My New Metal Smile!

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Sun May 27, 2007 2:50 pm

Guys! I need help! I'm getting braces in 2 weeks. Will it hurt? I have no idea what to expect! Please help! :lol:

#2 Post by **MetalMouse** » Sun May 27, 2007 2:59 pm

No pain no gain. You will not like the pain in the beginning, but soon realize that the pain is your friend. Pain = progress.

Read around on the forums to get a sense of what to expect. There are a lot of posts like yours. Good luck!

#3 Post by **MetalMouse** » Sun May 27, 2007 4:30 pm

Well, as time goes on pain will be virtually unnoticeable, but in the beginning, I think you will experience it because your teeth are getting used to the new metal in your mouth. Especially after your first few adjustments.

I remember it took me a while to bit into thin slices of cold cheese.

#4 Post by **kirjax** » Sun May 27, 2007 6:22 pm

for me it doesn't hurt it just feels weird and takes a lot to get used to. I'm in week 3 and I haven't had real issues. The only thing that bothers me when I eat is I seem to bite my cheeks constantly which causes a lot of sores and irritation but I use salt water rinses to help ease the soreness and other then that I haven't had too much trouble. Although I am not looking forward to my next adjustment w/ also getting bottom braces

#5 Post by **Phil098342wq** » Mon May 28, 2007 11:37 am

I think the one thing I have noticed is everyone is diffrent. I myself I had a lot of pain, and still do. I have a lot of trouble eating-BUT, for the year and a half before BDay, I had a lot of dental issues, most were not my fault. So far as having major infections and numerous redo root canals. I would of rather taken the day off, and the next. I would rather been prepared with some soft food to eat for a couple of weeks so I wouldn't need to go shopping. Keeping upbeat and eating is key.

Communication with the ortho is very important. Make sure you can contact him/her if something, anything comes up. They work for you. Most cases seem to go with min. pain. I was just that 1% that had major issues.

#6 Post by **Clairey Fairey** » Mon May 28, 2007 5:18 pm

For me it wasn't real pain, just discomfort with eating for a while and even thats gone now.

Again, it depends on the individual, but I didn't use a single bit of wax on my uppers!! So might it might not be all bad!!

If you follow KiwiKarens advice above, you'll be fine!!

#7 Post by **bnbraces** » Tue May 29, 2007 9:06 am

I just had braces put on a week ago today so I can offer my experience:

The spacers they put in to make room for the molar bands caused me more pain than the braces. I had them in for a week and had a hard time eating anything that wasn't mushy. I felt as though I'd been hit in the face for the first three days and constantly played with the things b/c it felt like something was stuck in my teeth.

Then the braces came on. To me, putting the molar bands was the most difficult part, although that thing they use to keep your tongue out of the way is just plain uncomfortable, and that is in there for a while as they apply glue and the brackets. I needed some ibruprofen when I got home.

Since then, I haven't felt too much pain related to my teeth - there's some pressure, and some days you feel more pressure on certain teeth more than others... especially if you accidently knock your teeth on a glass or your electric toothbrush!

Despite all this, I had a really hard time my first day in braces. It got a little better every day, and now I feel 95% ok about this. I know it will be worth it, like everyone says, but part of me misses my wire-free life.

One of the biggest challenges has been getting used to the feeling of the braces in my mouth. I have ceramic on the top front and metal everywhere else. The metal seems especially prickly, and the resulting sores have caused me the most pain - more so than any of the pressure you feel as the braces do their job. (Let's just say I had a hard time working with the wax I got from my ortho.) Since I've gotten my braces, I've also had a serious case of cotton mouth. I can't leave the house without a bottle of water, and it's even more essential if I'm talking.

My molar bands tore up my tongue pretty badly, to the point where it was painful to talk, eat or swallow. But I went to the ortho and he helped out with that (your ortho can remove the lingual cleats or, if they're needed, bend them in so they're not in the way of your tongue so much). I ended up keeping the cleats on the top molars and wax the heck out of them whenever they seem to irritate my tongue (since this all occured over the long Memorial Day weekend, I had no choice). My tongue feels a lot better today, so I am going to see how it goes before going back to my ortho to see if he can do anything about those things on top.

