Will getting braces hurt?

When your orthodontist recommends that you get braces as an adult, one thing that does not often come up – and a question that potential patients seem to avoid asking – is “will wearing braces hurt?”

What Braces Do

Braces are not only for crooked teeth, they can help to treat overbites, gaps between a person’s teeth, an overbite or overcrowding of the teeth and even certain breathing problems that are associated with jaw positioning. But no matter what the actual problem is, the fact remains that braces use technology that promote the restructuring of the bones (both teeth and jaw). Acting as a compressor, braces put continual pressure on a person’s teeth in order to correct the problem. Orthodontists routinely adjust and tighten the braces’ components in order to help achieve the desired results. In the process, teeth loosen and move and bones have to re-grow to support the tooth in its new location. Unfortunately, discomfort is a part of this process.

How Much Will It Hurt?

The good news is that most of the pain associated with braces is not the same as the pain that you receive in an injury. Having braces put on your teeth initially is not a process that many people are accustomed to, and while it can seem odd, the placing of the braces is generally not painful nor uncomfortable. The time when many patients experience discomfort is typically following adjustments.

Each time the orthodontist tightens or makes adjustments to your braces, your jaw and gums will feel discomfort for a few days as the gums and bones shift to allow the teeth into their new position, but the discomfort is not incapacitating. In fact, most orthodontic patients get used to it fairly quickly.

Then why do People Make Such a Fuss?

The stories of “pain” that are associated with wearing braces may have something to do with the fact that braces can have certain side effects on your mouth and gums. If you get hit in the mouth while wearing braces, some of the wires can cut into your gums. It can also be annoying if food particles get stuck under your braces and you can’t get them out with regular brushing. If, however, the patient pays attention to the directions given by the orthodontist for the care of their teeth while wearing braces the miscellaneous discomfort associated with the wearing of braces can be minimized, if not avoided altogether.