Prep for braces?

Message

#1 Post by **pegasus2425** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 4:35 pm

Hi all! I'm at 3 days and counting for my banding date and I had a question for all you veterans! Should I do anything here at home over the next couple of days to help with either the sensitivity or pain of having braces put on? Any advise would be great

#2 Post by **kirjax** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 6:51 pm

Well I didn't experience any pain with having braces put on but I did make sure that I took some pain reliever before I went as well as used a lot of chapstick (thanks to the advice from people on here) before getting them on - cause after they have your mouth spread open for awhile your lips are really dry. Other then that there really isn't much to prepare for. Just happily eat many things that you will be unable to eat while braced!

#3 Post by **blindboarder2008** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 9:02 pm

well said kirjax
in terms of pain killers, it was suggested by my dentist that about an hour before i went into to get my braces on, take 800mg of ibuprofen or advil, this would help decrease the pain afterwards! i did this and it helped quite a bit!! of course if you take more ibuprofen or advil later on i'd only take 1 (400mg) one!! best of luck!!!!!!! ohhh and chew lots of gum before cuz you'll most likely miss it once you get braced!!

#4 Post by **BraceFaceAt48** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 10:07 am

Hi, I'm relatively new to upper Clarity braces....since 1/22/09. Here are some tricks I learned. Start taking ibuprofen every 4 hrs. the day before bracing so you have it in your system, then likewise the day of bracing, then as needed. My ortho also advised to chew sugarfree gum to work the soreness out of your teeth. I did and did not have any trouble with it sticking to anything. And lastly, keep wax handy! Those first few days my gums felt raw with the new "legos" on my teeth.

I only waxed for the first week (at the time it felt like forever!!), then my gums got toughened up & I don't have to use it anymore. Salt water swishes & peroxide swishes help too. Good luck.......together we can get through this!

#5 Post by bb » Sat Feb 14, 2009 7:25 pm

Ask any questions you might have before they put the lip separator in because after it's in - the brackets are put on pretty quickly.

#6 Post by **KAS03** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 9:36 pm

Just want to wish you good luck!! They were not very painful for me getting them on about a month ago; but they were a bit of a shock and obviously felt strange for a few days! Drink lots of water to stay hydrated for getting them on; I found my mouth felt uncomfortably dry getting used to them. Yeah chapstick is a great idea too. And floss like crazy

I have braces on my uppers right now, getting them on lowers too next week--I love flossing my bottom teeth without the braces on, and am definitely taking advantage of it right now

#7 Post by **allisun** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 6:13 pm

Hi, just wanted to say I hope your bracing went well!