Emergency Orthodontist in Kent and Sammamish
Most orthodontic problems are not true emergencies, and many settle with a simple fix at home until your next visit. When you do need to be seen, Dr. Freelove treats you himself at the Kent or Sammamish office. Call ahead so the team can have the right parts ready. Active patients are seen promptly for orthodontic emergencies during office hours.
Reviewed and approved by Dr. Cameron Freelove, DDS, MS · Last updated
Is This an Emergency?
Most orthodontic problems are not true emergencies. The guidance below sorts the situation by urgency. Call 911 first for any breathing or uncontrolled-bleeding situation. For an orthodontic problem, call Freelove Orthodontics in Kent at (253) 852-7331 or Sammamish at (425) 651-2778. When in doubt, call. Dr. Freelove would rather have a two-minute phone conversation than let a small problem become a larger one.
Call 911 or Go to the ER First
Trauma: Knocked-out tooth, broken jaw, or facial injury during treatment, go to the ER or an emergency dentist first, then call or text Freelove Orthodontics & Smile Design for the braces component.
Breathing or choking: If a bracket, wire, or appliance was inhaled (not swallowed) and breathing is difficult, call 911.
Uncontrolled bleeding: A wire or appliance causing a wound that will not stop bleeding after 10 minutes of direct pressure.
Severe infection: Swelling in the jaw, face, or neck with fever, same-day medical care needed.
Manage at Home, Repair at Next Visit
Loose bracket still attached to the wire, cover with wax and call or text to schedule.
Poking wire, push flat with a pencil eraser or cover with wax.
Loose band, do not reattach. Save it and call or text to schedule.
Lost elastic, tie, or separator, not urgent. Replace at next visit.
General soreness after adjustment, normal for 2-3 days. OTC pain reliever plus soft foods.
Swallowed bracket or elastic, generally harmless and passes naturally. Call or text for replacement.
Self-Care First: At-Home Fixes That Work
Poking Wire
- Try pushing the wire flat against the tooth with the eraser end of a pencil.
- If it will not stay flat, roll a pea-sized ball of orthodontic wax and press it over the end of the wire.
- No wax on hand? A small piece of sugar-free gum or a moist cotton ball works temporarily.
Do not cut the wire yourself unless Dr. Freelove tells you to.
Loose Bracket
If the bracket is still on the wire, leave it in place and cover it with wax if it rubs your cheek. If it has come off completely, keep it in a small bag and bring it to your appointment. Do not try to reattach it yourself; bonding is done in the office.
Mouth Sores
New braces can rub the inside of the cheeks and lips for the first week or two. Rinse with warm salt water (one teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water) a few times a day, and cover any sharp spot with orthodontic wax. Over-the-counter oral gel can numb a sore while it heals.
Common Orthodontic Emergencies, Step by Step
Call 911 First
- Breathing or choking: if a braces component was inhaled (not swallowed) and breathing is difficult, call 911.
- Uncontrolled bleeding: a wound from a wire or appliance that will not stop bleeding after 10 minutes of pressure.
- Severe infection: swelling in the jaw, face, or neck with fever needs same-day medical or dental care.
Call Freelove Orthodontics (Same-Day When Possible)
- Bracket completely off the tooth.
- A loose or broken bracket or band. Call the office to have it re-secured rather than waiting for the next visit.
- Wire poking severely and causing cuts or bleeding that wax cannot control.
- Facial trauma during active treatment.
- An appliance broke and you cannot eat or close your mouth normally.
- Pain that is worsening rather than improving after three or more days.
Handle at Home, Mention at Next Visit
- General soreness in the first days after an adjustment.
- A wire end that wax is controlling.
How Freelove Orthodontics & Smile Design Schedules Emergency Visits
Call our Kent office at (253) 852-7331 or our Sammamish office at (425) 651-2778 to arrange emergency care. Please call ahead rather than walk in, so the team can confirm the issue and have the right repair parts ready before you arrive. Calling first lets the office prepare the specific parts your case needs.
Active patients: emergency care is provided promptly during office hours. Dr. Freelove sees you himself at the Kent or Sammamish office. Most repairs take 15 to 20 minutes.
Patients treated elsewhere: Freelove Orthodontics can see non-patients for a true orthodontic emergency for a $100 visit fee, subject to Dr. Freelove’s availability.
What It Costs
Current patients (all contracted): True emergencies during weekdays are seen promptly during office hours. Same-day appointments depend on doctor availability and presence in town.
