45 Interesting Things To Know Before Getting Braces On

When you decide to get braces, various thoughts, fears, and questions arise in your mind. You get curious about things to know before getting braces on teeth.

You should know a few things to remove the misconception from your mind. Sometimes your expectations are too high, which may not be good for you.

So, get an idea about what to expect before getting braces as well.

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1 45 Things to know before getting braces on

45 Things to know before getting braces on

Know Interesting Tips and Facts Before Getting Braces On

Here are things to know before getting braces on your teeth:

1. Braces treatment may need 2-3 years to complete.

You should keep in mind that braces treatment takes about 2 to 3 years to complete. It may vary based on how severe your case is.

Your orthodontist can give you an idea after evaluating the condition.

If you have minor misaligned or crooked teeth, you can expect to get braces off faster.

Growing children may expect a quicker response to the treatment.

If you don’t know the timeline in advance, you will keep counting the days in false hope.

But if you know about the probable date of getting braces off, you will see that your time will pass in the blink of an eye, you can’t even realize it.

With such a long time you can try to find how quickly the treatment can be completed. But in a hurry, the results will not be as you expect but maybe worse.

However, there are other methods in which you can get the treatment completed within 6 months.

In that case, you need jaw surgery and then align the teeth in about 6 months.

The process is completed and it depends on many factors and varies from person to person.

It’s usually done in severe cases. The healing process is also painful and may have to face many side effects.

Consult with your orthodontist on which option is the best for you.

2. Braces have different types.

There are various types of braces you can get, such as traditional metal braces, lingual, ceramic or clear braces.

You have the right to choose which types you want. All braces may not be helpful for a certain case.

So, consult with your orthodontist before getting braces to know whether you can pick your favorite braces.

Learn about the types of braces and their pros and cons before you decide.

3. Braces don’t hurt that much during placement.

When the orthodontist places brackets to your teeth with glues, you don’t feel any pain.

However, you may experience slight pressure on your teeth or discomfort.

4. Your lips may look slightly different from braces.

As teeth remain in contact with lips and cheek, your lips look more pronounced after getting braces.

In fact, those metal braces can rub and cut your lips or cheek during the first few days.

You can use wax in those areas. However, your mouth and braces get adjusted with each other over time.

But, after braces come off, your lips will look better than before.

5. Braces may hurt your teeth.

Braces do hurt after you get them for the first time or tightened. You experience the most painful condition during the first few days after getting braces.

After that, it starts to reduce. The pain goes away within a month and you feel no more pain.

The rough metal structure of newly placed braces may rub your cheek and gums and cause irritation. So, don’t wonder if you face this problem.

6. You can manage the pain from braces.

Though you feel pain from braces, the good thing is you can deal with the pain, as it doesn’t hurt that much.

If it hurts you more, take over-the-counter pain relievers or use various techniques at home easily like applying oral numbing gels or ice packs in the jaw and more.

When the metal surface of braces hurts your cheek or gums, you can solve the problem by using orthodontic wax.

7. Teeth may feel sensitive.

For the first few days to weeks, your teeth may feel sensitive to certain foods or drinks.

Cut those from your diet. If the sensitivity remains for a long time, consult with your orthodontist.

8. You may have broken braces or wires.

It’s very common to have a broken piece of braces. Sometimes braces or the wires may get broken or loose.

Sometimes, braces wires may get bent or pop out or they may start poking back your mouth or cheek.

But, you don’t have to worry. You can repair any broken part of the braces at home.

Learn about all common problems and solutions regarding braces and wires.

However, you must visit your orthodontist to fix it permanently as soon as possible.

9. You need braces survival kits.

While wearing braces, you may face various problems. But, you can’t visit your orthodontist all the time.

So, you need to buy braces survival kits and carry them with you to protect your braces, cheek, and gums from various problems, such as getting hurt from braces or fixing any issue regarding braces at home.

There are a variety of instruments present inside the box of the kits.

10. Dental wax will become your friend.

Dental or orthodontic wax can help you with most of the problems. You need the wax when sharp metal braces rub your cheek or a wire popped out from the slot and pokes your cheek or gums.

