Having teeth extracted prior to having braces put on can be painful.
For patients who require spacers, this process can be uncomfortable – even more than braces themselves, according to some patients. Discomfort is also normal after each treatment visit to the orthodontist, when the wires are tightened and adjusted. For a few days after an adjustment, your mouth will feel tender when you bite down.
Taking an anti-inflammatory medication, such as ibuprofen, as soon as you leave the orthodontist's office and again before bed and two or three times a day for the next three days helps most patients cope with the pain. It also helps to eat only soft foods, such as eggs, pasta, soups, cottage cheese, yogurt, and ice cream until your teeth get used to their new position.
New braces also irritate the inside of your cheeks, the back of your lips, and your tongue. Just as a new mother's nipples need time to "toughen up" to breast-feeding, the soft tissues inside your mouth will eventually "toughen up" to the hardware. Until then, your orthodontist will give you wax to cover up the hard pieces of metal or ceramic braces.
|
