If you are experiencing an orthodontic emergency that can not wait until normal business hours, please call our office, 303-805-7111 and listen to the instructions for after hours care.
If you have an emergency such as a pokey wire or a broken bracket, please call our office at your earliest convenience. We can usually accomodate these appointments the same day, but they do require an appointment. Please be aware we are unable to accomodate patients without a scheduled appintment.
All office visits, including emergency visits, are by appointment only.
Please don't hesitate to call our office when you experience severe discomfort or have an orthodontic appliance problem. We'll be able to schedule an appointment to resolve the problem.
You might be surprised to learn that you may be able to solve many problems yourself temporarily until you can get to our office. If there is a loose piece that you can remove, put it in a plastic bag or envelope and bring it with you to your next appointment. If your braces are poking you, put soft wax on the piece that's sticking out. If the wire has slid to one side, you can pull it back to the other side with needle-nosed pliers, replacing it in the tube on the back tooth.
After alleviating your discomfort, it is very important that you call our office as soon as possible to schedule a time to repair your appliance. Allowing your appliance to remain damaged for an extended period of time may result in disruptions to your treatment time.
General soreness
When you get your braces on, you may feel general soreness in your mouth, and teeth may be tender to biting pressures for three to five days. Stick to a soft diet until your teeth do not hurt to chew. Irritated gums and other sore spots can be relieved by rinsing your mouth with a warm salt-water mouthwash. Dissolve one teaspoonful of salt in eight ounces of warm water, and rinse your mouth vigorously. If the tenderness is severe, take Acetaminophen, Aspirin, Ibuprofen (or whatever you normally take for headache or similar pain).
The lips, cheeks, and tongue may become irritated for one to two weeks as they learn a new posture and become accustomed to the surface of the braces. You can put wax on the braces to lessen this. We'll show you how!
Loose bracket
If your bracket or band is still attached to the wire, you should leave it in place and put wax on it if needed for comfort. If the bracket or band can be removed easily, place it in an envelope and save it to bring to your next appointment.
Loose wire
Using a pair of tweezers or needle-nosed pliers, 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 of the missing colored o-ring. If you cannot put the wire into a comfortable position, and covering the end with wax doesn't help, as a last resort use a small fingernail clipper to clip the wire behind the last tooth to which it is securely fastened. If the end of the wire is still sharp place wax on it.
Poking wire
Using a pencil eraser, push the poking wire down or place wax on it so that it is no longer poking.
Elastics (Rubber Bands)
Wearing rubber bands improves the fit of your upper and lower teeth or your jaw which in turn improves your bite. If you have any questions about your rubber bands, what they do or how to wear them, please be sure to ask.
Please click to download more information. PDF
Adjusting the palatal expander
You can also download these instructions in a printable PDF document.
Step 1
In a well-lit area, tip the patient's head back.
Step 2
Place the key in the hole until it is firmly in place.
Step 3
Push the key toward the back of the mouth. You will notice the fender will rotate and the new hole will appear. The rotation stops when the key meets the back of the expander.
Step 4
Press back and down toward the tongue to remove the key. The next hole for insertion of the key should now be visible.