Does it hurt to have braces? What can i eat and not eat and what does it feel like when they put them on?

Answer 1

I had braces for like, 5 years. It only hurt for the first week i had them, and getting them put on was odd to have little metal squares glued to my teeth..... you will want to cover them with wax at first so they dont catch on the inside of your cheeks. after that, it only hurt for like, a day or two after i got them adjusted each time. if it hurts really bad longer than that after each adjustment, they are adjusting too much. they say to not ea any hard candy, or really sticky candy while you have braces, which is very good advice, but, if you are like me with an incredible sweet tooth and cant stay away from jolly ranchers, gobstoppers, and salt water taffy, there are a few tricks. basically, learn to suck on candy more than try to chew on it, especially hard candy. hard candy will break off brackets because when you crunch down on it it shears right down the outside of your teeth, where the brackets are. taffy and other stiff, tacky candies can grab ahold to a bracket and rip it off, which is bad. although your orthodontist will jsut glue on a new one when you go in to have them adjusted, it takes longer, and costs more money, and they generally dont like to do this, as well, it just adds time to how long you have to wear them because it interrupts your treatment. SO! if you have to eat these candies, be very careful to chew to the inside of your teeth, so when you bite down its on the side with your tongue and not hanging out towards your cheek. get what i mean? in 5 years i only sheared off two brackets, which doesnt hurt, but it sounds really weird.... like crushing a tooth but it doesnt hurt....
so, if you do happen to break off a bracket, you can take it off the metal band, or wire, held in by all the brackets by clipping the band that holds it on or grasping the band with tweezers and lifting it off one corner, then another, and so forth, freeing the broken bracket. be sure that you dont swallow the bracket or the band, and be very careful not to bend the wire between each tooth because if you do it will throw off the alignment causing more months of braces...
Well, try to not break any off! congrats on getting braces started, they are well worth it.

Answer 2

I had braces when I was in Middle School. I am now in my 30's though, so things may have gotten better. I remember the first night I had em my teeth hurt so bad it gave me a headache. Took only a couple days to about a week or so for my teeth to feel better. Whenever they would tighten them or something it would hurt but only mildly and not for long. It was only when I first got them that really bothered me. Also sometimes, they would AT FIRST tear up my mouth inside. Until I got used to them. I had them for 3 years.

NO Gum or chips or popcorn... I was told. Nothing that could damage your teeth by either getting into or seeping into creveses ect. They will probably give you a list of things that are not ok.

All in all they aren't bad. I actually never really minded them. The funny thing was that when I had them taken off, I was so used to them, that it seemed weird not to have them! lol. I'm sure you'll do fine. And just imagine what a knock out you'll be afterwards! ;)

Answer 3

There is some discomfort each time the wires, elastics, etc are changed or moved by the orthodontist, but it is temporary. You will probably not feel like chewing anything during this time, but it is the best thing that you can do.

Foods to avoid: gum, popcorn, hard cheeses, anything hard that can break the wires or anything that is gooey and can stick to them. Your orthodontist will advise you.

They feel kind of funny at first because you won't be used to having something like that in your mouth and they can irritate the inside of your cheeks and lips for a while, but that is also temporary.

Answer 4

yes, braces can hurt. you know that feeling when you have a loose tooth, and you tug on it to loosen it even more? it kind of feels like that, but all over. frozen yogurt really helps me; someone oncee told me that it had an ingredient in it that helped ease the pain--plus the cold helps. i'd stick with mainly soft foods like mashed potatoes, soup, ice cream, and juice until the pain goes away, then just eat normally (but without nuts, sticky or hard food, or popcorn). it only hurts for the first few days when you first get them on, though, and you get more numb to the feeling with each successive tightening.

Answer 5

I haven't got my braces yet but gonna. Maybe this december! First, the orthodontist will take pictures of your face, xray your teeth, and mold (when molding my upper teeth, it makes me cough like crazy!!) <-- I've done all of that!

Putting braces on. Exactly what orthodontist do it (no big deal techniques). With pictures!!
http://braceface.com/gettingbraces.htm

Tightening braces every 2 months. They don't really tighten them, but here's what happens...with pictures!!
http://braceface.com/tighten.htm

Taking braces off after about 2 years (Your orthodontist will tell you how many years you will need it). Approximately how they do it (big secret.... how they really do it)...with pictures!!
http://braceface.com/bracesoff.htm

Many people said you CAN'T eat candy, apple, chewing gum & somethings hard. Actually, you CAN but it will slow down ur orthodontic treatment.
Read here for more info..
http://braceface.com/Tenthings.htm

Read all about braces here..
http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/health_problems/teeth/braces.html

Read people have to say about braces here..
http://www.mertonschool.com/faceswithbraces.htm

FAQ about braces...
http://www.orthodontics.org/faqbrace.htm

Also, if you had your braces for too long (like 5 years), your teeth may get chipped!! But it will dissapear after around 5 days of brushing your teeth with fluoride toothpaste. If you don't brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste, your saliva will heal it but it will take a lil longer.

Hope this helps!! GOOD LUCK!!

Answer 6

Um, it depends on how bad your teeth are whether is hurts really bad or just a little...You can't eat any sticky or really hard foods. It feels really weird, but it doesn't hurt while they are putting them on, just after. Take some Tylenol or Ibuprofen and it should feel better for awhile. Have fun!

PS. Make sure after you get them off that you wear the retainers- i didn't and my teeth moved back.

Answer 7

It hurts when you first get them on but once you get use to them it is alright. They feel ackward at first but you will adjust. After they tighten the wires on a monthly basis, they will hurt. You can eat what you can get away with. Popcorn gets stuck in them. As for as gum, I chew the heck out of it but some people don't. Good luck.

Answer 8

when i got my braces on they were sore for the first few days, but then u dont relize their there. you can eat almost everyhting, even thought they say not to eat certain things, it didnt stop me(dont eat a whole apple it will break the braces), it gets inoying when u have to keep ur mouth open the whole time they put hem on but its not aas bad as you think it will be. you get use to them really quickly.

Answer 9

Does it hurt? ~ Yeah at first. And then you can get kanker sores in your mouth from the brackets. You can put stuff on the brackets though to stop it from rubbing against your mouth.
Do's and Dont's~ Don't eat any sticky or hard candy.

Answer 10

this site is useful:

http://www.archwired.com/