In Case of Emergency

Please call during office hours if possible

For assistance after our normal office hours, please call 240-305-6005. Dr. Heller will answer or you may leave a message or contact number where you can be reached.

When any part of your appliances is causing discomfort or is broken, please call our office right away for an evaluation. It may be necessary to adjust your next appointment to make time for repairs. Please understand that an emergency is not a scheduled appointment and therefore, may be limited to relieving your discomfort. Dr. Heller will decide if anything needs replacing. Please do not come in without calling ahead. Often we may be able to instruct you over the phone so that you can take care of a problem at home.

If a bracket breaks or comes off

When you find a broken bracket, it will tend to slide across your archwire in a back and forth motion. If it is a back bracket, slide the bracket off your arch wire and bring it to your next appointment. If your wire pokes after you have removed a bracket, go ahead and clip the wire with fingernail clippers or wire cutters. (if you are unable to clip the wire, place wax or sugarless gum over the poking wire and call our office so that we can clip it for you.) ALWAYS feel free to call the office at any time so that we can walk you through your emergency if necessary. Please remember to call the office the next business day during office hours so that we can schedule adequate time to repair your broken bracket.

If a wire is poking

As teeth move, the arch wire may extend past the last bracket and may cause discomfort. If this happens, you can clip it with fingernail clippers or wire cutters. (If you are unable to clip the wire, place wax or sugarless gum over the poking wire and call our office so that we can clip it for you.) ALWAYS feel free to call the office at any time so that we can walk you through your emergency if necessary.

If a plastic (colored) tie falls off

The small rubber ties that hold the archwire may sometimes roll off when eating or brushing. If one comes off, we can review with you, over the phone to see if it is necessary to have it replaced.

Please let us know the next business day during office hours if

• a brackets breaks
• an archwire breaks
• a hook for elastics (rubber bands) breaks
• you lose or run out of elastics
• you have a poking wire
• a headgear breaks
• a retainer is lost or broken

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