What to Expect?

Do Braces Hurt?

One of the most common questions and what seems to be foremost in almost everyone's mind as they pursue orthodontic treatment is: "Are the braces going to hurt?".

Although orthodontic treatment uses gentle pressure to move teeth, the answer is yes, the braces will make your teeth and gum sore. Each person will tend to have an individualized response and the discomfort does not last more than three days. There are certain options available to minimize this initial period of discomfort using over-the-counter anti-inflmmatory medications such as Advil/Ibuprofen.

Sores can sometimes develop on the soft tissues of the mouth (cheeks, lips, and tongue). This is especially common soon after the braces are placed. These tissues usually toughen and develop a callous over time. Oral rinses and topical anesthetics can be useful during this adjustment period. Rinses such as Listerine® (Pfizer), Peroxyl® (Colgate), and Pro-Health® (Crest) provide antibacterial effectiveness, helping reduce infection and inflammation. Topical anesthetics such as Orabase® (Colgate), and Orajel® (Del Pharmaceuticals) can be effective for temporary pain relief. These gels are placed directly on the tissue and can numb the pain for a few hours. Some people have allergies to these medications, so follow the product label instructions, and the advice of the orthodontist/physician before using. We will also provide you with orthodontic wax which you can apply to the metal surfaces of your braces to decrease the initial discomfort.

Regular Appointments

Once the braces have been placed, constant monitoring is required by Dr. Nizam till the end of treatment. Appointments vary in length depending upon the stage of your treatment and the amount of adjustments your appliance requires. Your appointments after the initial placement of braces is every 6-8 weeks depending on the type of appliance you have. During these regular "adjustment" appointments, we will monitor your oral health, condition of your braces, oral hygiene, change or activate the wire, make sure progression of treatment and tooth movement is appropriate and answer any questions or concerns you might have. The patient is essentially re-diagnosed at each appointment throughout the treatment, following the original plan as a guide. These appointments are usually short in duration (15-20mins).

It is not unusual for a patient to feel tightness during and immediately after the adjustment appointment. The tightness tends to progress into soreness about 4-6 hours after the adjustment. The tightness and soreness is usually a result of wire changes or adjustments to the wires that would lead to additional tooth movement. The recommendations for managing the pain are the same as when braces are first placed (i.e. over-the-counter pain medication). The pain will usually decrease over the next 2-3 days.