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While modern orthodontic appliances are comfortable and durable, they’re not immune to the occasional mishap. Whether you have a poking wire or sustain a dental injury while playing sports with braces, you might be wondering what the protocol is. The team at The Brace Place has you covered. Here are the top 7 things to do right away if you find yourself in the midst of a braces emergency:

1. Stay Calm

Take a deep breath. The truth is, true orthodontic emergencies are extremely rare. The majority of issues can actually be handled at home until you’re able to get to our Tulsa or Claremore orthodontic office. 

2. Assess the Situation

Is it a loose or broken braces bracket? Is a wire irritating your cheek? Are you experiencing discomfort because you have a piece of food stuck in your appliance? Figuring out exactly what the problem is will allow you to take the right course of action. 

Keep in mind, you should never feel severe braces pain or have any bleeding. If you do, it’s likely the result of a bigger issue like an injury or a dental infection, which brings us to our next step. 

3. Go to the ER for a True Emergency

If you’re having uncontrollable bleeding from your mouth or you suspect a concussion or fractured jaw after a blow to the face, go to the emergency room immediately. 

For signs of an oral infection (i.e., pain, fever, a pimple on the gums, a bad taste in the mouth, facial swelling, etc.) or a knocked out, displaced or fractured tooth, head to your general dentist as soon as possible. 

Oral infections can spread to the jaw and even other areas of the body, so getting treatment is key. As for a damaged tooth, the sooner you get emergency dental care, the more likely it is that the tooth can be saved. 

Once you’ve dealt with the more urgent concerns, call our office. We can repair your braces if needed to keep your treatment on track. 

4. Break Out Your Braces Wax

A loose or broken bracket on your braces can sometimes rub against the inside of your mouth. It can also leave you with excess wire. In this situation, having your braces kit on hand with some orthodontic relief wax will be super helpful. 

The wax acts as a buffer between your appliance and the soft tissues of your mouth. Plus, it’s great for holding a broken bracket in place and preventing it from spinning around on the wire. 

Before covering a loose bracket with wax, slide it back into its proper position. For a poking braces wire, it can be helpful to carefully push the wire out of the way and against the nearest tooth with the eraser end of a new pencil or a cotton swab first. 

Here’s how to use wax for braces:

• Pull off a small piece of wax.
• Roll it in between your fingers to warm it up. 
• Flatten the wax against the part of your braces that’s bothering you.

Pro tip: For extra staying power, use a clean tissue or piece of gauze to dry the section of braces off prior to placing the wax. 

5. Try a Temporary Fix

Putting wax on your braces is often enough to keep you comfortable until you get to the orthodontist. However, if a poking braces wire is particularly bothersome and wax doesn’t help, you can clip it on your own. Using a pair of sterilized nail clippers, gently cut the wire close to the nearest tooth and then cover it with braces wax. 

6. Swish With Saltwater

Warm saltwater soothes irritation and reduces inflammation and bacteria. Mix ½ teaspoon of salt into eight ounces of warm water. Swish the saltwater around in your mouth for a few seconds and then spit it out. Continue until you finish the glass. You can repeat this as often as necessary. 

7. Call Your Orthodontist

After you have the immediate discomfort under control, contact our office. A friendly team member will let you know if you should come in for a repair appointment or if it’s something that can wait until your regularly scheduled visit. If you need guidance on using your braces wax or clipping a wire, call us first and we’ll walk you through it! 

Looking for an emergency orthodontist in Tulsa or Claremore?

Whether you’re a patient or you’re traveling in the area, reach out if you’re dealing with a braces emergency. Our orthodontist Dr. Anand Patel is always happy to help. Or, if you haven’t started treatment yet, book a complimentary consultation at The Brace Place today! 

It’s safe to say that teeth straightening should be facilitated by an orthodontist. After all, a certified specialist in orthodontics has professional knowledge of dental anatomy and years of experience in orthodontic procedures. Orthodontists straighten teeth safely, with results that fulfill a patient’s unique aesthetic and functional goals.

Unfortunately, recent years have seen an uptick in DIY clear aligner treatment: people trying to straighten their smile with online services and products. These offer minimal to no supervision by an orthodontic or dental professional and Dr. Anand Patel and The Brace Place team caution against going it alone.

At face value, DIY clear aligners seem like a win-win for convenience and price, but the trade-off is risky. At-home clear aligners put all or most of the orthodontic decision-making on the patient: diagnosing their own case, taking their own impressions, and supervising their own progress. This can lead to permanent damage to teeth or issues that need extractions or surgery to correct. 

DIY teeth straightening also poses potential problems such as inaccurate impressions, trays that don’t fit, and root resorption from teeth moved too aggressively. The latter results in shorter tooth roots and less secure teeth.

Peace-of-Mind with Orthodontist Oversight

In contrast, oversight from a specialist in orthodontics ensures everything is precise, safe, and goes right every step of the way. At The Brace Place, Invisalign® treatment starts with high-tech digital teeth scans with an iTero® scanner — no goopy impression molds to mess up. And patients receive custom treatment planning that addresses both the look and function of their teeth. During treatment, oversight by an orthodontic specialist also allows for treatment adjustments in response to how teeth are moving in real time. The result? The best outcomes possible.