You can put the wax in those areas to prevent getting hurt. It can help you in many situations.

So, buy some dental waxes and keep it with you.

Learn how to put the wax on braces correctly.

11. Keep patience and don’t try to accelerate the process.

It is not an easy thing to wear braces but you have to show a lot of patience if you want straight teeth and a beautiful smile.

If you don’t keep your patience, the outcome of your treatment will be poor. But if you take it normally, you won’t feel anything at all.

When you see that the treatment may take a little longer than you thought, you don’t need to be frustrated.

Trying to accelerate the process of treatment fast may become harmful to your teeth.

On the one hand, all of your hard work will be in vain. and on the other hand, you may damage your teeth permanently for any wrongdoing.

Neither of which is desirable. Whenever you feel for some reason that you can’t be patient, think of the end result of braces treatment.

You will get much better results from what you are enduring today. So, trust your orthodontist, wait for that day to come, and stay happy.

Following his or her instruction patiently to get the best results and speed up the treatment.

12. You may need elastic bands to move the teeth.

Orthodontic treatment requires special elastic bands such as spacers, inter-arch rubber bands, or power chains to move teeth in certain positions.

You get spacers or separators to create a spacer between back teeth. As you need molar bands to be placed on those teeth, the gap is required for that.

You have to get the separators 1 to 2 weeks before getting braces. But, some people may not need these kinds of elastic.

Learn when you need spacers for braces.

Rubber bands are used to put extra pressure along with braces and wires. They are placed from the bracket of one jaw to the bracket of the other jaw.

These elastic bands help move the teeth into a special place. They are used especially to shift teeth forward or backward to correct overbite or underbite.

Get the answers to all your questions regarding rubber bands.

Another elastic-made component of braces that can move teeth is the power chain.

This is an elastic chain that has some holes within it. Normally, your orthodontist places the power chain with your braces to close the gaps.

Learn more about the ortho power chains.

13. Springs for braces can be your friend.

Sometimes, you may have to wear springs with braces. Don’t need to be afraid. Actually, they can move your tooth to your desired position.

Usually, there are two types of springs you may get while wearing braces such as coil springs and forsus appliances.

Coil springs can close gaps or move teeth in a certain direction whereas forsus appliances can fix your bite.

Know more about coil spring and forsus appliances.

14. Orthodontic treatment needs multiple tightening appointments.

It’s not that you will forget about your orthodontist after getting braces, instead, you need to visit your orthodontist’s office every month.

You have to get your braces tightened every 6 to 8 weeks. Your orthodontist will perform other adjustments as well according to the treatment planning.

You may think why doesn’t he or she put double pressure during a tightening schedule so that you don’t have to visit the office frequently?

You can’t apply excess pressure on teeth because it will destroy your teeth permanently. Orthodontists put an ideal force to move your teeth when they put the force.

You may expect about a 1 mm tooth movement per month.

15. Braces also change smile and face.

Your face and smile have a relationship with your alignment of teeth. Braces not only straighten your teeth but also improve facial appearance and smile.

When you have misaligned teeth such as overbite or underbite, your face and smile look a little bit unnatural.

Braces can fix your overbite or underbite and give your face a more natural look. As a result, you get a beautiful smile.

16. Braces change your jawline.

Braces can change and improve your jawline. Though they don’t have much effect on the jaw bone, you can get a significant change in your jawline.

The reason is braces can change the structure of the part of the jawbones that hold your teeth.

Besides, braces can correct your overbite and underbite. So, you get a better jawline after the braces treatment.

17. It improves more than you think.

Braces don’t only straighten your teeth but also improve a lot of other things.

You may expect only to straighten teeth, but braces improve your bite and function such as chewing or talking.

So, you get an overall enhancement of your teeth and mouth.

18. Braces worth your investment.

You have to invest time, effort, and a lot of money for braces treatment. But you have no reason to worry.

When you’ll get the braces off, you’ll forget all of the pain and discomfort that you endure during the treatment, because you will get your most desired outcome.

Not only that, with the help of braces you achieve a lot more than your smile.

