Advice for getting braces?

Question

okay so i'm a little FREAKED OUT!

i'm getting braces soon and I need someone to explain to me everything that I should know about braces and how they get put on. Thanks!

Answer 1

i'm cluless bout the dental stuff, but when it comes to the color of ur braces :

my friend got the BRIGHT orange, when she went out of the dentist, they became beigy orange, they stretched, so u should ask the dentist bout that, hope i helped w/ sumthin ;)

Answer 2

take advil before you get them then the pain won't be as bad...they put this thing in your mouth to keep it open and the gave me this gas so I wouldn't feel it..its not that bad you'll be fine don't worry too much: )

Answer 3

  I had braces for a year and a half.  It was a pain, there's nothing you can do about that, but you get used to it.  One thing I'll have to say is it's tough to get pieces of food out of your braces after they're in.  

  One thing I will say is for you (or your family) to prepare to get many foods that are very soft like yogurts, soups, or things that won't make you chew too much.  They may be a pain, but they're well worth it!

Answer 4

No need to worry, braces look great!

Okay what they do first is take moulds of your teeth, the stuff they put in your mouth is alright and they hold that on your teeth for a few seconds, it might make you gag but only for a second.

I don't know how they put on the braces, it all depends on what sort you have. If its fixed then there are wires and brackets they fix on your teeth with this sort of superglue, every few weeks you need to go back to have them tightened. If your braces are unfixed then you will be able to remove them, i think, ask your dentist about that one.

It hurts for the first day when you have your braces, make sure to put lipsolve on your lips as they will dry up. Your mouth will feel huge, but trust me it will look exactly the same on the outside!

The dentist will give you some wax to put on your braces in case they rub you at all, I never used my wax.

Okay a few don'ts:

Don't eat apples for the first few days as your braces are still tender

Don't eat toffee or sticky sweets

Don't chew gum, though you can but be careful in case they get stuck in you're braces

You can brush your teeth but be careful! You're dentist will tell you all of this so don't worry!

When you have your braces taken off, it feels wonderful and you won't stop rubbing your teeth with your toungue! :P

Good luck!

Answer 5

DONT WORRY. IT doesnt hurt when they put them on, but they do hurt some after about the first 6 hours or so. Also, you need this little brissle to get in between the brackets. right now i have them and there not so bad. after the first month, you cant really feel them. you'll be fine good luck!!

Answer 6

First, don't freak out. So many kids nowadays have gone through this. Yes, it can be painful, but it's so worth it.

In my experience, actually sitting in the orthodontist chair is less painful than the dental chair. I'd rather have something done at the orthodontist for sure than get a filling or a root canal. At least orthodontists don't use needles and drills!

They'll make molds of your mouth with this foamy gummy stuff. And they put the brackets onto each tooth with glue. That part is no big deal. And then they put the wires on. That's the part that actually straightens your teeth so it definitely feels tight and uncomfortable at first. And then rubber bands hold the wires in place.

They'll give you wax for any pieces of wire that might poke you at first. And then just take tylenol for the pressure on your teeth. You'll get used to eating with them.

They'll give you special little brushes for brushing in the crevices.

Hmmm... what else... you get to change your rubber bands every few months. Hopefully you'll get colors to choose from because that's fun.

And you'll have a list of what not to eat. Take it somewhat seriously. And definitely stay away from Now & Laters or caramels or anything really tough and chewy like that. I did break my braces once on something like that.

Brush well because cavities can be common due to missing the spots that the braces cover.

That's all I remember! Getting them off is even better. :-)

Answer 7

braces may have changed over the years, so some answers (like mine) may be out of date.

It is real important to clean above and below the braces for trapped stuff.

The only toothpaste anyone should ever use is Colgate Total with Triclosan.

When they adjust them, you could feel some discomfort for a day or two..

sometimes they give you stuff to put on so it doesn't rub your mouth. Ora gel or salt water will help if you do get cuts.

There are a few foods to avoid..like popcorn..and maybe caramel.

They will tell you or ask.

If you can afford braces why not get a Sonicare Flexcare tooth brush..

It has an ultrasonic cleaner..and does a great job.

