New Patients Welcome!
If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve already made the decision to wear braces. Great job! So now maybe you’re wondering what it’s like to get braces. Are they painful to have installed? Do you really have to give up eating popcorn for two years, even at the movies?
In this article, a dentist responds to some of the most frequent questions our patients have regarding wearing braces. A spoiler alert: It’s not as scary as you would believe, and the end result is definitely worth the effort and time.
YOUR TEETH WILL BE IN PAIN
Are braces painful? It’s hard to say, as everyone hurts differently. Pain instead of pain is the discomfort you experience when you have braces on.
Braces are a treatment that everybody knows will hurt somewhat. It’s reasonable to feel a little tension when you have braces put on, since the metal wire and brackets are putting steady, gentle pressure on your teeth so they can be moved. Tension headaches are also reasonably common as a consequence. The pain will be most noticeable shortly after you have your braces installed and as you come in for wires to be tightened or adjusted. When this ache occurs, take an over-the-counter medication and consume soft foods until it subsides.
ORTHODONTIC EMERGENCIES CAN OCCUR
Brackets come loose and come off. Wires pop out. It’s unavoidable, and it’s important to inform Dr. Beshoy Eskandar when it does, so he can assist you.
He can promise you that it will get fixed the next time you come in, or he can have you return immediately so we can fix it. If you wait a few weeks, however, before telling us a bracket has come off, though, your treatment can be postponed, and the length of time you need to spend in braces can be extended.
SOME FOODS WILL BE PROHIBITED
Guiding our patients’ diets is the easiest way to prevent orthodontic emergencies and broken brackets, as we discussed in the previous section. When patients chew hard or chewy food, we often see traumatized orthodontia. But apples and carrots need to be cut into very small pieces and not chewed whole, hard nuts such as almonds are best avoided, and even tough meat and jerky can dislodge brackets.
DENTAL HYGIENE IS A TASK—AND IT’S BECOMING MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER
The last thing you’d like is for Dr. Beshoy Eskandar to remove your braces in a year or two and discover your teeth are stained—or, worse yet, that you have cavities. But if you don’t take care of your teeth when you have braces, this is what happens. We understand that flossing and brushing around all of those brackets and wires is a pain, but it’s critical since plaque and tartar build up easily around your orthodontia. Clean between your teeth with a floss threader or a water flosser on a daily basis, whether you’re at work or school.
BRACES AREN’T A LONG-TERM SOLUTION (BUT RETAINERS ARE!)
Did you ever think that having braces would mean a lifetime of straight teeth? No way! Your teeth will stay straight only so long as you maintain your results, which is to wear retainers.
We will give you a set of retainers to wear during the time your teeth are being adjusted. You will need to wear your retainers full-time after the removal of your braces, but you will only do so at night and later maybe just every other night, based on your needs. We assure you it will be well worth it.
LEARN MORE ABOUT GETTING BRACES HERE
We hope we’ve addressed all your questions and concerns about getting braces. If there’s anything else you’d like to know before starting, schedule an appointment at The Smile Shapers.
