While getting used to living with bracket braces, here are several ways you can make the adjustment period more comfortable.
Orthodontics is the only type of cosmetic dentistry that can’t be finished in only one or two visits. Straightening teeth is a delicate process, requiring an orthodontist to go slow and steady or else risk your teeth impacting each other or causing pain. However, as gentle as we may try to be, there is still a period of adjustment when starting to wear braces.
During the first few weeks with braces, it can be uncomfortable or even painful as you get used to wearing a full mouth of brackets and wires. Brackets are bulky and can rub against the soft tissues of your mouth, causing them to become irritated or sores to develop. Your teeth are also steadily being pushed with a pressure your smile isn’t used to. They’ll be sore until your current tightening goals are met. This soreness will return with each new wire tightening, but this never lasts more than a few days at most.
There are a few home remedies you can try to help with this discomfort before your smile acclimates to your orthodontic treatment:
Dental Wax
When braces rub against and irritate the gums and inner cheeks and lips, you can apply a little dental wax over the offending bracket. You can also use it to cover any wires that might poke out from the ends where they’ve been cut. The wax adds a layer of soft padding that allows your mouth to rest and recover from the constant abrasion of metal and wires. Just ask our orthodontists for some wax the next time you see us.
Even if you have Invisalign, orthodontic wax for braces can help keep your mouth more comfortable too. Although these invisible braces don’t use brackets, an orthodontist may need to bond small attachments to the teeth’s fronts to help the aligners grip them better. While these bumps are tooth-colored and just as unnoticeable as the Invisalign trays, they can still make themselves felt. Dental wax can also be applied along the gums to prevent the clear aligners’ edges from rubbing uncomfortably against them.
Soft Foods
Bracket braces come with their fair share of food restrictions. Hard, crunchy, chewy, and sticky foods can all put an unwanted amount of stress and pressure that can potentially damage or break them. However, while you’re still adjusting to wearing your braces, you may want to stay away from foods that put any amount of pressure on your sore teeth. Try sticking to a soft food and liquid diet as much as possible. Some good foods with high nutritional value include soups and broths, scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes, oatmeal, and seafood.
Ice Pack
Ice packs can help reduce soreness from your braces. Instead of relaxing the muscles, the cold can numb them quickly. It can also help with inflammation and reduce any swelling. Just be sure not to leave the compress on too long. Usually, rounds of 10 to 15 minutes on and off is enough to take care of your cheeks effectively and safely. You may even want to switch off regularly between heat and cold packs.
If you don’t have an ice pack around, you can also drink ice cold water. While not as effective, it can still do a good job with pain management. Or you can try something a bit tastier, like popsicles or ice cream. Just make sure to rinse your mouth with water or brush your teeth afterward. Braces make it a bit more challenging to keep your smile clean and decay-free. Ensuring plaque and bacteria don’t have a chance to build up on your enamel is essential for keeping your smile healthy.
Saltwater Rinse
Along with small cuts and abrasions, sometimes sores can form on the gums and cheeks from wires and brackets. Rinsing your mouth with warm salt water can disinfect the tissue and help the healing process along. You should use half a teaspoon of salt for every 8 ounces of water.
Gum Massage
Massaging your gums can also help relax the muscles in your gums. Just use a finger or two in small, circular motions to gently soothe the sore soft tissues. We recommend that you apply some ice directly to the gums beforehand—just long enough to let them relax and numb a bit. This will make your small-scale spa session more effective.
Over-The-Counter Pain Relievers
Sometimes, the above tips aren’t quite enough. In these cases, you can, of course, use pain-relieving medications like Tylenol and ibuprofen. Ibuprofen is especially helpful as it can also help reduce swelling. If you often feel discomfort after your braces are tightened, we recommend taking it 30 minutes to an hour before your appointment. This way, you’ll be totally comfortable during and after your visit.
Patience
Ultimately, the best and longest-lasting pain relief comes with time and patience. The important thing to remember is that any discomfort you feel is temporary. The adjustment period with braces is only a few weeks as your mouth adjusts to the feeling of brackets and tight wires. Once it passes, you’ll grow so accustomed to them that most patients often forget that they’re wearing them.
Frequently Asked Questions About Living With Braces
Is It Too Late To Straighten My Teeth?
Braces are often thought of as a middle and high schooler procedure. Orthodontic treatment is much more efficient the earlier a person starts, with the optimum time being 11 to 14 years old. At this age, the mouth is still growing and developing, and all or most permanent teeth have come in but haven’t yet matured enough to root themselves deep in the jaw. Their mouths are malleable to your orthodontist’s needs, allowing these younger patients to achieve straight, healthy smiles quickly and with little force required.
This doesn’t mean adults are barred from orthodontic treatment. It just takes a bit more time and pressure to move those deeply rooted teeth. Adult braces are becoming increasingly popular these days as less noticeable alternatives to traditional metal ones become widely available. The odds are that you’ve come across a family member, friend, or coworker who was correcting their smiles—you just had no idea. Ceramic braces and clear aligners mask treatment with clear or tooth-colored appliances that better blend in with your smile than metal brackets.
How Much Do Braces Cost?
Orthodontic treatment depends on several key factors: the complexity of the alignment issues, the length of treatment, and the braces type. As they are more comprehensive than clear aligners, brackets and wires take an average of 18 months to 3 years to correct patients’ smiles. The more complex the orthodontic problems and the longer teeth straightening takes, the higher your braces cost will be. Traditional metal braces are also often less costly than clear braces that use ceramic brackets and thinner wires.
Dental insurance plays a role in your dental work’s cost too. Many full coverage plans partially cover orthodontics, not solely braces. Whether you’re worried about the price of Invisalign vs braces, both types of orthodontic treatment are covered. If you have any questions about your braces’ or aligners’ affordability, please don’t hesitate to call us at (323) 486-6579 to schedule a consultation. We can discuss the specifics of your treatment and our Bellflower dental office’s alternative financing options.
What Happens When I Get My Braces Removed?
After you’ve finished straightening your smile, you won’t be done with orthodontics quiet yet. You’ll need to wear a retainer for at least a year to ensure your teeth stays precisely where required. Over the next few months, your jaw will still be in a state of flux as the bone is still pliable and ready to shift for the needs of a changing smile. Just as your teeth could move into their final positions, they can go back into their old alignment.
A retainer holds teeth in place, preventing them from drifting out from where we want. While most retainers are removable, you’ll need to wear them as close to 24/7 as possible for the next nine months to a year. They can only be removed when eating or brushing your teeth. Once your bite stabilizes and you get your orthodontist’s okay, you can begin wearing your retainer only at night.
Do You Have To Wear A Retainer Forever?
While not necessary, you can wear a retainer for years and decades after finishing braces. Even without having had orthodontic treatment before, our teeth can still gradually move out of alignment over time. Many patients decide to keep using their retainer three or four days a week at night to prevent this. Some fixed retainers can be attached to the backs of patients’ teeth. These appliances are unlikely to be misplaced, broken, or lost, and they can often last up to 20 years while remaining completely hidden.