I had mine 30 years ago

Answer 8

ok well the dentist will clean your teeth very thoroughly beforehand, just to make sure that there is no plaque on the teeth before the braces are put on to stop rotting underneath the glue :)  thats a nice part..shiny teeth lol.. but they put that mouth/cheek separating gumshield thing in your mouth beforehand.  once ur all clean they will probably put the metal casing over your back top and bottom teeth to keep the braces in place when the wire goes through.  that bit sucks a little bit because the dentist has to mould the metal to your teeth..so theres a little bit of discomfort as they pull around a bit, but seein as its only 4 back teeth its over in a matter of minutes.  then the dentist will begin to glue the little squares that hold the wire in place across al of your teeth.  once they are all on the dentist *or assistant* will hold a blue light over your teeth to quickly dry the glue (you wont feel this at all).  once that is done, the two wires are put in place and ur done! the dentist may give you elastics to wear, so make sure you do (they tend to get a bit stroppy if you dont :))

when they sell you the wax make sure you take it.. the wire can rub against the inside of your cheeks a little bit, so a bit on the end of the wire will stop it from doing that! :)

ohh and number one tip....make sure u know what u are eating for dinner that night as the braces will feel weird and hurt a bit...so soft non chewy/hard food is the best thing to eat for the first few days!

x

Answer 9

i got braces a few years ago and there isnt much to be afraid of it doesnt hurt at all when they are putting them on unless you have some discomfort because of the cheek expanders (just these things they use to make your mouth wider) baisicaly they use some glue substance to get them to stick then run a wire through all of the brackets and put little rubber bands to keep the wire on. they will give you wax USE IT it will help prevent calousis in your mouth (those hurt but will eventually go completly away even though at the time they feel like they will never heal)

then they wont hurt that badly right afterward so eat anything hard you want then before they get sore later... then they will be sore so take advil or what ever pain reliever you want and eat some soft foods... this may sound wierd but chewing sugar free gum helped a lot for me cuz its like a baby teething chewing makes it a little less sore..

the pain shouldnt last more than a week good luck! oh and dont run your toung over them right away they taist disgusting and they are hot right after you get them on.

good luck and remember that in a few weeks you wont feel any of the pain you feel right away

it does get better  

Answer 10

Braces are not as bad as you think, you will end up with a beautiful smile and no regrets! :-)

The actual procedure is not very painful. They use some sort of glue to position the brackets, then they use a blue light thing to fuse them on. They put a plastic thing in your mouth to open it waaaay up, this may be a little uncomfortable. Also, when they take it out your lips will be completely chapped and your mouth very dry. That was the worst part of it for me.

They will use a water thing to wash out your mouth periodically, and you will have to wear those nerdy glasses when they are using the blue light.

You will bite down on the bracket things in the back to position them, this may be a little painful. Not too bad, though. Then they put in the wire. This is my best recollection as I got them put on in October 2006.

Anyway, that's how they actually put them on. Minor pain, a little uncomfortable, but not terrible.

Advice:

* With your mom's supervision, take some Advil about an hour BEFORE you get them put on, this will minimize discomfort.

* Stock up on soft foods. Pudding, soup, etc. Your mouth will be in a lot of pain for about 4-7 days following the procedure. Take Advil regularly.

* Brush your teeth at LEAST twice a day, the entire time you have braces. Once in the morning, once in the evening. It might also be good to brush them after lunch at school. At least bring a tiny "braces brush" to school, food gets stuck in them very easily

* Floss your teeth every night. It is a little time-consuming to floss your teeth when you have braces, but it is totally necessary to avoid tooth decay and bad breath.

* Use mouthwash at night, one that your ortho approves for braces

* Avoid hard, chewy, sticky foods! I broke a bracket on a peanut granola bar and I had to have my braces for three extra months.

* Avoid sugary foods, they get stuck to your braces easily! I would swear off pop if I were you, and candy.

* The only time your braces hurt are in the days following you getting them put on and after your tightening appointments.

It is all worth it!

Good luck, sorry this is soo long.

Answer 11

hey wear chapstick. b/c on yahoo answers said that it felt like if they are ripping your lips apart slowly . not trying to freak you out i don't know if that's true but just in case wear chapstick or lip balm. And if you have an iPod bring it b/c it might take a while for them to put them on. And by the way i don't have braces yet but about to get them and hope this helps you - Bye

Answer 12

They are glued on (usually)... it's not fun, but not painful. Just annoying to have to sit there for a long time while they put 'em on.

Braces themselves sorta suck. They make you get sores in your mouth, make your teeth and gums hurt, and are hard to clean. You can get through it, though, and will be happy when they come off and you have a perfect smile!

Answer 13

You'll be fine,I was so freaked out when I got mine on,and when I went in there,it was like I didn't feel anything,they just put cement/glue on your teeth,heads up they will be sore for a while though.

Answer 14

I just got them off today! My biggest piece of advice to you--be involved in decisions involving your mouth and think long-term.  Brush regularly especially under your bottom braces (hard to reach spot that I got white spots in :( )

Answer 15

I went through that aswell.  Don't think about it, don't worry.  Theres no way anything could go wrong.  And there's nothing to go wrong.

I got used to mine after a few days.  You wont even notice them after a while.  Good luck  :)