After Hour Care | Allegheny Orthodontic Associates

Welcome to our after hour care page!

Orthodontic emergencies are usually rare, but in some occasions they can occur.

When to call our emergency line or our office:

You should call the office when your braces are causing a painful problem that you can't take care of yourself. We will talk you through how to temporarily resolve the discomfort over the phone or schedule an appointment if necessary.

Here are some links that may help you resolve your orthodontic problems:

Long Wire

How to subside a pokey wire:

Long pokey wires can be an uncomfortable and painful orthodontic problem:

Wax:

Be sure the area is dry, then place a softened piece of wax to the area causing the irritation.

Cotton:

If you do not have wax, a small piece of cotton or tissue can be used in it's place.

Nail Clippers:

If wax won't do the trick, and the wire needs to be cut immediately, you can use nail trimmers to trim the wire to make yourself comfortable.

1. Clean nail clippers with rubbing alcohol or hot water

2. In a well lit area, trim the wire as far back as you can and remove trimmed piece of wire.

Broken Brackets

What to do when you have a broken bracket:

Having a broken bracket is usually not painful or uncomfortable. If you notice that you have a broken bracket you should call our office to schedule an appointment to have it repaired. Although a broken bracket is not uncomfortable,

allowing your bracket to be off for a long amount of time may lead to delays and disruptions in your treatment.

Here are some causes of why your bracket may have broke:

If you are eating anything hard, crunchy, or chewy, biting into a sandwich or chewing gum.
Hit in the face / mouth area.
Not wearing your bite plate, may also result in breaking your lower brackets off.

No-No Food List

Making palet expander turns

Making Palatal Expander Turns:

Making the first couple turns on a Palatal Expander can be challenging at first.

Here are some causes of why you may be having problems turning a Palatal Expander:

Palatal Expander Print Out

Wearing Elastics

Wearing Your Elastics:

Starting to wear elastics can be a challenge and frustrating. However, YOU CAN DO IT! After a few tries, you will be wearing your elastics like a pro! If you happen to forget how to wear your elastics, you can refer to the photos below:

Here are some ways elastics are worn:

Keep in mind, not everyone wears their elastics the same way. If you are unsure of how you are to wear your elastics, please give our office a call. We can assist you! Wearing the wrong type of elastics or not wearing elastics when recommended by the orthodontist can delay or disrupt your treatment.