Tips for Dental Braces Pain Management and Getting Used To It

If you have a crooked smile, one of the most exciting news is that you can begin your smile transformation journey by getting dental braces. However, if you are unprepared for what comes after getting dental braces, including the prolonged treatment journey, it would be overwhelming.

What Are Dental Braces?

They are oral appliances in orthodontic dentistry that help straighten and realign teeth. Orthodontics is a specialty that specializes in correcting teeth position and realigning jaw. At Brooklin Village Dental Care, we recommend teeth braces for correcting any of the following orthodontic problems:

1. Crooked teeth
2. A misplaced midline
3. Overcrowding
4. Uneven or improper bites
5. Spaces between teeth

​How Do Dental Braces Work?

Dental braces in Whitby, ON, Work by employing controlled pressure on teeth for a prolonged period. Technically, a dentist will take the oral appliance and place it over your natural teeth, tightening it as necessary to exert pressure. The pressure must be continuous for several months before you notice any changes in your mouth. It should take between 6 and 24 months for dental braces to straighten your teeth. The complexity of your oral problem determines how quickly your treatment happens.

For teeth to shift in your mouth, bone degeneration and regeneration must occur. When the braces exert pressure on your teeth, it causes certain movements that will prompt that bone tissue to disintegrate. Afterward, new bone tissue will develop at the new position of the teeth, offering the necessary support. The process takes time. It is why orthodontic treatments take months and even years to complete.

​Will The Process Be Painful?

Teeth straightening is not only a lengthy process but one that can present discomfort to your mouth. Usually, when you first get dental braces, the tension of the oral appliance on your teeth will be uncomfortable. The good news is that the discomfort only lasts a few days as your mouth adjusts to having braces. However, during your next dental appointment to adjust the braces, you will experience new discomfort due to the tightening. It will happen routinely throughout your treatment.

Another type of dental pain you may experience when using braces is due to the sharp edges of the braces. If you are not careful, braces can cause gum irritation and leave your mouth with lacerations that can be quite displeasing to handle. Further, some patients can suffer extreme tooth sensitivity after getting dental braces.

Tips for Pain Management and Getting Used to Dental Braces

First, understand that the discomfort is not isolated to you only. Every other patient that gets dental braces undergoes the same experience during the first few days of getting them or adjusting them. Some of the tips to help with pain management and help you get more used to having braces are:

1. Avoid hard and crunchy foods – it adds more pressure to your teeth when you have to chew or crush hard and crunchy foods.
2. Take over-the-counter pain medication, like Ibuprofen and acetaminophen – your dentist can even prescribe the medicine to help with the possible swelling and discomfort.
3. Try eating cold foods and drinks – the cold will soothe your mouth and alleviate any discomfort.
4. Maintain good oral hygiene – an oral infection will only make things work regarding pain and swelling.
5. Apply orthodontic wax – soothes sore gums and protects your lips and inner cheeks from frequent accidents. Your orthodontist will give you the wax to go home with to create a barrier on your mouth, protecting it from the sharp edges of the braces.
6. Cut foods into small portions – particularly when handling raw foods and fruits like carrots, pears, and apples.

Summary

Once you get dental braces, it is a long-term commitment that can last up to a year or longer. Therefore, whatever you can do to increase your comfort levels and enjoy your experience during your orthodontic treatment is worth trying. The best news is that you don’t have to figure everything out alone. If you liaise with your dentist, you should find several solutions for getting used to dental braces.