Blog

The basics

• Getting braces on is not painful. However, there will be discomfort and/or soreness felt afterwards. Your teeth will ache. You probably won’t be able to eat as easily as before. While everyone’s pain tolerance is different, it’s recommended to eat soft foods if you do feel that you can’t chew properly.

  • Examples of soft foods: Eggs, yogurt, pudding, ice cream, applesauce, bananas, smoothies, oatmeal, mashed potatoes, very soft pasta, tuna, fish, soups, etc.

• IT’S NORMAL THAT…

  • You have pain. Take OTC pain medication, like ibuprofen or acetaminophen. You can also try oral numbing cream if you need more pain relief.

  • Develop “cuts” or sores inside your mouth. USE DENTAL WAX! Your orthodontist should have given you a packet. They look like clear sticks. Break a piece off, shape it, and apply on the desired area. Make sure the area is dry so that it will stick. Alternatively, you can use other products if regular stick wax doesn’t work for you: (OrthoDots, GishyGoo)

  • Feel that a tooth is “loose”. Do not wiggle your teeth around! Leave it alone. It should be fine and settle into place eventually. This is a normal sensation during treatment as your teeth are moving around.

  • Develop staining or more yellow teeth. You can get them whitened after treatment, but in the meantime remember to brush often and avoid foods/drinks that stain, such as coffee, tea, or wine. If you have these foods/drinks and cannot brush afterwards, it is recommended to at least swish water around your mouth.

• FOODS TO AVOID…

  • Crunchy and hard foods. Think of nuts, pretzels, chips, corn on the cob, ect.

  • Sticky foods. Caramel, candies that are especially chewy, gum, ect.

  • Sugary foods. Candy, sweets, soda, ect. Eat these foods at your own discretion!

Bite blocks 

• Bite blockers are a very common part of treatment. If your brackets touch when you bite down, then that’s most likely why these were placed.

• They sort of look like globs of glue or blocks of cement. Usually colored blue or white.

• They are most commonly placed on the molars or behind the front teeth.

• THEY SUCK! Most on the sub will agree with you that they are notoriously difficult to eat with (for the first few days).

• It is highly recommended to eat soft foods and minimize chewing until you adjust. Chewing is not easy at first. Take small bites and figure out a chewing pattern that is comfortable for you.

• RELAX, THEY WILL WEAR DOWN OVER TIME!

Your Treatment 

• TALK TO YOUR ORTHODONTIST

  • Many questions that are asked on the sub should be directed to an orthodontist. Speak to them, ask them questions, they are there to answer your concerns! They want a good outcome just like you.

  • If you are ever unsure about your treatment (for example you forget how to place your rubber bands, or you can’t remember why your orthodontist did X to your braces), please call your office for assistance.

• FOLLOW WHAT YOUR ORTHODONTIST SAYS!

  • Yes. Really.

• BROKEN BRACKETS OR EMERGENCIES

  • Call your orthodontist whenever you come across an issue, such as: broken or loose brackets, problems with your wire, broken retainer, ect. Don’t wait to mention it.