Orthodontic Emergency Care with McClellan Orthodontics

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 can't take care of yourself. We’ll be able to schedule an appointment with Dr. McClellan.

You might be surprised to learn that you may be able to temporarily solve many problems yourself until you schedule an appointment with McClellan Orthodontics.

The following solutions may help you relieve your discomfort:

Poking Wire: Using a pencil eraser, push the poking wire down or place wax on it to alleviate the discomfort.

Loose Bracket or Band: If your bracket or band is still attached to the wire, you should leave it in place and put wax on it. If the wire comes out entirely, wrap the bracket with a tissue.

Loose Wire: Using a tweezers, try to place your wire back into place. If doing this and using wax does not help, as a last resort use a small fingernail clipper to clip the wire behind the last tooth to which it is securely fastened. If your discomfort continues, place wax on it.

Loose Appliance: If your appliance is poking you, place wax on the offending part of your appliance.

Headgear Does Not Fit: Sometimes headgear discomfort is caused by not wearing the headgear as instructed by your orthodontist. Please refer to the instructions provided by your orthodontist. If the facebow is bent, please call our office for assistance. Surprisingly, headgear becomes more comfortable the more it's worn, so be sure you’re getting in the prescribed hours.

General Soreness: When you get your braces on, you may feel general soreness in your mouth and teeth may be tender to biting pressures for three to five days. This can be relieved by rinsing your mouth with a warm salt water mouthwash. Dissolve one teaspoonful of salt in 8 ounces of warm water, and rinse your mouth vigorously. If the tenderness is severe, take aspirin or whatever you normally take for headache or similar pain.

Remember, after alleviating your discomfort, it is still very important that you call our office as soon as possible to schedule a time to repair the problem.

Summer reading with McClellan Orthodontics

With summer in full swing, some of us at McClellan Orthodontics wanted to remind all our patients about the importance of reading. Sure it’s easy to keep putting off reading this time of year, but reading during the summer is a vital step in brain development and warding off the dreaded “summer slide.” Plus, it's fun!

This summer, our office manager Patti Mosberg recommends the Hunger Games trilogy for young adults. Similarly to Harry Potter, she's noticed that both adults and children can't seem to put it down! Other quick, good reads are The Help, The Kitchen House and Persian Girls.

Today, we thought we’d ask: What's on YOUR summer reading list? What are some of your all-time favorites? Feel free to share your favorite summer picks or all-time favorites on our Facebook page.

What do you LOVE about Kenilworth?

McClellan Orthodontics, your Kenilworth orthodontist, is situated around some pretty unique neighborhoods. Each is special with its own personality, created by the people and places (and our amazing patients) living within.

Today, Dr. McClellan and our team thought we'd ask: What are your favorite things about Kenilworth? Is there a local event you attend every year? Do you have a favorite eatery? Perhaps a favorite getaway in Illinois?

Please feel free to share some information about your favorite local hang-outs in Kenilworth, and everything you love best about “your neck of the woods” in Illinois.

If you need to schedule your next appointment, give us a call! Have a great week!

June is National Smile Month!

According to the American Dental Association, a person's smile outranked eyes, hair and body as the most important physical feature, which is why it's important for our team at McClellan Orthodontics to support National Smile Month this June.

Show off your pearly whites by posting your favorite smile photos on the wall of our Facebook page. We look forward to seeing what you share!

Flossing with braces, from Dr. McClellan

Dr. McClellan will tell you that keeping your teeth clean is more important than ever when you have braces. Food bits have more spots than usual to hide in your mouth, so you must be diligent in order to avoid bad breath, swollen gums, discolored teeth and cavities. If you remove plaque regularly during treatment, you'll experience better results and could possibly reduce your treatment time.

Here is a very concise video explaining the proper way to floss your teeth with braces. Give McClellan Orthodontics a call if you have more questions about flossing. Enjoy!