Regardless of your age or gender, having a perfectly straight smile is considered a highly attractive feature. If you have crooked teeth, you might feel like you don’t measure up. Thankfully, your dentist can upgrade your grin with braces. This is a tried-and-true treatment with a long history of success. Before you have metal brackets bonded to your teeth for the next 18+ months, however, it’s important to have a thorough understanding of what’s involved.
For example, many patients want to know what they feel like. You’ll be investing time and resources, so it’s important that you have an idea of what to anticipate before moving forward. Continue reading to learn more about what it’s like to get braces so you can make an informed decision!
The First Day
You might expect a lot of discomfort on your first day with braces, but that’s frequently not the case. They’re still so new that they haven’t yet had an opportunity to put enough pressure on your teeth to cause pain. That said, you might feel sore or sensitive if you had to keep your mouth open for a prolonged period while your dentist placed them.
The First Week
Aches & Pains
It’s normal to feel tender in your teeth as they begin to shift. The wires threaded through your brackets exert low-grade but constant pressure to move them to their proper places, which can cause a steady (but not acute) ache in the first week. Although it can be frustrating to live with, you might gain some comfort knowing that the sensation means that your treatment is working as intended.
To alleviate your symptoms, you can try:
- An over-the-counter numbing gel that you’re not allergic to.
- Rinsing your mouth with warm salt water to reduce inflammation.
- Sticking to soft foods that won’t irritate your teeth or gums like applesauce, yogurt, and scrambled eggs.
- Avoid overly acidic foods and drinks that can cause sensitivity.
Sore Spots
It’s not uncommon for the sharp metal brackets on your teeth to rub raw spots in the soft tissues inside your mouth. Fortunately, you can address this relatively simply by placing special orthodontic wax over anything that pokes you. You can also apply a topical anesthetic for temporary relief if the sores prevent you from falling asleep at night.
The First 6 Months
Over the next 6 months, your mouth will continue to adjust until you’ve completely acclimated to wearing braces. Then, you might not feel much discomfort at all unless your dentist has recently adjusted them. You’ll need to have periodic appointments so they can ensure your teeth are moving as intended. This often involves tightening the wires or making other changes that can cause additional aches after the fact. It’s usually safe to take over-the-counter medications like ibuprofen and Tylenol to address them.
If you still have questions about what to expect from orthodontic treatment, calling your dentist is the next best step!
About the Practice
At Sweet Smiles Dental Design, a team of dentists works together to offer a full array of services to people of all ages. With collective decades of experience, they can handle everything from basic preventative care to more complex treatments, like traditional braces. They combine a caring and compassionate approach with state-of-the-art equipment to help you feel comfortable while increasing the accuracy of their results. If you want a straighter smile and need a consultation, you can request an appointment on the website or call (303) 688-9519.