If you are experiencing an orthodontic emergency

Call our office at (541) 474-0860.  During business hours, we can discuss options for care.  After hours, the answering message will give you the phone number for Dr. Matthews who is on call for you in case of emergency. 

General Soreness

Moving teeth often creates generalized soreness, not unlike that of a muscle ache after working out.  For most patients, this is tolerable and temporary, but some choose to manage the pain with over-the-counter medications such as Tylenol or Ibuprofen.  

Cheek, Tongue, and Lip Irritations

When braces are first placed, the cheeks, tongue, and lips have something entirely new to interact with.  Until they callous, this can be uncomfortable.  A simple solution to this is the application of wax to the offending brace or wire.

Loose Wire  

We do our best to ensure the stability of every appliance we place in the mouth, but at times, a wire will come loose and irritate the cheek.  Call our office for assistance and make an appointment to come in. In the meantime, here are a few options to help until you can come into the office for repair:

* If there is anything sharp or irritating cover it with wax or chewing gum as a temporary measure.

* If a bracket or band comes loose: Call the office - or the emergency number listed on our answering machine. 

Loose Brace

Call our office as soon as possible to have the brace replaced. Bring this with you to your repair appointment.

Broken Appliance

A broken retainer or other appliance will not function the way it should, and so teeth may be likely to move in an undesirable way.  Call our office as soon as possible to have a replacement made. 

Lost Separator

Call our office to determine if the lost separator needs to be replaced prior to the banding appointment.