Orthodontic emergencies are rare
When they do occur, Dr. Gurza and his staff are available to you.

When to call the office
As a general rule, you should call our office when you experience severe pain or when you have a painful appliance problem that you can't take care of yourself. We'll be able to schedule an appointment to resolve the problem.

When the office is closed and for emergencies involving severe pain,
page Dr. Gurza for immediate assistance: (416) 713-3323.

Self-service relief from discomfort
You might be surprised to learn that you may be able to temporarily solve many problems yourself until you schedule an appointment with our office. When working with your appliances, you need to know the names of the parts of your appliances so you are able to identify what part is broken or out of place. After alleviating your discomfort, it is very important that you still call our office as soon as possible to schedule a time to repair the problem. Allowing your appliance to remain damaged for an extended period of time may result in disruptions in your treatment plan.

View the video for more information about what to do in an emergency.
View a diagram of the parts of braces.

The following specific solutions may help you relieve your discomfort:

Poking Wire
Using a pencil eraser, push the poking wire down or place wax on it to alleviate the discomfort.
View the video for more information about a Poking Wire.

Loose Bracket or Band
If your bracket or band is still attached to the wire, you should leave it in place and put wax on it. If the wire comes out entirely, wrap the bracket with a tissue.
View the video for more information about a Loose Bracket or Band.

Loose Wire
Using a tweezer, try to place your wire back into place. If doing this and using wax does not 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 your discomfort continues, place wax on it.
View the video for more information about a Loose Wire.

Loose Appliance
If your appliance is poking you, place wax on the offending part of your appliance.
View the video for more information about an Appliance.

Headgear Does Not Fit
Sometimes headgear discomfort is caused by not wearing the headgear as instructed by Dr. Gurza. Please refer to the instructions provided by Dr. Gurza. If the facebow is bent, please call our office for assistance. Surprisingly, the headgear may hurt less if it's worn more, so be sure you're getting in the prescribed hours.
View the video for more information about Headgear that Does Not Fit.

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. This can be relieved by rinsing your mouth with a warm saltwater mouthwash. Dissolve 5 mL of salt in 235 mL of warm water, and rinse your mouth vigorously. Placing Orabase on the affected area may help; this can be found in your local pharmacy. If the tenderness is severe, take aspirin or whatever you normally take for headache or similar pain.

The lips, cheeks, and tongue may also become irritated for one to two weeks as they toughen and become accustomed to the surface of the braces. You can put wax on the braces to lessen this. We'll show you how!
View the video for more information about General Soreness.