Are Braces Painful to Wear?

For most people, the first few days after braces are fitted feel the most uncomfortable. Teeth feel sore when you bite, and the brackets can rub your cheeks and lips while you get used to them.

A similar, usually milder, soreness can come back for a day or two after adjustment visits, when the wire is changed or tightened. These visits are usually every 4–8 weeks.

Everyone feels it differently. Some people notice only mild pressure, others an ache. In both cases the discomfort generally settles within a few days.

Braces work by applying gentle, steady pressure to your teeth. That pressure slowly moves each tooth through the bone. While this starts, the gums and the tissue that holds each tooth in place can feel tender, so teeth ache when you bite. New brackets and wires also take some getting used to.

The soreness is temporary. These simple steps usually help:

• Soft foods. Choose foods such as yoghurt, soup and pasta for the first few days.
• Pain relief. Over-the-counter pain relief, taken as directed on the pack.
• Orthodontic wax. A small piece over a bracket that rubs protects your cheek or lip.

If pain is severe or does not settle, or a bracket breaks or a wire pokes, message us on WhatsApp for advice and to arrange an appointment. Please do not try to adjust or remove it yourself.

Braces can straighten crowded or gapped teeth and correct many bite problems. No orthodontist can honestly promise a perfect result, because every mouth is different.

What you can achieve depends on your teeth, jaw and bite, and on your treatment plan. At your orthodontic assessment, our Specialist Orthodontist, Dr Deepthi Chandran Rajeesh, explains what is realistic for you and which type of braces suits you – metal braces, self-ligating braces or Invisalign® clear aligners.

Keeping the result depends on retainers. When braces come off, teeth naturally try to drift back. Wearing your retainers as instructed holds them in their new position.

An orthodontic check from around age 7 can spot bite problems early. This does not mean every child needs braces at that age.

The right age to start depends on how your child’s teeth and jaw are developing. Treatment only starts when the timing is right, after an assessment by the orthodontist.

Braces are not only for children. Adults can have orthodontic treatment too, as long as their teeth and gums are healthy.