Getting Braces - What to expect?

Anti Nudist Cupcake

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Your braces are going to be very annoying the 1st couple of days and quite uncomfortable.
Expect them to break a few times in the next 3 years, and getting MORE annoying because of that.
There were also bits of wire that hurt the back of my mouth and I constantly tried to cut it (the wire) out, and if your'e in school then expect a few unwanted remarks.
 

Danny Ocean

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Jun 28, 2008
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JessHimself said:
So I'm set to get braces next week, and I will have them for approx. 3 years, and I heard that for the first little bit, your lips get cut up, and that they are painful. Is there anything else I should expect not only when I first get them, but in general aswell?
Don't listen to black. That's clearly an extreme case.

I've had mine for two years now, with bands and stuff. When he changes the wire it hurts for about three days. It feels like you've got a gum infection in every gum (If you've ever had that) or a toothache in every tooth. I just drank tonnes of painkiller for the days where it was hurting and ate a lot of mashed potato, beans, and scrambled eggs. It's not *that* bad though, once you get used to it.

To begin with the braces might rub your cheeks or inside of your lips. You should get some putty to put over any rough bits, but if the wire is sticking out of the back you'll want to either bend it around, cut it yourself, or go back to the dentist and get him to fix it.

DO NOT EAT TOFFEE OR STICKY FUDGE. It will definitely break them. I've eaten apples and gum and stuff and they're pretty much fine, but those two are the worst.

You'll get a lot of food stuck in them. You'll also develop a slight pout to get your lips over them. Don't worry about that, no-one else can see it.
 

Duruznik

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Well, I've had braces for 3 and a half years so far, so I feel your pain.

It might hurt when you first get it. How much really depends on the person. I was nearly in tears the whole afternoon, and drank soup for a day, but I also know people who barely had a twitch. It's really about how resistant you are to pain. Still, it won't last long, if at all. The regular tightenings will hurt a bit, but you'll very soon get used to it.

Expect some mouth sores as well, since those braces can be sharp. I'm pretty sure the Orthodontist can supply you with some soothing cream, though.

DON'T EAT TOFFEE OR ANYTHING LIKE GUM. It will get cought up in your braces and mess things up something rotten.

Brushing will be a massive hassle, but do it regularly (twice a day) and thoroughly. Braces are a plaque haven, so dental hygene is a must.

Most important tip of all- don't skimp on the elastics, if you get them. They're important, and using them regularly means you'll get those wires off that much sooner.

Enjoy. :)
 

esperandote

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Feb 25, 2009
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Your theet are gona hurt when they are being adjusted
Don't bite of an apple or you'll detach some of them.
The most painful thing is when the wire is a little long on the back and it pinches your cheeks from inside. I reccomend using bubble gug in that case.
 

Danzaivar

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Well your teeth will ache, your gums will ache and then I'll take your lunch money, DWEEB!
 

El Poncho

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My lips didn't get cut at all when I got braces.

Your teeth will hurt for a while so you will have to stick to soup and reaaaaallllyy soft foods(mash potatoes maybe).

Even then after their put in/tightened if your quick enough you can grab a quick good meal before they start to hurt:)
 

Jonluw

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Samwise137 said:
BRING CHAPSTICK! The orthodontic gloves wreak havok on your lips. Other than that, it's not so bad. Wearing a retainer after a long period off? Now THAT's bad!
Oh hell... I haven't used my retainer for something like four months...
What should I expect from putting it in tonight?

OT: It isn't bad. Really. It hurts when they tighten the wire. That's about it. For the first few days, it'll be uncomfortable, and eating will perhaps hurt a bit, but that wears off after a week or so.
You get used to it, and believe me, your lips won't get cut a lot. It might happen once in a while, but nothing serious or frequent.
 

tseroff

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Jun 8, 2009
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Their mostly all right. It's just the little uncomfortable touches that suck. My personal favorite: when I was visiting a college campus in Seattle, my wire slid to the right. I started massaging my cheek, and soon found that the wire had gone in about a quarter of an inch and I was spitting out a ton of blood. /cheerful thoughts.
That was isolated, though, for the most part, it's fine. My suggestions:

Buy a pair of needle-nose pliers and keep them in your pocket
FLOSS!!!!! It's difficult and annoying, I know, but I didn't, and my gums were so infected when I got my braces off
And...
Don't believe the hype. Everyone has their horror stories, their moans and complaints, but those are the experiences that are fun to share. Most of the time, it isn't that interesting.

Edit: I had a girlfriend who thought braces were really sexy. Like, they turned her on. So I guess they do have some immediate benefits
 

8bitmaster

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Nov 9, 2009
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It just takes getting used to. Expect pain for the first week or so when they get tightened, but besides that just be careful of what you eat.
 

Senaro

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Jan 5, 2008
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Pain in the beginning, sore gums, and a severe lack of sticky foods and dorito chips. Also, if you have to get a palate expander, the inability to move your jaw side to side for a while.
 

garfoldsomeoneelse

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Mar 22, 2009
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Your teeth will always, always be sore, and the inside of your mouth will be torn up and blistered. Then you get to wear a retainer for a while after that, which hurts a whole lot. I never wore my retainer since no matter what I did, I could never fucking sleep when I had it in, so while my teeth are much straighter, they're not perfect.

Have fun!

EDIT: Also, you're gonna have to live without gum for a few years, and have a hell of a time brushing your teeth.
 

GoldenEyedScout

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Jul 26, 2010
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You jaw will hurt for the first day or two.
When you get a new chain, the pain will come back, but it's nothing major.

The worst is when you wear rubber bands, and those eventually just become mildly annoying as opposed to painful.
 

alimination602

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Apr 14, 2009
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I had it quite bad for the first few months because the dentist put in the wire but he forgot to cut off the excess- i only managed to get it fixed 3 months later after the side of my mouth had been cut to shreds.

Mostly it's just uncomfortable and awkward for a but nessecary and the reward is worth it at the end- pretty much like anything else in life you don't want to do.

I remember that after i got mine taken off i suddenly really appreicated being able to run my tounge across my teeth again.