How long does the pain last?

[wickedmama35]

I have had my root canal treatment done (september 1st). I am having my 2 premolar teeth out on the 24 November. Finally my clear brace will go on on the 8 December at 6 in the evening. What can i expect pain wise? Will i be able to go to work the next day?

[Salv]

Its not as bad as people make it out to be.

I first started my treatment in June o fthis year and had a bite plate retainer up until last week... in my opinion, that wa smore painful than the fixed braces i have had in... maybe its because i have a high pain threshold.

But you may feel pain and discomfort around 5-6 hours after you have them on, and the day after for me is when it was at its worst (i was at college), but by the 3rd day, the pain for me generally went away. You will eat liquidly foods like yoghurts and smoothies for the first 2 weeks (for me it was the first day)...

Its quite common that the pain will go away after a fe wdays, and it will be fine. Your eating should be exactly back to normal after a week, you can eat anything except things like toffee, really hard and sticky foods and chewing gum.... everything else is fine.

[Sunny]

WM kids get braces every day and return to school immediately after they've been to their orthodontist. There's no reason why you can't do the same ... although instead of school ... you'll be returning to work!

It's important that you accept that there's no need for pain. Some people do have some discomfort, and some people feel this is a minor pain ... but as long as you take extra care of your mouth ... you'll be fine. Attitude has a lot to do with how we feel ... and often we get what we expect, due to the way our subconcious operates.

You may find that the first archwire ... the thin flexible one ... does cause some discomfort. This archwire (or it may be a serious of thin flexible ones if that's how your ortho chooses) does the most work ... it's the one that will align your teeth, therefore it has to get them to loosen. This loosening can be a bit distrubing ... rarely does it hurt, but it can feel strange to have loose teeth. What you need to remember is that teeth have to be loose to move ... so this is a good thing!

Some people prefer soft foods for the first day or two. Often this isn't so much to do with comfort, but a concern about the stability of their brackets. The brackets, if bonded correctly, can cope with major chewing ... just thing about the pressure that's put on them by the archwire to pull, push, rotate etc to move teeth ... so you definitely can, and need to, chew. Chewing improves blood flow and in turn this is great for your gums and tooth movement.

Where I work, we encourage our patients to return to eating as they usually would, four hours after having their braces put on. Most find this works, but there's often a few who report it took them a week or so to get back to their usual eating ... but the important thing is ... to keep trying ... as you do return to eating as you've done before.

Extra care when flossing (once a day), brushing (three times a day), using interdental brushes, rinsing with mouthwash etc ... all add to keeping your oral hygiene A1 ... and these things also help your mouth to feel great.

Wax is often the beginners best friend! Use wax generously on any bracket as soon as you feel it rub your mouth. Keep those brackets covered for 24 hours longer than you think you need it. The only time you need to remove wax is to brush ... you can safely eat with it on, and it won't harm you if it's swallowed. It's better to let your mouth toughen with the wax on a bracket or three, than to have mouth sores ... and then for your mouth to have to begin healing again, when the sores have healed.

I've had a couple of root canals done ... many years ago ... but I still remember how uncomfortable I was after them. Having braces has been so easy compared to that!

All the best with your extraction and getting your brackets on. If you have any questions or concerns, please ask!

Good luck and enjoy your decision to have your bite and smile improved!

[Candymomof3]

I was supposed to go back to work after lunch the dayI got my braces on, but I went home and came back the next day instead. It was a rough afternoon for me....for pain and for the adjustment of having strange objects glued to my teeth. I had to get past that mental anguish and take an afternoon for me, to lay on the couch and think "What the heck did I just do".....Don't get me wrong though---10 months later, I love my braces...I love the changes and I don't think twice about talking, smiling...which sadly, is something I used to think about when I disliked my teeth so much.
It took me about 2 weeks to get used to them...and about 5 months to get completely comfortable with having them, eating with them, and not caring one bit about having them. I can't wait to get them off next year, but I am incredibly grateful for the changes I am seeing and the fact that I was finally able to do this for myself after 20 years of wishing. I am 32 now, and I am ready to SMILE BIG!!!!
Good luck with everything!

[wickedmama35]

Thank you all for your infomation. It ws very useful. One more question i have is will my braces stain very easily, like from eating pasta in tomato sauce, tea etc and should i brush after every meal, eg even at work.

[Candymomof3]

The brackets won't stain but it is possible for the bands to discolor between appointments. Some people like to go with dark colors for this reason but I still go with the clear and watch not WHAT I eat, but HOW I eat. I use a fork with pretty much everything and try to keep it towards the back of my mouth, I avoid my front teeth altogether. As I was reading your question I was eating my lunch of 3 cheese manicotti in spagetti sauce so as you can see...you don't need to avoid the foods. The ligs that are on the side are more stained than the front but those are not as abvious. I never bite into anything, I could...but I can't stand the feeling of food getting all tucked in there. I used to brush my teeth after every single thing I ate, but now I just drink lots of water after and swish...really helps, especially after coffee, or sugary things. I still brush a lot, usually 4 times a day or so as I still pretty obsessed about keeping things clean. I constantly have water with me, it is a huge help especially with keeping your mouth moist---helps with mouth ulcers. I keep a bag at work with all the stuff I need...toothbrush, tooth paste, proxy brush, floss, threader, wax, and extra elastics. That way I never have to worry about eating and not being able to clean everything out.

[Denise]

As mentioned before, I have ceramic brackets and mine haven't stained at all. I eat all kinds of foods. I drink water now instead of juice, and I have soda and juice on occasion but I always try to drink them with a straw instead of straight from the glass or can. I even keep straws in my purse for such occasions. I also keep a travel size toothbrush and toothpaste in my purse and brush after EVERY meal with very few exceptions. At restaurants I'll usually go in and brush really fast, like 30 seconds, to get the food and sugar off my brackets. I just can't stand the thought or feeling of having food stuck in my brackets!

The pain is different for everyone, but you're correct in knowing that there will be pain. The brackets will rub sores on your cheeks. Your teeth will be sore from the inside out. Be aware that you'll be incredibly sensitive to pressure, so you will need LOTS of soups, yogurt, jello, etc. I was so sensitive I couldn't chew through an olive for 2 weeks. I wanted to cry with frustration and pain for a while, but then it got better, and now I only have pain for a few days at my adjustments so I promise you it will get better. Try getting some good pain relievers, like Tylenol or Motrin IB. I use Motrin (600 mg twice a day, sometimes three times) and it works really well! Stay well hydrated and well medicated and those two weeks will be past before you know it...just in time to be able to eat all those holiday season goodies!

Good luck

[Sunny]

One more question i have is will my braces stain very easily, like from eating pasta in tomato sauce, tea etc and should i brush after every meal, eg even at work.

As written above, ceramic brackets don't stain.

The ligs that are used on ceramic and metal brackets stain. Some shades show the stains more than others. Clear, tooth coloured and light pastel colours stain the easiest and quickest. Dome darker colours don't show any staining ... for example black and purple. Where I work, we also offer our patients wire ties ... and they don't stain. We have white coated wires and silver ones ... both look good with ceramic and metal brackets.

Talk to your ortho about any concerns ... and please remember we love being asked questions!

[wickedmama35]

Thank you all so much for your info, feeling alot better now, not so nervous will keep you informed on how i go.

[wickedmama35]

Hi everyone, i had my fixed braces fitted yesterday at 6pm. I am in no pain at all, my mouth just feels quite full. Is this normal? Should i expect pain in a few days?

[Sunny]

Definitely not ... I've never had pain and only the occasional bit of discomfort!

Good luck with your treatment and make sure you take extra good care of your mouth!