If you get any sores, the salt water helps. I also found an antiseptic rinse for mouth sores that Oragel (?) puts out... It's peroxide-based and has a nice wintergreen flavor. I like it a little better than the salt water, although the salt water is obviously way more affordable.

One last thing... I tried using the floss "needles" that the ortho supplied when I got braced and they were too awkward for me - I spent a long time trying to floss my teeth with them. So I got that threader floss and things go by much faster. That said, it still takes me half an hour to get ready for bed these days, between all the flossing, using the proxybrush, rinsing, brushing, applying wax, applying lip balm, and then my usual face washing routine! I hope it gets faster as I get used to things.

Good luck with your braces! It can be hard at first, but I suspect (hope?) the first week is one of the hardest. One nice thing through it all was this site: reading other people's experiences really helped me understand what I was going through, and it helped me accept these darn things. And it was great to post a question and get helpful feedback!

#8 Post by **kirjax** » Tue May 29, 2007 1:05 pm

I would have to say that the whole getting your braces on process is just boring and annoying! I hated the glue, the mouth spreader, the sitting there having them dry each bracket....I get antsy. And my process was a bit longer bc they couldn't find the right molar cap to fit my upper molar and I kept having pain in that molar and they had to stop, check the tooth, reapply the molar, try again blah blah blah!

And I too do not use the floss threaders. They are even harder to use. I have no trouble getting my dental floss inbetween my wires. Flossing for me takes longer but it's not hard at all.

You can always purchase dental wax at the store. Mine has a minty flavor to it too so it's so much better then the wax they provide you with. But I have to say I am looking forward to my first adjustment. I want to feel some discomfort bc I want to know that the teeth are doing something!

#9 Post by **Clairey Fairey** » Tue May 29, 2007 4:08 pm

And my process was a bit longer bc they couldn't find the right molar cap to fit my upper molar and I kept having pain in that molar and they had to stop, check the tooth, reapply the molar, try again blah blah blah!

I had that too!! They must have tried about 5 before they found one that fit!!

Its that mouth sucker thing that annoys me, and u get such a dry mouth!!

No pain though....just annoying dental tools...

#10 Post by **iBorg** » Wed May 30, 2007 11:25 am

It will hurt as much as you think it will. If you think it will be as bad as having your teeth pulled, you'll be right. If you think it will be a wee bit annoying, once again you'll be right.

It is truly an attitude thing. I try to view it as a simple thing I'm doing for myself which will lead to a much better result than if I choose to do nothing.

Whatever you do in the process, try to have fun.

Mike

#11 Post by **shaunyshaun** » Wed May 30, 2007 3:37 pm

I've just got my braces today and I can relate to alot of the stuff that's been said. The seperators were really awkward and painful for a few days, having elastic bands in your teeth I thought wud be easy compared to now. I feel really uncomfortable, more self concious than I've ever been. Hopefully I won't have the braces on for too long, I'm getting the jaw surgery as well so this should be a breeze in comparison. The advice was really good, I'm taking note of that!

#12 Post by **Phil098342wq** » Wed May 30, 2007 4:07 pm

shaunyshaun you commented on being-"more self concious than I've ever been." I actually think my teeth look better. They were sort of yellow, could never keep the upper front looking good. I did have the dentist smooth them out and they helped the looks but now with the braces they look pearly white. I actually had a co worker, who I do not work with a lot but he has seen me several times since I had them put on two weeks ago and he commented after we were working together for 15 minutes, when did you get braces, and I told him 2 weeks ago and he said he thought something was diffrent.
I know this is to improve my looks and I still have to look forward to an implant, which the ortho is putting on my first retainer and I can't wait for a full smile again, and I have to look forward to venners. I know this is a critical step and if people can't get that I am working towards something better and they want to judge me, fine get out of my way cause I am moving forward with my life and they can stay stuck in their own mud of judgement.