Home » Orthodontic Emergencies
If you need to see a member of the team urgently before your next scheduled appointment, call our friendly reception team on either 01962 710880 for Winchester, or 01730 269099 for Petersfield, and they will be able to book an appointment in the diary for you. Please bear in mind that emergency appointments will be assessed accordingly by our reception team and booked into our next available space.
If you have an emergency outside of our opening hours and wish to be seen please contact the NHS emergency helpline on 111 and they will be able to assist you in making alternative arrangements.
You may find that at any stage during the treatment process one or more of the brackets come away from the teeth. This is not uncommon and can be easily fixed. Brackets come off for a number of reasons, but the most common is that the patient has eaten something hard that has put pressure on the brace and caused the bond to break. If you have noticed you are suddenly missing a bracket or it is moving along the wire, call the practice and we will arrange for you to have it replaced. If it is less than 1 week until your next scheduled appointment with us it is fine to leave until then, but any longer than that, you will need to contact our reception team on to make an emergency appointment.
If the bracket is loose but still attached to the wire you can easily remove it at home if it is bothering you.
It is very normal to experience some discomfort during the first few days after the brace has been fitted. Any tenderness of the teeth should settle by itself within a week and we advise the use of pain killers if necessary (the kind you would usually take for a headache). If your discomfort does not settle by itself and you are becoming concerned, do not hesitate to contact us for further advice.
Aside from tenderness of the teeth you may also notice that the brackets or attachments may rub against your cheeks, and in the first few days you may notice an ulcer or two appear. Again this is a normal part of the orthodontic process and your cheeks will adjust to the new appliance within a few weeks. In the meantime we recommend the use of wax to prevent further rubbing from the brackets. Instructions on how to use wax will be given to you when the brace is fitted but if you are unsure a member of the team will be happy to help you.
If the discomfort persists or becomes increasingly worse at any time during treatment, do not wait until your next appointment, call the practice to get further advice.