Emergency Info

For an emergency visit please contact our office. If you have an emergency that requires immediate attention after office hours, our emergency phone number (225) 936-9394 will allow you to leave a message or get in touch with Dr. Sherman, Dr. Balhoff or one of our trained assistants. You may be able to fix the problem yourself or give yourself temporary relief until your next visit by following the directions given below about your specific problem.

If a rubber spacer falls out...
If a wire is causing irritation...
If the main wire has come out of the tube or pipe...
If a bracket is loose...
If a piece of your braces breaks...
If you swallow a piece of your appliance...
If a retainer cracks...
If your teeth are sore after a visit...
If food becomes stuck between your teeth...
If you cut the inside of your mouth...
If you break off part of your tooth...
If a permanent tooth gets loose...
If a permanent tooth is knocked out...
If you think you have broken your jaw...

If a rubber spacer falls out, take two pieces of dental floss and insert them through the spacer. Then pull on both pieces of floss to stretch the spacer and slide the spacer back and forth between the two teeth where it belongs. When the bottom half of the spacer slips under the tight spot between the teeth, release and remove the floss and the spacer should now be back in place.

If a wire is causing irritation, try pushing the wire away from the area being irritated using the eraser end of a pencil or a Q-Tip. If the wire cannot be tucked in, cover the end of the wire with a small piece of wax, a cotton ball, or a piece of sugarless gum, until you can see your our team for an adjustment. Cuffing the wire should only be done as a last resort if our help is unavailable.

If the main wire has come out of the tube or pipe on the back molar tooth, you may attempt to reinsert the wire with a pair of needle nosed pliers or tweezers. If you are having a difficult time and the wire is not sticking you, place a piece of wax over the area. If the wire is sticking you and wax does not help, the wire can be cut, with a small wire cutter or toenail clipper, close to the back of the last brace. Cutting the wire should only be done as a last resort if our help is unavailable.

If a bracket (brace) is loose, in most cases, it will remain connected to the main wire by a little rubber ring that is often colored. You may use a pair of eyebrow tweezers to reposition the brace if it flips around the wire and becomes a source of irritation. Call our office to let us know about your situation.

If a piece of your braces breaks, save the piece and call our office to schedule a repair visit.

If you swallow a piece of your appliances, please remain calm. A swallowed piece will usually go either into the stomach or the lungs. Most of the time it will go in the stomach and pass out of the body in a bowel movement. However, if difficulty breathing is experienced, you should seek immediate medical attention and contact us right away at 225-936-9394. X-rays will be taken to determine the position of the swallowed piece and your physicians will counsel you on your options concerning retrieval of the stray piece.

If a retainer cracks, remove the retainer from your mouth and bring all the pieces to our office for repair. If the retainer is left out for any lengthy period of time, teeth will typically shift into irregular positions.

If your teeth are sore after a visit , take Tylenol, ibuprofen or aspirin unless you are allergic to them. Rinsing your mouth with a teaspoon of salt dissolved in a glass of warm water can also be soothing. If your teeth get sore suddenly in the middle of the month, give our office a call because it is unusual for the teeth to get sore several weeks after your last office visit.

If food becomes stuck between your teeth, use dental floss or a proxy brush to dislodge the food. It sometimes helps to tie a small knot in the middle of the floss and then slide the floss back and forth through the food mass.

If you cut the inside of your cheek, gums or tongue, apply finger pressure to the bleeding site for several minutes. If the bleeding won't clot, call our office or your general dentist. To alleviate the discomfort from the cut, place a small piece of wax on the area that seems to be causing the cut.

If you break off part of your tooth, locate the broken piece and take it to your general dentist immediately. He or she can place a medication on the damaged tooth and can sometimes glue the broken piece back on.

If a permanent tooth gets loose, call our office to discuss the movement. A little movement is normal when wearing braces. However, if a tooth can be pushed upward towards the gums with just finger pressure that is unusual.

If a permanent tooth is knocked out of your mouth completely, pick the tooth up by its top or crown, not by its root(s). Inspect the tooth. If the tooth is clean, place the tooth back into its socket immediately. If the tooth is dirty, rinse the tooth off by jiggling it in a cup of water or milk before placing it back in its socket. Do not scrub the tooth. Compare the appearance of the tooth to neighboring teeth to make sure the tooth is not turned around backward. Hold the tooth in its socket and immediately go to your general dentist or contact us at our office. If it is not possible for you to reinsert the tooth in its socket, place the tooth in a container of milk or cool water and carry it to your dentist immediately. If the tooth remains outside of the mouth for over 30 minutes, it will seldom survive.

If you think that you have broken your jaw, immobilize the jaw by any means (handkerchief, necktie, towel). If swelling is present, apply cold compresses. Call your general dentist or go immediately to a hospital emergency room. Have relatives bring any picture of your smile to the hospital to aid the surgeons in re-establishing your bite and smile.