Life with Braces

Comfort Care

True orthodontic emergencies are very rare, but when they do occur we are always available. As a general rule, you should call our office on 615.269.5903 when you have a problem that you can’t take care of yourself. We will schedule an appointment to resolve it.

You can solve most minor problems yourself. When working with your braces, 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. Allowing your appliance to remain damaged for an extended period of time may result in disruptions in your treatment progress.

Should an emergency occur after hours, our staff are always on call and can be reached by calling the office in Nashville. The emergency number is available on the answering machine after normal business hours. If you have a sports accident or facial injury that requires an emergency room visit, please have someone there contact Dr. Gluck right away.

What you can do

Keep orthodontic wax and pencil eraser handy. Here are some tips for handling minor problems during your life with braces.

• Poking wire or bracket: Roll a piece of wax into a ball and press it onto the part that’s poking you. Try to keep the wax dry prior to placing it. The wax will come off frequently, so keep a supply with you.
• Broken Wire: Press the wire toward your teeth with a pencil eraser. If you are unable to push the wire out of the way, try cutting the part that is sticking out with wire cutters or a large finger nail clipper.
• Small cut: To help the cut heal, rinse your mouth with a mixture of 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 cup of warm water. Peroxyl, which you can buy over the counter, is also an excellent rinse to clean the cut and promote healing.

Call Gluck Orthodontics office during regular business hours if:

• An appliance breaks
• A piece of the appliance is loose
• An appliance gets lost
• An appliance does not fit properly

Call Gluck Orthodontics right away if:

• A broken appliance prevents the mouth from opening or closing
• Pain from an appliance is still felt even after taking over-the-counter pain relievers

Call 911 or your emergency number first, then call Gluck Orthodontics, if:

• A serious face or mouth injury occurs

For all other other inquires, please contact our office here.

 Life with Braces