Fixed braces and feeling nervous - What to expect & Pain!

[BraceFace2115]

Hello, so next week I finally get my adult braces fixed on! Something I should
Of done along time ago during childhood! Clear brackets on the top, Metal on the bottom.

After not attending a dentist for 15 plus years due to severe dental Phobia I plucked up the courage and I finally started going (I was real mess at my first visit)
My dentist signposted me to an Ortho as I have also been so unhappy about a 3mm Gap in my front teeth and 6mm overbite for my whole life and here I am on the verge of braces (I've come a very along way).

Please can anyone share their experiences? My main concern in pain that I may experience once they have been fitted, perhaps that evening? I really don't know what to expect.

Thank you so much.

[snowblaze]

Hi and welcome aboard !

You definitely won't regret that big decision, it will take time and patience but it is definitely a life changer (for the best).

My top braces have been fitted September 1st 2014, took about 45min and it was painless. After maybe 6 hours I felt a bit of soreness which was quite mild. Then when I woke up the next day the pain was stronger but very tolerable. The pain fully left the very next day. Take Ibuprofen or Acetaminophen pills with you just in case and stack up some soft foods for the next few days. Yoghurt, soup and drink will be your best friends for a short while.

The only thing is : everybody has a different paint tolerance. It can be fairly painless for some or painful for others. I think that we, as adults, can manage pain better than with children. So I would suggest getting the next day off at work and stay at home taking care of yourself, that's what I did because I am a very nervous person.

It is rare that they install the braces at the very first visit. Usually they check your mouth, take X-rays of your whole mouth, they take pictures. The next appointment they do molds and they fit the braces. Are they doing all that the same day or you had already started the process?

Anyway people are very nice here and they will help you if you have questions!

[brooks]

I was in exactly the same boat as you! Dental phobia had kept me from the dentist for over 10 years, and I absolutely hated my teeth. January of last year I sucked it up and went to the dentist. Needed more work than I hoped for (couple of extractions and bone grafting for rear molars), but I just knew I wanted to like my smile.

So here I am, one whole year and some very costly dental work later, and my banding date is in 2 days! Trust me when I say, if I can do it anyone can. I was terrified at first, but I think I probably saw my dentist around 10 times last year alone, and now all my fear is long gone. I actually quite like cleanings :) My biggest advice would be to make sure you have a dentist and ortho that you are 100% comfortable with. I LOVE my dentist and really like my orthodontist. It was also helpful for me to use a cosmetic dentist as my primary dentist, because then we can talk and get excited about teeth shapes, whitening, etc. instead of just being nervous and dreading everything.

I wish you the best of luck and please keep us posted on your journey!

[BraceFace2115]

Thank you so much!! Your support has already lifted my spirits!

Is the pain like toothache? I've stocked up on medication so I'm well prepared.

Only 4 days to go! All this thinking and talking about braces is causing my teeth to ache at the thought of them!! I'm such a wuss when comes to dentistry :-(

[jaime]

Congratulations on moving past your phobia and getting your teeth taken care of. That's a big deal and you should be very proud!

The best thing you can do before your appointment is take your painkiller of choice...maybe a moderate dosage? I took 2 or 3 ibuprofens an hour beforehand. It's a good idea to do this before your adjustments, too.

Like snowblaze said, the pain can really vary among people. But still, I would say the "norm" is that you will be sore. For me, it was on par with a bad headache. I went to work right after getting bracketed and I wish I had gone home instead to lie down and be distracted. I found it difficult to concentrate afterwards, and I couldn't stop staring at my new braces. Probably didn't get much work done that day!

Also, if you are nervous about pain, just think of it this way: pain is progress. Lots of people here (myself included) don't mind a little pain, because it means your teeth are moving and getting straighter! The day you get your braces will be the worst your teeth ever look, because from then on, they will be looking better and better.

[djspeece]

Best of luck! You'll do great. We all experienced fear/anxiety/second-guessing the decision. It's all part of the charm of braces. While everyone's experience in the first days after bracing varies, it is generally a dull, rather deep sort of discomfort that can usually be improved with a NSAID sort of medication (e.g., motrin, alleve here in the states). Your cheeks will likely feel a bit abraded, and while they will toughen up over a few weeks, this was the most annoying part of my initial experience. The discomfort in the jaw means the braces are working, so take it as a good thing. No pain, no gain sort of thing (or in my case, no brain, no pain). Use wax liberally. Figuring out how much, and where to place it is an art, but you'll learn it soon enough. For me it was more annoying than anything, and the good news was that distractions really helped push it out of my mind. Work, exercise, reading, yard work, sex -- it all works. Perhaps you might not want to try them all at the same time, though.

Getting the braces attached is really quite simple and fast. The ortho positions the brackets and pounds them in with a 5 pound hammer. OK, just kidding about the hammer thing. He places a dab of a super-glue sort of compound on the brace, gently applies it to the tooth, then applies some do-dad that emits ultraviolet light to cure the glue. The initial arch wires are usually very gentle and go in easily. Really no pain or discomfort to it at all. Takes maybe 20 minutes or so. Others have recommended using chap stick or something for your lips as your mouth will be open for a while, and that is good advice. Make sure you read the introductory material (Braces 101) on the landing page of the forum, which has lots of good information. Best of luck to you!

[sowonky]

I was incredibly nervous, hate the dentist, hate anything to do with my teeth. But honestly having the braces fitted really wasn't that bad at all. I had mine fitted yesterday afternoon, I took some painkillers an hour before and I took some before I went to bed. Today I've not taken any. It really hasn't been as painful as I expected. My teeth feel tender to touch, so I've avoided food (just had soup, hot chocolate, drank lots of water). You will be fine, just have to think of the end result. It will be so so worth it.

[oimysizex]

Best of luck!
Are you getting spacers/have you got spacers?
these was the absolute worst for me, these are the most uncomfortable part of the process!
take some pain killers before you get your braces on and you will be fine, your teeth will ache for a few days but it soon goes away

[BraceFace2115]

Hi

No I'm not getting spacers I'm going straight to fixed braces

Really hoping the pain isn't bad! I'm unable to get any time off work and I work with the public face to face so in hoping I can muddle on through my working day :-/

[sowonky]

Today is my third day and there is no pain at all, my mouth just feels tight and itchy! The only time it is uncomfortable is when I try and eat anything so I'm just sticking to liquids at the moment. It's really not been as bad as I imagined. Ibuprofen and early nights has really helped.

[BraceFace2115]

Thank you for sharing you experience! So far it seems postive and long may it continue.

Are you an adult with braces? I'm 28 so this is a massive thing for me!

Starting to feel nervous but very excited! Can't wait for my gap to close!!

[brooks]

Second day in here, and it's not bad at all. I had a headache last night, but they didn't bother me sleeping (which I greatly expected.) My teeth do feel tight, and I feel a little bruised, but nothing bad at all. I have triangle elastics (top canine attached to bottom canine and premolar) so that part is definitely weird. My lips/cheek get caught on the elastic if I talk a lot and I can't eat with them in, but I can still drink, mostly through straws. It's just weird, that's what I would tell you to expect. Nothing painful, just everything feels incredibly odd. You'll do fine!!!

[sowonky]

I'm 25, I put it to the back of my mind for years as I was so scared. I have fillings and had trauma to my front teeth and always had a phobia all my teeth would fall out so rarely went to the dentist!

I felt really weird and emotional at first, but I'm much happier now. I'm sure things are moving a tiny bit already, so I'm sure it won't take long for you to see positive results :)