Emergency Dental Care

Lady looking at braces in mirror

Dental Emergency? We Can Help

Our emergency dentists can provide treatment in cases of extreme pain, the malfunction or damage of an orthodontic appliance, or a traumatic mouth injury. Our DaviePlantation, and Tamarac offices specialize in emergency dental care for patients who require immediate medical attention. Call our office immediately if you experience severe pain or symptoms that require medical attention.

You might be surprised to learn you can temporarily solve many problems yourself until you can get to our office. When working with your appliances, you need to know the names of their parts so you can identify what is broken or out of place. Better education and practice with your appliances will allow you to rectify issues yourself before spending additional time and costs on an office visit. Our team provides skilled and compassionate emergency dental care in cases needing immediate attention, including:

  • Broken or loose appliance
  • Broken or missing tooth
  • Severe toothache or gum pain
  • Emergency extraction
  • Swollen jaw

Temporary Lose Appliance Solutions

emergency dentist

Loose Bracket

If your bracket or band is still attached to the wire, you should leave it in place and put wax or Gishy Goo on it if needed for comfort. The bracket or band can be removed easily by removing the colored tier and sliding the bracket off.

emergency dentist

Loose Wire

Using a pair of tweezers, try to put your wire back into place. It is okay to use a piece of floss to tie the wire into place; tie the floss around the bracket in place if the missing colored o-ring. If it is still sharp, place wax or Gishy Goo on it.

emergency dentist

Poking Wire

Using a pencil eraser – push the poking wire down or place wax or Gishy Goo on it so that it is no longer poking.

In Case of Discomfort

When braces are applied, you may feel general soreness in your mouth and teeth may be tender to biting pressure for 3-5 days. It is important to maintain a soft diet until your teeth are able to chew again without pain. Irritated gums and soreness can often be relieved by rinsing your mouth with a warm salt-water or mouthwash. Simply dissolve one teaspoonful of salt in eight ounces of warm water, and rinse your mouth vigorously.

Orabase on the affected area can also help relieve discomfort and can be found in most pharmacies. If the tenderness is severe, take Acetaminophen (Tylenol) or whatever you normally take for headaches or pain. Aspirin, Ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) and Naproxen Sodium actually slow tooth movement, so it is not advisable to use them frequently while wearing braces. The lips, cheeks, and tongue may become irritated for 1-2 weeks as they become accustomed to the surface of the braces. You can put wax or Gishy Goo (sold in the office) on the braces to lessen inflammation.

After alleviating your discomfort, it is very important that you call our office as soon as possible to schedule a time to repair the problem. Allowing your appliance to remain damaged for an extended period if time may result in disruptions to your treatment plan.