Emergency Orthodontist — Bend, OR

Orthodontic Care Right When You Need It

True orthodontic emergencies are rare, but when they occur we are available to you. As a general rule, you should call our orthodontic office when you experience severe pain or have a painful appliance problem you can't take care of yourself. We'll be able to schedule an appointment to resolve the problem with emergency orthodontic care in our Bend, OR orthodontic office. For emergency orthodontic care right when you need, don’t hesitate to give us a call!

Why Choose Struble Orthodontics for Emergency Dental Care?

  • Same-Day Emergency Appointments Available
  • Team of Highly-Experienced Professionals Focused On Your Comfort
  • Dedicated to Affordable, High-Quality Orthodontic Care

What to Do in an Orthodontic Emergency

woman in need of an emergency orthodontist in Bend

If you think you or a loved one may be experiencing an orthodontic emergency, it’s important to keep your cool. All you need to do is call Struble Orthodontics to get your smile and your treatment back on track! Here’s what to do in an orthodontic emergency:

  • Step 1: Call us right away. We do everything we can to see emergency patients the same day they call us, so don’t hesitate to reach out! Over the phone, we’ll also walk you through what you can do to manage your situation from home.
  • Step 2: See your Bend emergency orthodontist. When you arrive, one of our orthodontists will see you right away for evaluation. From there, we can review our findings with you and explain how we recommend treating the problem.
  • Step 3: Get the care you need. In the majority of cases, we’ll be able to fix your orthodontic emergency right away quickly and easily. Rarely, we may need to schedule you for a follow-up appointment or refer you to your general dentist for extra treatment. Whatever is needed, we’ll help you regain your happy, healthy smile in no time!

The Most Common Orthodontic Emergencies

You might be surprised to learn that you may be able to solve many problems yourself temporarily until you can get to our orthodontic office. After alleviating your discomfort, it is very important that you still call our orthodontic 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 to your treatment plan. Here are some of the most common orthodontic emergencies we treat:

Keys to Preventing Orthodontic Emergencies

Orthodontist checking smiling patient's braces

Fortunately, broken brackets, loose wires, and the like happen quite rarely. In fact, with the right habits in place, it’s very likely that you’ll go through your entire orthodontic treatment without any problems at all! So, if you aren’t already, make sure you implement the following best practices:

Visit Your Dentist Regularly

Orthodontic assistant and patient smiling at reflection in mirror

The development of cavities can bring your treatment plan to a stop, at least temporarily. However, that’s not the only reason you need to visit your dentist for a checkup and cleaning every six months. At these appointments, your dental team removes plaque, tartar, and other debris that you might have missed. This is crucial because brushing and flossing around the brackets and wires can take some adjusting to, and you don’t want a serious oral health issue developing because of that.

Maintain Good Oral Hygiene At Home

Closeup of woman with braces smiling while brushing her teeth

To remove food particles and other debris from your teeth and gums on a daily basis, you need to brush, floss, and rinse with an antimicrobial mouthwash consistently. It can also be helpful to switch up the oral hygiene tools you use during your orthodontic treatment, like getting a water flosser or interproximal toothbrush. These will help you thoroughly clean your mouth, reducing your chances of developing tooth decay, gum disease, and the like.

Abide by the Dietary Restrictions

Man sitting at table while eating salad

Avoiding raw nuts, hard pretzels, tortilla chips, and other crunchy foods might be difficult at first, especially if they were a staple in your diet before getting braces. However, these items can easily cause a bracket to break or a wire to snap, which can be both stressful and inconvenient to handle. That’s why we recommend filling your plate with nutrient-dense foods that are a bit softer, like cooked vegetables, oatmeal, and plain yogurt.

Wear a Mouthguard

Orthodontist holding white and blue mouthguard

There’s no way around it; if you participate in sports, you need to wear a mouthguard. In fact, even if you surf, skateboard, run, or are involved in another non-contact sport, it’s still recommended that you have one. After all, the last thing you want is a bad fall to break your braces (or your teeth!). The good news is that you don’t have to go far to find a custom mouthguard – our team at Struble Orthodontics can help!

Use Tools to Open Packages, Not Your Teeth

Patient using bottle cap opener

In short, you should never use your teeth to open a bottle of soda, bite your nails, or hold your car keys. Your teeth aren’t designed to withstand that level of pressure, and your braces aren’t either. So, it’s likely that your teeth will crack or your braces will break.