How bad is the pain when you first get braces?

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#1 Post by **littleviolet** » Thu Nov 11, 2010 5:53 am

I'll be getting braces in a month, and I have to work the day after (as a shop assistant, so I have to talk to customers) and then the day after that I have a friends birthday dinner party. Will I be okay if I take some pain killers?

#2 Post by **caitlin1120** » Thu Nov 11, 2010 6:37 am

Everyone has a different experience, but in my case I had to work the next day as well, and had to do a lot of talking and interacting with the public. It wasn't the most comfortable thing in the world and I found myself pronouncing things a little funny at times, but you just have to grin and bear it...literally. Working may have actually helped me to not focus on it, because I remember it was only after I got home that I noticed how my teeth and cheeks felt after a day of talking.
As for the dinner party, you might have a bit more trouble if you think about getting ambitious too soon and biting into a piece of bread or something. I'd take some painkillers AND try to stick to only soft things. I remember being unable to eat soft tortillas on my first day in braces and being so frustrated!! Your body still wants to eat all of the deliciousness, but your teeth won't let you. Soon though you'll do an automatic brain scan of whether a food is 'edible' or not, and I find myself not even tempted to eat things that I know will be more trouble than they're worth now. I'm getting them off soon and I'm sure I'll be doing this for months even after I'm braceless lol!

Good luck with everything and congrats on (almost) starting your braces journey!

#3 Post by **evilnel** » Thu Nov 11, 2010 7:28 am

The pain really wasn't all that bad. Everybody is different, but it was more of an ache in my teeth. I couldn't bite into things but I could chew better than I thought I'd be able to. The dinner party might be difficult depending on what's being served, but you can always find out what's being served and eat only soft things. My orthodontist recommends taking ibuprofen or tylenol for the pain, so I don't see why that would be a problem.

Thu Nov 11, 2010 7:36 am

I just got my braces on Monday. I went back to the work the very next day. I felt more achey than anything else. Advil really helped. I also work in an area where I am interacting with people constantly. My ortho suggested that if I feel like I sound strange when talking, to read something outloud. She said that it helps your tongue get used to moving around all of the new stuff in your mouth.

Eating has been easier than expected, though, I've been a lot more self-conscious about eating in front of people. You may want to make sure that you have a little toothbrush and mirror with you.

Good luck!

#5 Post by **lu lu** » Thu Nov 11, 2010 7:39 am

I went back to work straight after having my lowers fitted.

Was no pain what so ever!!! Until a few hours later. It was more like a really bad ache & then my jaw started to ache. It was just uncomfortable.
I took painkillers & that did the trick!

I was the same the next day too so did the same & my jaw ache has been coming & going since but painkillers always do the trick.

WORD OF WARNING - the day after I couldn't eat. I didn't discover this until I tried to eat a piece of toast for breakfast. There was no warning pains that I wouldn't be able to chew. The pain was too immense on my teeth. I couldn't chew a thing. I didn't think it would be painful. Lasted 3 days too. Everyone is different though so you might not experience this but if you do chances are you'll struggle to eat at your friends meal.

#6 Post by **jxds** » Thu Nov 11, 2010 8:26 am

I agree: going back to work is ok with some painkillers, but dining out is more complicated, at least for the first couple of weeks or so.

#7 Post by **fraid090** » Thu Nov 11, 2010 8:29 am

Pain free until I tried taking a bite out of something but I could chew ok so no problem. A few days later I could eat sandwiches in a normal way.

I don't take pain killers and I actually despair at the lack of pain thinking no pain equals (little or) no movement. They are moving though.

#8 Post by **luchababe** » Thu Nov 11, 2010 9:42 am

smilelikeyoumeanit wrote:IMy ortho suggested that if I feel like I sound strange when talking, to read something outloud. She said that it helps your tongue get used to moving around all of the new stuff in your mouth.

I sing in the car or at home to some of my favourite songs! Seems to help.

I had some aches in my jaw the first and second night after eating dinner. Those are the only two times I've taken an Advil. I also hurt after flossing and brushing the first few nights.

Remember, everyone either has had or knows someone who's had braces. We can ALL relate one way or another. So if you feel grumpy and achey people will understand why!

#9 Post by **NervousNewbie** » Thu Nov 11, 2010 5:25 pm

I got my uppers and lowers on the same day and went straight to work afterward. I speak for a living, but I took some painkiller and it really was fine. I never had intense pain, just kind of a dull ache on and off, but I never really let myself feel pain because I'd take painkillers at the first sign of discomfort.

#10 Post by **bottlecap1990** » Thu Nov 11, 2010 7:06 pm

I never took any type of medication. It wasn't bad at all.

#11 Post by **Sourire** » Fri Nov 12, 2010 1:01 am

I had my uppers fitted yesterday and so far it's been way easier than I thought it would be! I was able to eat pasta without any difficulties last night. I also slept very well. This morning, my teeth are a bit sore but nothing major, really. No need to take painkillers or anything! I am so happy, I hope it'll continue like this!

#12 Post by **Want2smile** » Fri Nov 12, 2010 9:06 am

I had very little pain or discomfort in my teeth, they felt a bit wobbly for the first week or so and chewing was difficult but nothing that really bothered me.

My mouth, however, felt like it was being tortured. I developed a lot of canker sores and the insides of my lips were so sore from the (ceramic) brackets rubbing and scraping, I had to put wax on every bracket which was such a nuisance. By the end of the first week I was seriously wondering how I could keep going with the braces. After about 10 days things really improved and now I don't need to use wax in the day just on odd brackets at night. After 2 weeks I forget they're even there!

#13 Post by **BaliGirl** » Fri Nov 12, 2010 9:53 am

I do a lot of talking in my job and went to work right after my braces were installed. It took me a week or two to get used to talking with my braces on. My mouth just didn't want to slide over the brackets and my speech was slightly off. Nobody else noticed, or they were too nice to tell me I sounded like I had marbles in my mouth when I asked.

Stock up on wax to cover any brackets that irritate your cheeks. This is a balancing act - you want your cheeks to toughen up, so covering the brackets all the time isn't good - but you also don't want your cheeks to be rubbed raw either.

I second caitlin1120's advice to take some painkillers AND try to stick to only soft things. My teeth ached for the first 24 hours, and ibuprofen helped alot. After that, certain teeth hurt only when I tried to bite into or chew something.

Good luck!

#14 Post by **wired nana** » Fri Nov 12, 2010 9:45 pm

I went straight back to work after getting my braces on and had no problems. Biting/chewing on the other hand was a problem. I just couldn't do it, my teeth felt numb and my bite was crazy. That improved pretty quickly, though. Good luck at your dinner party, hopefully there will be some soft foods.

#15 Post by **Kittykins** » Sat Nov 13, 2010 11:10 am

I had top and bottoms fitted on the same day, didn't think anything of it, had no pain for a few hours, went to eat *bam* couldn't chew and then went to bed, didn't sleep for 2 nights regardless of trying paracetomol and codiene the first night and then using Voltarol the other 2 nights. But luckily woke up Friday morning no aches

But still can't chew -,-