What is an orthodontic emergency?

A poking wire, a loose bracket or band, a lost separator or anything that is not normal or causes you “unusual” discomfort.

What do I do if I have an orthodontic emergency during regular office hours?


If you have an orthodontic emergency during normal office hours, please call our office immediately to schedule an emergency appointment. We can be reached at 650-342-4171. If you already have an appointment scheduled in the near future, please call us so we can schedule additional time at that appointment, if needed, to take care of your emergency as well as your regularly scheduled appointment.

Please try to reach us for an appointment before coming into the office. By calling us we will be able to schedule the best time to take care of your emergency so that we do not keep you or our regularly scheduled patients waiting.

What do I do if I have an orthodontic emergency when the office is closed?

Here are some simple things you can do at home in case of an emergency:

Lost Separators
Some patients may lose a separator or spacer during their treatment.

If your separator falls out within 24 hours of your banding appointment please plan to come to our office 20 minutes early for your scheduled banding appointment. Let the receptionist know that your separator fell out and that you came in early to have it replaced. We will replace the separator 20 minutes before your appointment and ask you to have a seat back in the reception area. This way we will be able to see you for the banding appointment as scheduled.


If your separator falls out 2 or more days before your banding appointment, please call the office. We will probably want you to come in to replace the separator as soon as possible.


Loose Brackets or Bands

If a bracket becomes loose but it is not bothering you it is best to leave it alone and call the office for an appointment to repair it as soon as possible.

Poking Wires

Sometimes discomfort caused by a wire on your braces can be resolved by moving the wire away from the irritated area with a cotton swab or eraser.

If your archwire has “shifted” and is poking you in the back of the mouth, you can try shifting it back around with tweezers by grabbing the wire in the front and pulling it around or by using an eraser end at the back of the wire to push it around.

If the wire will not move try covering the end of it with a small amount of wax.

You can also use wax to stop a loose bracket from moving on the archwire by sliding the bracket towards another bracket and using the wax to “adhere” it to a bracket that is not loose.

If you need to cut a painful poking wire over the weekend or while out of town, you can cut it with fingernail clippers or fine wire cutter that have been washed and sanitized in alcohol.

Please call our office the next business day so that we may schedule an appointment for you to make any necessary repairs.

Mouth Irritations or Sores Caused by Poking Wires
Use warm salt-water rinses 3 to 4 times a day for several days to help with any gum irritation.

Discomfort with Orthodontic Treatment
Most orthodontic patient's experience some soreness or discomfort the first week after their braces are placed and also after routine archwire changes or adjustments.

You may take acetaminophen or other non-aspirin pain relievers while you adjust to your braces.

Using the Bite Wafer that was given to you at your initial banding appointment will help circulate blood flow and allow for faster recovery from soreness. Just place it in your mouth and lightly bite on it intermittently.

Eating softer foods and rinsing with warm salt water during this adjustment time can help with soreness as well.

Please call our office at anytime with questions regarding your treatment or your appliances. We are committed to making your orthodontic experience as comfortable as possible.