If you’ve had friends or family who had to deal with braces, you might have heard of all their horror stories with them. Most notably, you might’ve heard about how painful braces can get.

If you’re planning to get braces, you might be worried about this. However, we can assure you that while it might hurt, it isn’t that bad. In this article, we’ll take you through what you can expect when you wear braces.

During the Procedure of Installing Braces

Generally, during the operation of putting braces on your teeth, you won’t feel any pain at all. The orthodontist will get around putting bands around your molars. While you might notice him or her pushing or pinching your gums to get the bands into place, it isn’t going to hurt. After that, the orthodontist will apply glue onto your teeth, which are then covered by a bracket. He or she will then connect all the brackets with a wire, and secure the fixture with bands.

After the Procedure of Installing Braces

After the braces are securely fit into your mouth, you will start to develop aches and pain around the teeth and gums. Your mouth will ache for about to week while your teeth slowly get used to the pressure the braces are putting them through.  

First Week Experience with Braces

Aside from the aches and pains that will develop at the teeth, gums, and cheeks in the first week, your tongue might also get cut as it runs over the braces. Fortunately, these pains can be controlled through the use of pain relievers, such as Tylenol.  

During this time, you’ll have trouble eating hard foods because of the aches. We recommend that you stick to soft foods, such as yogurts, smoothies, soups, drinks, and soft fruits. Generally, if you can have your meals in cold form, do so. It will help numb your mouth a bit, soothing the pain.

As for how long it’ll take for the pain to disappear, it can take up to a month. After six months, however, you might even forget that you’re wearing braces. However, if you ever experience soreness once in a while, that is normal.

During the Tightening Procedure

After a while, you’ll need to head back to the orthodontist to have your braces tightened to straighten your teeth further. When this happens, you will experience soreness post-procedure for a few days. However, it won’t be as bad as the first time you had braces because you’ve already grown accustomed to it. Pain relievers are still recommended if the pain seems too much to bear.

Removing the Braces

Arguably the best part of the whole treatment is when you finally have your braces removed. If you’re wondering, no, you won’t feel any pain when having your braces removed. However, be aware that your treatment isn’t over. The orthodontist will still have to continue with specific procedures to ensure that your teeth will not go back to being misaligned. 

After having your braces removed, you’ll have to wear a retainer, a custom-made device that you will wear during the evening and sometimes during the day. This will ensure that the teeth will remain straight at all times, acting just like braces. However, retainers are removable, meaning that when you are playing sports or eating, you can remove them. Also, a retainer will not cause pain. If you do forget to wear it, however, you might feel some soreness when you try to wear them again as they put tension back into your teeth. 

That’s all you can expect from having braces done! While you might feel pain during the whole process, all of that will be worth it the day you stare at the mirror and notice just how glorious your smile looks. 

If you are looking to get braces in Edmonton, Alberta, get in touch with us today! We’re happy to help.

Posted in Dental News & Advice