Quick Answer: Most loose brackets, poking wires, and damaged aligners are not life-threatening, but they still require a call to your orthodontist. Seek urgent medical or dental care for heavy bleeding, breathing trouble, severe swelling, major facial injuries, or a knocked-out permanent tooth.
What Is a True Emergency?
Some injuries need immediate medical or dental care instead of an orthodontic appointment. Call 911 or seek urgent care if bleeding will not stop, breathing or swallowing is difficult, facial swelling is severe, the jaw may be broken, or the face or mouth has suffered a serious injury.
A permanent tooth that has been knocked out or pushed far out of place also needs urgent dental care. Once the immediate injury is treated, contact Miler Orthodontics so the team can check your braces, aligners, or appliance.
When Should You Call Miler Orthodontics?
Call the office if a bracket becomes loose, a wire breaks or pokes your mouth, an appliance shifts, or an aligner or retainer cracks, bends, or stops fitting.
You should also call if pain is severe, unusual, or not improving. Explain what happened and where you feel discomfort. The team can tell you whether you need an earlier appointment or whether the problem can safely wait.
What Can You Do While You Wait?
Mild soreness after braces are placed or adjusted is common. Minor irritation from a bracket or wire may also be manageable for a short time.
Orthodontic wax can cover a sharp area, and a warm salt water rinse may soothe a sore spot. These steps may provide temporary comfort, but they do not repair the appliance.
Do not pull on loose parts, force a damaged aligner onto your teeth, or attempt a difficult repair. Follow the instructions given by the orthodontic team.
What If You Are Not Sure It Is an Emergency?
You do not need to diagnose the problem yourself. Check for heavy bleeding, swelling, breathing trouble, severe pain, broken teeth, or visible appliance damage.
Then call Miler Orthodontics and explain what you see and feel. The team may recommend temporary home care, an earlier orthodontic visit, a general dentist, or urgent medical care.
Where Should You Go for Help?
Heavy bleeding, breathing trouble, major facial trauma, or a possible broken jaw requires emergency medical care. A knocked-out or badly displaced permanent tooth needs urgent dental care.
A loose bracket, poking wire, damaged aligner, or shifted appliance usually requires a call to Miler Orthodontics. Mild soreness after an adjustment can often be monitored, but call the office if it becomes severe or does not improve.
Contact Miler Orthodontics
Call the office that manages your treatment and explain the problem clearly.
Bluffton office: 843-815-2521
Beaufort office: 843-379-9200
For a life-threatening emergency, call 911 before contacting the orthodontic office.