So, there is no need to suspect your orthodontist and braces treatment.

Braces are truly worth it in the end. Just wait for that beautiful day when you will get a new look.

19. An orthodontist does more than align teeth.

You may think about straightening your teeth to get a beautiful smile. But, orthodontists do more than that for the best result of the treatment.

So, he or she evaluates your teeth and mouth thoroughly and asks a lot of questions before getting the braces.

The most important thing is the bite. The orthodontist not only aligns your teeth but also corrects the bite so that your teeth function properly and better than before.

If the bite isn’t perfect it’ll lead to chewing and biting problems as well as TMJ issues. He or she fixes all minor to major problems.

Because of that a mold is prepared and an x-ray has been taken to evaluate the case and do proper measurements. After that, you get the braces.

20. You can make braces colorful.

You may be upset to think about what it will look like after wearing those metal braces.

But, you can make the braces look beautiful if you want and you will look good. But how? You can give a colorful look to your braces.

What you need to do is ask your orthodontist for the colors. The orthodontist places ligature elastics or o-shaped elastics on all your brackets.

You can use colorful elastics to make braces colorful. Check the color available for braces from the braces color wheel.

Boys, girls, and adults may choose their own colors respectively. They can also pick a combination of colors that can represent the events or seasons.

21. It’s mandatory to clean teeth regularly.

As wearing braces causes more food to accumulate in your teeth and it’s difficult to maintain oral hygiene, you must be more concerned about cleaning your teeth than ever.

You may have missed cleaning teeth sometimes without braces on the tooth, though you should not.

But, you must clean your teeth thoroughly and regularly with braces on your teeth.

If you don’t maintain oral hygiene with braces, more plaque and food debris will be deposited between teeth and braces.

As a result, you will develop tooth sensitivity and decay.

Learn more about the effects of not brushing teeth with braces.

22. Brushing and flossing is a difficult tasks.

The technique of cleaning teeth with braces is a little bit different. You may find it hard while brush and floss teeth with braces.

You can’t move the floss easily when braces are there. You can use special floss for braces.

While brushing, you have to be careful to protect braces from getting hurt. Moreover, try to use a toothbrush with a soft bristle.

Learn how to brush and floss your teeth using proper method while wearing braces.

23. You have to eat braces-friendly foods.

With braces on teeth, you have to eat soft foods to prevent any damage to braces as well as maintain oral hygiene.

You have to eat smoothies, soups, soft-cooked vegetables, mashed potatoes, and other braces-friendly foods.

You need to take softer and more liquid foods after getting braces tightened.

Children may eat braces-friendly school lunches. Soft foods don’t provide pressure on your teeth, instead, they give rest to your teeth.

Get a list of foods to eat with braces.

24. Say goodbye to some of your favorite foods.

It will become sad to know that you have to stay away from eating many of your favorite foods with getting braces.

Hard foods apply pressure on your teeth and they may get stuck between your teeth and braces.

As a result, your braces may fall off or get loose. Sticky and sugary foods also get adhere to braces easily.

When the food debris stays on your teeth for a long time, it will damage your teeth and cause tooth decay or sensitivity.

Learn what foods you need to avoid with braces.

25. Your teeth get stained with braces.

Since cleaning teeth with braces is a difficult task to perform, your teeth may turn yellow or get stained if you fail to clean your teeth properly.

However, you can get rid of the stain and keep your teeth whiten if you are careful and remove all food debris completely from your teeth and braces.

Know how to prevent braces stains.

You can also make your teeth whiter after braces come off. But, try your best to keep it as it is now to prevent any complications.

26. You can’t remove braces on your own for the whole time.

Your orthodontist attaches braces brackets with special types of glues to your teeth. They’re fixed, which means you can’t remove them on your own.

During the orthodontic treatment, those metal brackets will stay on your teeth for the whole time.

Some people may try to remove them at home. Don’t do that because it will make the situation worse.

27. Age isn’t a factor to get braces.

The best thing about braces is anyone can get braces to align their teeth. Young age is the best for getting a faster result.

If someone visits an orthodontist at growing age, orthodontists can do more.

