SOS – What to Do in an Emergency?
Orthodontic Emergency / Emergency Services
Removable Braces
As soon as your braces are damaged (whether the damage is visible or noticeable), you should stop wearing them. Please call us the next business day during our office hours or come in right away for an “emergency appointment.”
Fixed Braces
If you are not experiencing any pain, please schedule an appointment for repairs during our office hours on the next business day.
If you experience pain, use the wax or silicone provided to cover any sharp edges and tide you over until the start of the week or the next day. Please schedule an appointment for repairs during our office hours on the next business day.
Emergencies: What to Do If a Bracket Comes Off or the Archwire Is Pricking You?
If the loose bracket or the broken or loose wire causes pain, you have two options.
- Cover the spot that’s causing the discomfort with the wax or silicone your orthodontist gave you, and the pain will go away.
Or maybe the wax or silicone isn’t helping. In that case, if your orthodontist’s office isn’t open, you should go to the emergency dental clinic. They’ll either cover the sharp spots with plastic or simply trim them off. That should get rid of the pain.
Emergencies: What should you do if your removable braces are pressing on your gums?
As a general rule: if something comes loose or breaks, please let your orthodontist know as soon as possible. He or she will then schedule an emergency appointment with you to repair the damage.
If your removable braces are pressing against your gums or the roof of your mouth, you should stop wearing them and make an appointment with your orthodontist right away. You can wear the braces right before your appointment so that the orthodontist can use the slight pressure marks to see exactly where the braces are pressing or causing discomfort.
If too much time passes between the day you stop wearing your braces and your emergency appointment with your orthodontist, your teeth will start shifting back in the wrong direction, and your braces may no longer fit. That’s why you should schedule an emergency appointment right away.
The wax/silicone isn’t helping; the pain is still there?
In this case, you should contact the emergency dental service. To find out which dental office is currently on call, call: 01805 – 60 70 11 (Landline rate: 14 ct/min; maximum 42 ct/min from mobile networks).
Please note that the emergency service is limited to “damage control”—that is, removing devices that cause pain or covering sharp objects with plastic. We’ll take care of the rest as soon as we’re available again at the office.
Department of Orthodontics, Frankfurt University Hospital