Confidence also comes from an orthodontist’s credentials. Tulsa and Claremore orthodontist, Dr. Patel, brings the following to every clear aligner case:

• 25 years of orthodontic experience
• status as an Invisalign Gold Provider Plus
• American board certified designation
• personalized service and custom treatment planning.

As for convenience? Clear aligner treatment with an orthodontist is easy with minimal interruption to daily life — only a few check-ins to ensure teeth are on-track. Time well spent for the assurance that teeth are responding well to clear aligner treatment.

About The Brace Place

The team at The Brace Place believes everyone deserves a stunning smile. For more than two decades, Dr. Anand Patel has transformed smiles from crooked to confident. As a Tulsa and Claremore, OK, orthodontic specialist, he pairs the latest orthodontic technology and treatments with fun, friendly service. Patients enjoy a safe, precise orthodontic experience with braces or Invisalign® — with flexible payment plans, transparent communication, and excellent results.

To get started with clear aligners at your Tulsa and Claremore orthodontist, book a first appointment today.

A genuine smile is a universal sign of connection and goodwill. But did you know there’s more to smiling than just that? 

Since we’re all about smiles at The Brace Place, we want to share a few fun facts about this powerful expression. And maybe the next time you smile or someone smiles at you, one of these eight fun smile facts might pop into your head… and make you smile even bigger!

1. A smile can boost your mood 

Does smiling make you happy? Simply put, yes. Even when you don’t feel like smiling, simulating a genuine smile can lift your mood. Several studies show that smiling kickstarts a chemical reaction in your brain, releasing feel-good hormones like dopamine and serotonin. These hormones help reduce depression and aggression. 

2. Smiling can reduce stress 

We all experience stress at one time or another. But taking a moment to pause and smile can bring you some relief. Physical benefits of smiling — like lowering your heart rate and cortisol levels — can better your mood, improving your health and immune system.

In one study, participants were given stress-inducing activities while holding chopsticks in their mouths to maintain a neutral expression, a standard smile, or a Duchenne smile (a smile that extends to the muscles around your eyes). The outcome? The types of smiles didn’t matter too much but it’s clear that smiling wins: those who had smiling expressions had lower heart rates and recovered more quickly from their stress than those with neutral faces. 

3. Smiling can contribute to a longer life

The importance of your smile is not only about brightening the moment but can have long-term effects, too. Another study on the benefits of smiling and types of smiles catalogued player smiles on MLB baseball cards from 1952 and compared how long they lived. From no smile to a partial smile to a Duchenne smile, the bigger the smile, the longer the life. On average, those who didn’t smile lived 72.9 years, those with a partial smile lived 75 years, and players with a Duchenne smile lived 79.9 years.

4. A smile can make you seem more intelligent

Job interview or first date, the benefits of smiling are many — including giving off the impression you’re a smart cookie! Case in point: researchers showed participants pictures of faces, asking to rate them for intelligence. Smiling faces were ranked as having “high intelligence” more often than non-smiling faces. And what contributes to an attractive smile? Straight, healthy teeth — often achieved with braces or Invisalign.

5. Smiling is contagious

Adding to our fun facts about smiling: that it’s contagious. When you smile at someone, their brain responds with “sensorimotor simulation,” fancy-speak for mimicking an expression involuntarily. In fact, a study from Sweden showed that subjects had difficulty frowning when looking at a smiling face, their facial muscles fighting an automatic smile response.

So why do our brains do that? Responding with a smile is our brain’s way of showing empathy. And since smiling has a positive effect (as we’ve mentioned in smile fun facts #1 and #2) there are really no downsides to responding to a smile with a smile. 

6. Smiles come in 19 different types 

We smile for all sorts of reasons, with a variety of different smiles. A UC-San Francisco researcher identified 19 types of smiles, putting them into two categories: the polite smile which engages fewer facial muscles, and the sincere smile that uses more muscles. And psychologist, Paul Ekman, identified individual types of smiles, like the felt smile, fear smile, miserable smile, and flirtatious smile. 

7. Smiling is a baby’s first facial expression

One of the cutest facts about smiling? We’re hardwired to smile, right from the womb. In fact, 4D scanning has shown that some babies actually smile in utero. Once they’re born, babies reflexively smile in their sleep, then start smiling in response to people around them between six to 12 weeks old. 

8. A smile is the most recognizable facial expression 

People can recognize a smile from up to 300 feet away, making it the most easily recognizable facial expression. And since smiling is a universal sign of happiness, it’s an easy way to communicate across cultures — more than handshakes, hugs, or bows which can have different meanings for different traditions. 

Smile bigger with the Brace Place

Dr. Patel and The Brace Place team hope these fun facts about smiling have made you grin! And now that you know more about the importance of your smile, contact your Tulsa and Claremore orthodontist today for a free consultation to improve yours!