He or she can control the growth of your jaw and align teeth with a more natural look and give a perfect bite.

However, braces can help correct almost any kind of problem at any age, even in adults.

28. Orthodontic treatment doesn’t end after the removal of braces.

You have to wear a retainer after braces come off. So, don’t think that your treatment comes to an end after the removal of braces.

A retainer is a removable appliance that helps hold teeth in their new position.

If you don’t use it according to the orthodontist’s instructions, your teeth will come back to their old position and waste all your hard work for years.

So, be patient during that time and wear the retainer. However, retainers aren’t so uncomfortable.

You can also get a removable retainer.

29. Choose a certified orthodontist.

To get braces treatment, you need to visit an orthodontist. There are differences between regular dentists and orthodontists.

Orthodontists are the experts for orthodontic treatment. They are trained people and have a degree in orthodontics.

They deal with braces, tooth movement, misaligned teeth, braces treatment, and growth and function of the jawbone.

Try to get treatment from an experienced orthodontist. He or she can plan the treatment perfectly and you can expect the very result.

However, after the beginning of orthodontic treatment, you should keep your trust in him or her and shouldn’t change the orthodontist during the treatment.

This may disrupt the treatment and the outcome may be poor.

Also, pick the orthodontist who is friendly to you, because you need to keep in touch with him for a long time.

30. Use mouthguard to protect your mouth.

If you are an athlete or you play outdoor sports, you must wear a mouthguard while you play.

You should also use the mouthguard if you do any activity that has a risk of following down on teeth.

The reason is an injury to your mouth with braces on teeth can harm you more than in normal situations.

You may also need the mouthguard if you have loose and broken braces or wires to protect your cheek and gums.

31. You may develop a slight lisp.

After getting braces on, you may face problems while speaking. This is absolutely normal.

During the first few days or weeks, you may have a little lisp, as metal brackets and wires interfere with the movement of your tongue and mouth.

But, no need to worry. It goes away fast as you get used to talking with the braces over time.

32. Keep your confidence.

Nowadays wearing braces is a common thing. There is no reason to think that people will laugh or make fun of it.

You will notice that many of your favorite actors or tv stars wear braces and post selfies on social media.

So, be confident and wait for the day when everyone will love your beautiful smile.

33. Braces treatment is about commitment.

It’s not that your orthodontist will only keep his or her commitment to the treatment.

You also need to make a commitment and keep it. You have to visit your orthodontist every 4 to 6 weeks for an adjustment process.

You can’t forget about it or you get a poor outcome. You also need to follow all the instructions by your orthodontist. If you do that, only then you can expect the best result.

34. First consultations may be free.

Most orthodontists don’t change for the first consultation. So, you can consult with two or three orthodontists before deciding on the final one.

However, don’t overdo it or you will get confused. It’s better to talk with your dentist who knows who can be better for you.

But, you are the one who takes the final decision.

35. Don’t think of switching the orthodontist after getting braces on.

Switching the orthodontist in between the braces treatment may be very costly. It may hamper your treatment and you have to face many troubles because of that.

So, choose an orthodontist very carefully. Orthodontic treatment needs 2-3 years. Try to avoid a situation like that.

Think about a scenario when you or your orthodontist has to leave the city and shift somewhere else in between the treatment.

As a result, you can’t continue the treatment. However, if it’s the case, you should consult with your orthodontist.

This isn’t complicated, because you need to sign a contract before getting braces.

If you can’t avoid ending the negotiation during the treatment, you may get help from the orthodontist about the cost and the next treatment plan.

He or she will contact the other orthodontist in the town and refer you to him or her with the treatment plan.

After that, you can restart the treatment with the new orthodontist.

However, you must decide if you can bear the cost of treatment before the beginning of treatment.

36. You may need a tooth extraction for braces.

Braces treatment may require you to get two or more teeth extracted. It’s done before you get braces.

Know about the cases when you need a tooth extraction for braces.

37. Know the cost of braces.

Braces treatment isn’t so cheap. You may consider other alternatives, but braces may be the best option for you. Braces may cost you somewhere between $3000 to 6000.

