do braces hurt?

Question

please just give a number 1 is the MOST pain and 5 is LESS pain

Answer 1

First of all, it depends on what type of braces you are getting. For example, If you are getting braces on the top and the bottem as well as rubber bands, then it will hurt more than it would if you were only getting simple bottem races or simple top braces. However, here is what I have concluded about braces from personal experiance.

Category 1: Getting your braces

The day you get them put on: This day is actually the day when you are in pain the least until about day 8. Getting them put on itself doesn't hurt. Your lips may get a little chapped, so bring chapstick. Don't bother with the books or the magazines. Your entertainment will likely be a TV on the wall if you orth. has one, or you will be too concentrated on the fact that you are getting braces to care. Mine was a little of both. Anyways, the entire process only takes about 1.5-3.5 hours, depending again on the type of braces you get.

After you get them put on, you will not be in much pain. Instead, you will be feeling a sort of numbness in your teeth. They will feel a bit soft, as if not strong enough to handle food. Prepare with lots of pudding, mashed potatoes, apple sauce, and Ice cream in case you get hungry.

This day deceives you by making you think that braces aren't so bad. When you go to bed that night, brace yourself for day 1 after braces.

Day 1: This day is the worst day of all. When you wake up in the morning, your teeth will seem a lot worse than the day before. Brush your teeth lightly, and then take some painkillers before going to school if you have to, even if your teeth aren't so bad yet. If you do not have school, wait until it starts to hurt to take them. I've found the best braces pain killers are Tylenol and Ibuprofen.

The best word I can think of to describe day 1 is either sore or pain. I have a journal I kept when getting braces, and all that is written on this day is "my teethe hurt" or "owww" while the rest of the days have detailed descriptions. This pain still may not be as bad for you, remember, if you are not getting a full mouth with rubber bands like I did. Anyways, the best thing to do on this day (I've found) Is either very warm mushy foods or very cold mushy foods. (I.E.; Mashed potatoes or Ice cream) These soothe your teeth and give you a temproary bit of releif, especially if you like how they tase.

Avoid even trying hard foods such as pretzels, or even like bread. You will find that you can not bite becuase of the "softness" feeling, and trying to do so will make it hurt more. Keep on taking painkillers throuhgout the day as directed on the container and as you need. Be sure to save one dose for when you go to sleep so you aren't lying awake becuase of sore teeth.

Day 2: Day 2 is when it starts to get better. The good thing about day 2 is that you know it is all uphill from here. Your pain is only going to get better. (Well, at least until you get them tightened.)
I would advise the same as day 1 with your foods. You may need less painkillers today, and your teeth might be starting to feel a little less sore. Still do not try to eat anything hard, though, becuase of what I warned about in day 1.

Day 3: You've gotten your braces 4 days ago now, and it still doesn't seem much better. Continue following most of the advice given in day 1. Your soreness should be at least starting to going away. You could try to eat bread today, but still do not bite it. Take it with a fork and only chew at the very back of your mouth.

Around this time an entirly new concept may be introduced: Wax. Your gums may be starting to become sore, and your orth. probably gave you wak to help this. Whenever using wax, be sure to remember that what is causing your gum pain is the connecting wires, not the brackets themselves. For some reason, the Brackets never hurt your gum, it is the wires that connect them, so be sure when you put it on, you always put it on the wire. Wax can get in some of your food, so when eating, try and take it out.

Day 5: Better still! Try eating soft cereal today, but remember not to bite if you are not ready. You may also move on to fruits, hot vegetables, some salads, and soft meats. Be sure not to do this, however, if you are not ready.

Day 6: You've nearly made it a week! By now, your teeth are probably feeling much better than day 1. You may not want to try pretzels or hard foods like that yet, but you are well on your way. Continue to use the advice given in the other days if you need it, and in no time you will sometimes forget that you even have braces at all and go back to normal.


Category 2- other

Tightening: This is not nearly as bad as getting them on. It is, however, similar in the way that it hurst worst the day after (Day 1) The familiar softness will be back, but don't worry, it doesn't take as long to go away. You'll be back to eating completely normal at around day 4 or 5. You may not have reached this level of eating until day 11 when getting braces. You may want to look back at day 1's advice if you are really hurting on tightening day 1.

Chains: The color on your braces actually isn't your braces, it is rubber bands. Sometimes, you get what is called a chain, which is basically a rubber band that connects 2 or more teeth together. Chains can be as long as your entire mout, and as short as 2 teeth long. Chains hurt a little more, and generally put the process of getting to eat normal again back about a day.

