What is an Emergency Orthodontist?

Do you think you’re in need of an emergency orthodontist? If you’re experiencing dental problems, you visit your dentist as early as you can. But what if you encounter an oral issue on a weekend, holiday, or past midnight? If you experience a serious problem past your clinic’s open hours, you need an emergency orthodontist or a visit to an emergency room.

You should know the difference between a normal dentist issue and an orthodontic emergency. For normal issues, you can wait until morning, and no serious issue occurs if you wait. However, in an orthodontic emergency, you risk losing a tooth or any other health issue. When you are in such a condition, you must visit an emergency orthodontist. But before you encounter such a situation, you need to understand what oral problems fall under orthodontic emergencies.

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Minor Orthodontic Emergencies

Most problems related to your orthodontic treatment will be minor if you can solve it with proper directions over the phone. Still, some minor problems may become an orthodontic emergency. These minor problems can impair your treatment and cause severe discomfort. In such cases, you need to visit an emergency orthodontist so they can diagnose and handle the problem without any further consequences. The following problems constitute a minor orthodontic emergency:

·       Broken or Loose Braces

If a bracket, band, or wire of your braces loosens or breaks, you should immediately contact your orthodontist. If the piece from your braces is still intact, avoid touching it until your orthodontist repairs it. If that piece has fallen off, you need to keep the piece with you and bring it to your appointment with an emergency orthodontist. If that piece is causing any discomfort, apply dental wax in that area and visit the emergency room for immediate repair.

·       Discomfort from Pointy Brackets, Ties, or Archwires

Sometimes, archwires, the metal, springy, and thin wires on your braces shift from their position and start poking in your mouth. If this is happening to you, use a Q-tip, pencil eraser, or a pair of tweezers to bring it back to a comfortable position. If that doesn’t work, cover the area with the dental wax and visit an emergency orthodontist.

·       Toothaches or Loose Teeth

When braces move the teeth, you may feel minor soreness and discomfort in your gums or teeth. This happens to everyone and shows that the braces are working properly. Usually, the discomfort alleviates in few days and becomes mild in intensity. To managing the discomfort, use warm water with salt to rinse out that area. You can also take OTC painkillers such as Tylenol. However, if you cannot handle the pain and notice that the situation is getting worse, contact an emergency orthodontist as this can be a serious issue.

Major Orthodontic Emergency

These types of emergencies are very rare and only happen when there is possible damage to the mouth, jaw, or teeth. Here are some main major orthodontic emergencies that require an immediate visit to the emergency orthodontist:

• Infected or swollen gums or other serious swelling or infection in your mouth
• Any trauma or injury to the face, teeth, and mouth
• Unmanageable and severe pain inside your mouth or face

If you are experiencing such problems, call us at  (212) 207-8028 immediately. Our experienced orthodontist will discuss how you can handle the situation and arrange an emergency appointment.

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How to Know if you Need an Emergency Orthodontist

The American Family Physician suggested that almost 22% of people experience oral or dental pain in only the last six months from the report. This shows how common orthodontic emergencies are in the US (Source).

Still, not all dental situations constitute an orthodontic emergency. Ask yourself the following questions before deciding to visit an emergency orthodontist:

• Is the pain you are experiencing severe? Bleeding and severe pain can be an orthodontic emergency.
• Is your tooth lost? If you seek immediate help from an emergency orthodontist, you can save your tooth.
• Are your teeth loosening up? You should never lose your teeth. Even if you did not feel any pain in losing your teeth, the problem could be serious.
• Do you have an infection? A serious mouth infection can be life-threatening, and you should immediately seek help from an emergency orthodontist. In infections, you may notice knots or swelling around your gum and face.
• Is your mouth bleeding? This is a possible sign of an orthodontic emergency.

Generally, any oral problem that requires immediate help from an orthodontist, such as severe pain, bleeding, a loose tooth, is an emergency.

Emergency Orthodontist: Conclusion

If you are suffering from these symptoms, you need an experienced emergency orthodontist immediately. Call us at 212-207-8028 and describe your condition. You can also visit either of our 2 Manhattan Family Orthodontics locations in New York City.

For further information on how we help our patients, visit our website.