True orthodontic emergencies are very rare, but when they do occur we are available to you. As a general rule, you should call the office when you experience severe pain or when you have a painful appliance problem that you cannot take care of yourself. We will be able to schedule an appointment to resolve the problem.

You might be surprised to learn that you may be able to temporarily solve many problems yourself until you schedule an appointment with our office. Here are some suggestions:

• If a wire protrudes and is irritating, use a blunt instrument (back of spoon or the eraser end of a pencil) and carefully, gently push the irritating wire towards the tooth or brace. This will move it away from the lips or cheek. If the irritation continues, place wax on the wire to reduce the discomfort.
• If any piece of your appliance comes off, save it and bring it with you to the office.
• After alleviating your discomfort, it is very important that you still call our office as soon as possible to schedule a time to repair the problem.

Call us at 703-818-8860 to schedule a repair appointment. During non-business hours, please follow the instructions on our answering service and we will get back to you as soon as possible