ProviderRelieve Soreness & Fix Braces or Clear Aligner Issues
Sometimes issues can come up while you’re straightening your smile, but often a quick fix at home can help you stay comfortable until you get to our office.
Soreness from rubbing brackets, poking wires, or loose pieces of your braces can usually be eased with a little know-how.
Even after you relieve your discomfort, it’s important to contact one of our offices and schedule a time to have the issue properly fixed. Leaving your appliance damaged for too long could interfere with your treatment plan.
Below, you’ll find tips on how to ease general discomfort and temporarily manage common appliance issues until you can see your orthodontist.
How to Address Common Orthodontic Issues
Having an orthodontic problem? Don't panic. Try these quick, easy fixes to help relieve discomfort and keep your treatment on track, then contact us to schedule a proper repair.
General Soreness
After getting your braces, it’s normal to feel general soreness in your mouth, and your teeth may be tender when you bite for three to five days. Stick to soft foods until chewing is comfortable.
Irritated gums and sore spots can be eased by rinsing your mouth with warm saltwater. Dissolve one teaspoon of salt in eight ounces of warm water and rinse vigorously. For more persistent tenderness, you can take Acetaminophen (Tylenol®) or whatever you normally use for headaches or similar soreness. Avoid aspirin, ibuprofen (Motrin®, Advil®), and Naproxen sodium (Naprosyn®, Anaprox®), as they can slow tooth movement if taken frequently while wearing braces.
Your lips, cheeks, and tongue may feel irritated for a week or two after getting your braces as they adjust. Applying orthodontic wax to the braces can help reduce rubbing and make things more comfortable. We’ll show you exactly how to do it!
Loose Bracket
If a bracket or band is still attached to the wire, leave it in place and use wax for comfort if needed. If it comes off easily, place it in an envelope and bring it with you to your next appointment.
Loose Wire
If a wire comes loose, you can try using tweezers or needle-nosed pliers to put it back in place. You can also use a piece of floss to tie the wire to the bracket if the colored o-ring is missing.
If the wire still isn’t comfortable and wax doesn’t help, you can carefully trim the wire behind the last tooth it is securely attached to using a small fingernail clipper. If the end of the wire is sharp after trimming, cover it with wax for comfort.
Loose Appliance
If your appliance is poking you, place wax on the offending part.
Poking Wire
Using a pencil eraser, push the poking wire down or place wax on it so that it is no longer poking.
Lost or Damaged Aligner
If an aligner is lost or damaged, give us a call to let us know. In the meantime, you can either go back to the previous aligner (if you still have it) or start the next one early.
Which option is best depends on how long you wore the lost aligner. If you had just started wearing it, go back to the previous one. If you wore it for more than a week, it’s usually okay to move on to the next aligner.