Braces damage/eating habits: I've broken a couple rubber bands here and there, and even lost a bracket once. My advice is to just leave it and notify your orth. about it when you go back to get your braces tightened if it is something small, like a rubber band breaking and falling off. If, however, something bigger like your bracket falling off happens, my advice is to call and tell them. They may want to see you earlier, becuase having it off for too long could prolonge the time you have brces and make your mouth hurt more when you have it replaced.

About the rules: Don't completely follow them. You don't have to never eat a tootsie roll or pretzels again. You can even eat popcorn if you chew it thuroghly enough and clean your braces really well afterwords. My advice is to stay away from REALLY sticky things likr swedish fish, bubble gum, wax lips, and jelly beans. But if you go for however long you have braces without eating any of the prohibited stuff, you'll miss out on it when you could've eaten it and been just fine.

Brushing: You may want to brush your teeth a little more with braces, becuase stains could be on your teeth after removal if you neglect them, which is very easy to do. You don't need any special toothbrush or paste for them. However, I would advise you to use the tool that they give you that looks kind of like a pipe cleaner to get whatever food is stuck between your teeth out before brushing. Your toothbrush can get pretty gross without this.


I hope this helps. As you can see, they do hurt, but following this will keep your pain to a minimum. If you have any questions, email me. I know a lot about braces. I had them for 2 1/2 years. If I would've had this when I was getting braces, I would have been incredibly happy. Good luck!

A

(I jsut typed that out for another person asking the same question. I copied and pasted it Make sure you look at all of the questiongs before asking your own next time.) :)

Answer 2

Well the brackets will feel weird when you first get your braces put on because your gums won't be used to having something rubbing against it. They might be scraping your gums a little, so be sure to use wax to put on them. (ask your orthodontist for some) Well... braces can be pretty painful when you first get them on, but they aren't bad after that. The only other time it hurts is when you get a new wire and maybe your first tightening or two. Hope this helps!

Answer 3

AH has some good comments.

In my case, I had them put o the top and bottom and 3 rubber bands were used to pull everything together. Mouth was sore, lips were chapped, and I could not even Bite into chicken noodle soup - for a few days. I could feel my teeth wobble. For me, this was about a 3.5.

After a few days (weeks ?), things became okay. Till it was time to adjust them. Then maybe a 2.0

My wife got them about 6 months ago. We were told the older you are, the harder it is to wear braces. But you would be amazed at how many people come into that office and they are in their 60's and 70's.

One side issue - cleaning your teeth while you have braces. My wife bought a Water Pix and the dentist and orthodontics both have said they are impressed with how clean she is able to keep her teeth. Also, try to avoid tea and sodas.

Answer 4

Alright... 1 (most pain) is when you have to get used to changing and wearing rubber bands
5 (less pain) is when your braces are being 'installed' on your teeth.
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Want to hear about having braces...

The first thing the orthodontists to is that they put this SOUR glue on your teeth. Very sour. You have to keep still so they can put the braces on. Then the start playing witht the pieces and putting wire.
For me, I go to the orthodontist monthly (that's unless there's something wrong with my brace). They usually have to open something on the little piece of metal glued onto your teeth (and that can HURT sometimes when they are having problems doing it) and change wire.
After a few times, they give you these 'elastics' their small rubberbands you stretch on hooks of the metal braces. Getting used to them hurts.
After this, they continue to change wires and start to put 'coils' stringed onto the wire Sometimes they only change the bottome wire, sometimes only the top. Sometimes, they just replace the coils. Bit later, they put on elasics on the side hooks of the braces. They continue to change the wires and sometime later they change the position of the 'elastics' which hurts when you have to get used to it.

That's as far as I've gone. Hope this helps!! :) :) :)

Answer 5

1 (most pain) is when you have to get used to wearing rubber bands and when they change yhe bands for about 2-3 days
5 (less pain) is when your braces are being installed on your teeth. You get use to them

Answer 6

Depends on the orthodontist and the worl being done.
I have minimal work by a not so good one. My pain was about a 1.5 for 3 days.
My brother had extensive work done by a good one. His pain was 3.5 but only for a few hours.

Answer 7

Yes they are not a day in the park. One thing to remember make sure before you leave each visit that they cut the wires very short. If they don't they will dig holes in your back cheeks. Thats the worst.

Answer 8

it hurts when they put the back bands on. the actual process of getting them doesn't hurt. but after they are on it feels really tight and painful. plan on eating soft foods for a few days.

Answer 9

i'm waering braces and they don't hurt what really bothers is the soreness, but that's only temporarly.