When should I call the orthodontist after my child gets Invisalign braces?

Call your orthodontist if your child has irritation that might be from an allergic reaction to the Invisalign braces plastic aligner tray.

Call your orthodontist if your child has tooth pain. Invisalign braces may aggravate a previous tooth condition or cause problems with crowns and bridges, requiring more dental treatment. Call your orthodontist if your child loses (or swallows) her aligner. Your orthodontist can order up to six replacement aligners for your child at no cost to you.

It is not necessary to call your orthodontist if your child has gum and tooth soreness; this soreness, which is normal, simply means that her teeth are moving. It may take some time for your child's mouth to adjust to having the aligner trays in, and this can affect her speech; you don't need to call her orthodontist about this. You also do not need to call your child's orthodontist if the trays cause her mouth to produce more saliva initially or if she experiences tooth sensitivity when the aligners are changed.

Having a little discomfort for a day or two after an orthodontic adjustment, especially just after getting started, is to be expected and is normal. What isn't normal is when there is swelling, bleeding, or any other problem with the teeth or gums that just seems unreasonable. You should also call your orthodontist if there is a part of your aligner that is persistenly irritating you or you notice somthing that just doesn't seem right (a space appears right before ending treatment for example). There are also many simple orthodontic emergencies that you can take care of at home.

My blog post called "Home Remedies for Orthodonic Emergencies" has some helpful ideas: http://www.gregjorgensen.com/blog/2011/05/home-remedies-for-orthodontic-emergencies/

If you are in doubt, don't hesitate to call your doctor's office. They'll let you know what you should do. Good luck!