’s time we recognize oral health’s vast importance in our overall health. Dental healthcare is not a luxury because it helps with more than just appearance. A smile with alignment problems does not work as efficiently as a straight one.

Crowded teeth and crooked teeth can lead to cavities and gum disease, severe pain, headaches, eating and speaking issues. That’s what makes orthodontics so important.

Many people need orthodontic treatment at least once in their life. It’s common to have alignment issues or spacing problems with your teeth. Even more severe dental health cases can be treated and permanently fixed thanks to orthodontists.

Even though doctors recommend visiting your dental practice at least once a year, this does not mean you will require orthodontic treatment every year for your whole life. In most cases, orthodontic appliances achieve lifelong lasting results. A yearly visit is advised for a checkup to make sure your mouth and smile are still great.

Do not mix, however, dentistry with orthodontics. They have different domains and specialties and are actually two distinct career paths. Both are paramount for your well-being.

Which Orthodontic Emergencies Require an ER?

Another concern people hold against orthodontics is related to how uncomfortable appliances like braces seem and the pain they supposedly cause.

Traditional braces work by applying force and pressure to the teeth and mandible bone. That means that they are going to feel uncomfortable sometimes, and they are going to cause mild pain from time to time.

These are all issues you can solve at home with over-the-counter painkillers or domestic tools you find at home. There is no need to panic; the biggest percentage of orthodontic emergencies are not real life-threatening emergencies.

How can you know if your current emergency requires an emergency room? Well, some dental emergencies need immediate care. Here are a few:

What to Do if I Swallowed a Bracket?

From time to time brackets detach from your teeth and become loose. Sometimes the bracket is still holding to the metal archwire, and sometimes they just fall off. If it's still holding on, you can take a sharp pointed instrument and carefully undo the tie that attaches it to the wire and have your baby tooth for the tooth fairy. If it falls off, try to be careful not to swallow it.

If you accidentally swallow the bracket or tooth, do not panic. Since brackets are small, chances are you will swallow them and expulse them naturally. But there are very rare cases where the bracket or tooth gets stuck in the throat or your airways.

If, after the incident, you experiment any difficulty breathing or have an intense cough, head straight to the nearest ER.

Can an Emergency Room Fix a Cracked Tooth?

If you suffered a major hit or trauma directly to your mouth, it is possible to break a tooth. A chipped tooth is not impossible to deal with for your orthodontist. You can set an appointment to get it fixed. A cracked or broken tooth is a more serious problem.

Let’s say your tooth is cracked, but there is no bleeding, and the injury did not reach the gums; then, you can call your doctor to let them know about the problem and schedule an appointment to repair the damage.

If the injury did reach the gums and you are bleeding heavily, do not waste time and head to the emergency room. If the tooth fell out, you should do the same.

Other Common Orthodontic Emergencies

Life with braces is pretty much the same as usual. Nevertheless, it’s no lie that orthodontic patients with conventional braces have a few limitations or restrictions to follow, especially dietary. Not following instructions can cause any of these:

Lose Archwire Poking Your Mouth?

It can sometimes cause discomfort, little wounds or ulcerations. But it’s not an acute emergency.

This can happen for many reasons. However, most cases derive from a lack of compliance.

If the metal wire is poking your lips or gums, you can try to use a sterilized tweezer and slide it back through the tube of the last bracket If you are unable to do this you can just try to take a nail clipper and clip off the piece of wire that is causing the discomfort.

Lost Clear Aligner or Retainer

When you lose a bracket, just check with your orthodontist to confirm if you need a new appointment to fix this before your next one.

The same protocol applies to rubber bands. Rubber spacers, however, can be a different story so if you lost one of these, call your dental expert because you may need to get a new one soon. Not necessary to worry, though.

Be Prepared in Case of an Orthodontic Emergency in Los Angeles, CA

We always recommend saving your nearest dental office address and contact. Los Angeles is a big city, and not every dental practice or dentist is qualified to attend to an emergency. Schedule an appointment to meet our team and be prepared.