Usually, wearing braces goes pretty smoothly. You have a little jaw pain when they are first tightened, and maybe they irritate your cheeks a bit, but these issues are minor and easily dealt with at home. Many patients make it through their months with braces without ever having to call the orthodontist between appointments — but there are a select few who run into a little trouble along the way. If you are a braces wearer, here are the circumstances under which you need to call your orthodontist.

Your pain is unmanageable

Usually, the pain is the worst during your first few days with braces. It should fade to being barely noticeable, perhaps increasing in intensity again after you have the braces tightened. Normal braces pain is manageable with over-the-counter pain relievers and perhaps with a little ice applied to your jaw. If neither of these remedies is touching the pain, and it is serious enough to keep you from doing work or engaging in other lifestyle activities, then something may be amiss. Contact your orthodontist; they will check to ensure that your braces were not accidentally over-tightened or improperly placed, which happens very rarely.

A bracket or wire comes loose

Sometimes, a bracket or wire might come loose if you bite into something hard. This is not an emergency, but it does need to be dealt with in a day or two, so call your orthodontist promptly. If the wire or bracket is rubbing and irritating your cheeks, you can put a blob of braces wax over it. Stick to soft foods until you get it fixed; you do not want to do any more damage.

You get an infection

Sores in the mouth are generally pretty protected from infections since oral tissues heal quickly and since the wounds are constantly being rinsed with saliva. That being said, in rare cases, scrapes and pokes from your braces might become infected. Signs of infection include swelling, pus production, and extreme soreness. Call your orthodontist, who may prescribe an antibiotic ointment or pills to help you heal.

You get an injury

If you get struck in the mouth or hit your mouth on something while wearing braces, you might injure your cheeks or lips pretty seriously. People have had braces poke right through their lips. Clearly, this is an emergency, and you should contact your orthodontist. If their office is not open, head to the emergency room.

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