Non-patients with active treatment elsewhere can be seen for $100 on weekdays, at the doctor’s discretion and not guaranteed. The emergency-visit fee applies independently of any subsequent care decision. Repairs of broken brackets, attachments, accessories, or tubes from another practice are only performed when the patient signs a full transfer-of-care contract at the time of the appointment. Call first so the office can confirm whether the visit is in scope.
Braces removal is by appointment. Current patients whose braces are ready to come off should call or text first; the team reserves the debonding visit so the right instruments and the retainer scan are ready.
When to Reach Out, and How
Reaching Us for an Emergency
- Call during office hours
- Kent: Wed–Fri 8:00 am–5:00 pm Sammamish: Mon–Tue 9:00 am–5:00 pm
- Text anytime, we reply during office hours
- Mon–Fri During Office Hours
- Kent
- (253) 852-7331
- Sammamish
- (425) 651-2778
At-Home Emergency Kit
Dr. Freelove offers an at-home orthodontic emergency kit that patients can buy at any time for $20 through the practice. It lets patients handle minor issues at home, so a poking wire, a loose bracket, or lost wax does not have to wait for office hours.
Call Kent at (253) 852-7331 or Sammamish at (425) 651-2778 for any of the situations below. When in doubt, call. During office hours the phone is answered directly. Office hours are Sammamish: Mon–Tue 9:00 am–5:00 pm, and Kent: Wed–Fri 8:00 am–5:00 pm. Outside those hours you can leave a message or text, and the team responds during the next office hours.
- A bracket or band has come completely off the tooth.
- A wire is poking severely and causing cuts or bleeding that wax cannot control.
- Facial trauma during active treatment.
- An appliance broke and you cannot eat or close your mouth normally.
- Pain that is worsening rather than improving after three or more days.
- Any situation that feels wrong. When in doubt, call.
Outside office hours, leave a message or text at Kent (253) 852-7331 or Sammamish (425) 651-2778, and the team will respond during the next office hours.
Preventing Orthodontic Emergencies
Avoid the Problem Foods
Hard foods (ice, hard candy, nuts, popcorn kernels), sticky foods (caramel, taffy, gummy candy), and biting directly into whole apples or corn on the cob are the most common causes of broken brackets. Cut hard foods into small pieces, slice apples, and cut corn off the cob. Avoid biting into anything firmer than a sandwich with the front teeth.
Wear a Mouthguard for Sports
An orthodontic mouthguard is worth wearing for any contact sport during treatment. It is shaped to fit over braces and protects both the appliance and the lips and cheeks on impact. A standard boil-and-bite guard does not fit well over braces.
Keep Up With Cleaning and Visits
Brushing after meals, flossing daily, and keeping scheduled adjustment visits prevent most small problems from turning into emergencies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need an appointment for an emergency?
Yes. Call Kent at (253) 852-7331 or Sammamish at (425) 651-2778 first rather than walking in. The team confirms the issue is a true emergency and has the right repair parts ready before you arrive.
How are emergency visits handled for active patients?
For patients in active treatment at Freelove Orthodontics, emergency care is provided promptly during office hours.
Can I be seen if I am a patient somewhere else?
For a true orthodontic emergency, Freelove Orthodontics can see a patient in active treatment elsewhere for a $100 visit fee, subject to Dr. Freelove’s availability.
My bracket came off. What should I do?
If the bracket is still on the wire, leave it in place and cover it with orthodontic wax if it rubs. If it came off completely, keep it and bring it to your visit. Call ahead so the team can prepare.
Common Reasons Families Call Our Emergency Line
Most after-hours calls trace to a small number of issues. Each one has a clearer next step than waiting until morning.
- Broken bracket or loose bracket on braces treatment. Usually a comfort visit; the wire is the priority, not the bracket itself.
- Lost or broken retainer.
- Poking wire from braces. Instructions for relief at home, then a comfort visit if needed.
- Loose or detached palatal expander. Bring the appliance and any loose bands; the practice rebonds same-day when possible.
- True urgent issue (significant pain, swelling, trauma). Call or text ahead so the right team is ready, or schedule a same-day comfort visit.
For directions and parking at the office: contact and location details.
Broken Bracket Protocol
Dr. Freelove asks patients to call ahead before coming in for a broken bracket, so the team can prepare the right parts. If a bracket comes off, keep it and bring it to the visit.
Need Help Now?
Call or text Freelove Orthodontics & Smile Design for same-day emergency care. Current patients: weekday emergency care is handled promptly during office hours, subject to doctor availability. Non-patients with active treatment elsewhere: $100 weekdays, subject to doctor availability.