However, it depends on the place where you live, the age of the patient, the types of braces, and the severity of the cases.

Invisible braces may cost you more than metal braces.

38. Braces don’t be put on during the first appointment.

You don’t get braces at the first meeting with your orthodontist. During this appointment, he evaluates your teeth and mouth carefully and asks many questions.

It’s actually a consultation appointment. He can take an impression and make a mold of your teeth to design a treatment plan on that day if you are a good candidate for braces.

After the appointment, he performs various measurements and makes a plan for treatment. Then, you get braces based on the requirements.

All of these procedures need time to execute the treatment perfectly. So, the orthodontist won’t attach braces during the first visit.

You can expect to get braces on your second or third visit to your orthodontist’s office.

Don’t whiten your teeth before getting braces

You shouldn’t whiten your teeth before getting braces because you may have an uneven teeth color after the braces get off.

While wearing braces, the portion of a tooth that’s covered by braces remains lighter than the exposed portion.

The reason is the exposed portion gets in contact with foods and drinks and the enamel color gets changed.

To fix this problem, you may need tooth whitening treatment after braces. So, avoid whitening your teeth before braces.

What to do before getting braces?

Here are things you should do before getting braces on:

1. Complete all other dental procedures.

Once the braces are applied to your teeth, you can’t take all other dental treatments.

So, ask your orthodontist which treatment you should take before getting braces.

Consult with your dentist and complete those work. Then, get ready for the braces.

2. Take professional dental cleaning.

You must take professional dental cleaning treatment to remove all plaques and tartar from your teeth.

The reason is teeth accumulate more plaque and tartar because of the irregular surface of braces, even though you clean your teeth regularly.

Moreover, if you don’t maintain oral hygiene, you will have more plaque and tartar. This makes the situation worse.

So, get the treatment to clean those surfaces of teeth that are hard to reach while brushing or flossing.

3. Get mentality prepared for getting braces.

Don’t be afraid of getting braces on. It’s a simple procedure. It won’t hurt you that much. Conquer all fears of the mind.

Remember that to get something beautiful or to fulfill an important goal in your life, you are going to visit the office of your orthodontist. So feel happy to go there.

4. Clean your teeth properly.

Before the appointment, you have to remove all food particles from your teeth. Brush and floss your teeth thoroughly.

This helps glue or dental cement adhere to your teeth perfectly and braces get attached to it nicely.

If the glue doesn’t adhere to teeth properly, brackets may come off.

5. Take a selfie.

You must take a few selfies showing your teeth and jaw from different sides before getting braces on.

Then, when the work will be finished, you will take a few more selfies to compare the two pictures.

This will make you realize how braces treatment improves your teeth, smile, and your overall look.

6. Take an over-the-counter pain reliever.

Braces hurt you when they are attached to your teeth for the first time. You may experience pain for the first few days.

You may feel pressure or discomfort when braces are placed on your teeth. So, you can take an over-the-counter pain reliever before going for an appointment.

However, we suggest you talk to your orthodontist before taking any medication.

You can stock a few more pain relievers to relieve pain for the first few days.

7. Bring lip balm during the appointment.

You can use lip balm to moisten your lips before the orthodontist attaches the braces to your teeth.

The appointment takes a long time and your lips get dry and feel uncomfortable.

So, it may help reduce your discomfort during the procedure.

Keep in mind that you can use it once the procedure starts. So, apply it before it begins.

Do you need to get cavities filled before braces?

You can get braces without getting cavities filled. But, you should get the cavity filled before the braces because the cavity may become worse over time and you may have to face problems filling cavities with braces on teeth.

Moreover, long-standing tooth cavities lead to pain, swelling, discomfort, and other dental complications.

So, visit a dentist to get dental treatment before getting braces and fill the cavity if it’s necessary.

You can also consult with your orthodontist regarding this.

He will also suggest what’s best for your condition.

Takeaways

You have to know a lot of things before getting braces on. But, the most important things are being confident, being patient, trusting the orthodontist, and following all of the instructions while wearing braces.

At the end of the orthodontic treatment, you must get a beautiful smile and even teeth.