Do Getting Braces Hurt? What to Anticipate

When getting braces for the first time or after tightening them, most people feel discomfort for a few days. Nonetheless, the pain is minimal for some and subsides after a few hours.

A dentist in Fairfield, ME employs braces, a form of orthodontic treatment, to straighten teeth that are crowded or crooked. Another option for fixing an overbite is braces. Read on to find out how braces work and what to anticipate while they are in your teeth.

Does getting braces hurt?

While everyone’s experience with braces is unique, here are some guidelines to help you prepare for each step of treatment.

Choosing a brace

Before getting braces, some people may need to wear separators, or spacers, between their teeth for about a week or two.

You could experience some initial tightness and soreness with these spacers, similar to what you might feel if food got stuck in your teeth, but that should subside within a few days. Typically, patients do not feel any pain when their orthodontist applies the braces for the first time.

Bands are commonly placed around the back molars by an orthodontist. While the pressure and pinching accompanying this process may produce some short-term discomfort, rest assured that it will not create any lasting pain.

With braces on

It is possible that a person will not feel any pain or discomfort at the initial fitting for their braces. But the mild force of the braces’ pressure on the teeth will begin to work in just a few hours.

Braces can gradually move your teeth into place, but they can be painful and uncomfortable for anything from a few days to a week.

Among the many things that may come your way in the first week are:

painful gums

skin irritations caused by the scraping of the metal brackets against the inside of the cheeks

The risk of tongue cuts can occur if the patient feels the braces with their tongue.

Teeth aches are common, particularly after eating.

As a person’s body gets used to wearing braces, they could start to forget they are even wearing them. In order for braces to be effective, however, the orthodontist will need to tighten them at regular intervals.

Taking braces off

Braces usually remain on for around one to three years, though this might vary from person to person. A patient may feel some soreness while their orthodontist removes their braces when the time comes to remove them.

Before cleaning the teeth to remove any glue, an orthodontist will remove the bands, wires, and brackets.

An orthodontist will fit the patient with a retainer to finish the treatment. After braces are removed, a retainer can be used to hold teeth in their new alignment.