I'm Having Braces... TOMORROW!?!

I'm Having Braces... TOMORROW!?

Does it hurt?? What is the process of having them fixed on like??

Having braces can be a bit tender while the wire goes on, and for a few days afterwards your teeth might ache a bit, particularly while eating.

I will describe the process of when I had my fixed brace put on so you know what to expect, but dentistry changes all the time and each brace is also different, so this might not be exactly how it is for you.

First they clean the area of the tooth. They might use a powerful electric toothbrush or blow pressurised air. They will probably wipe the area to make sure it's not wet, then they put some "cement" on your tooth, and fix a bracket in position. Then they shine something on your teeth, you don't need to worry about this because you can't feel it. This has to be done for every tooth they put a bracket on.

Next the wire is placed on the brackets, and then it is fixed in place and tightened. There are a few methods they can use for this, from ties to wires, and it can be a bit painful with it tugging at your teeth. It only takes a few moments.

You can expect pliers and other instruments in your mouth to cut wires and make sure there is nothing sticking up. These instruments are completely safe, they are specially designed and there is no chance of them catching your lip or anything your mind might be afraid of.

Sometimes a tube might be placed below your tongue to suck out saliva so you don't need to swallow. Don't worry about this, it's noisy but painless.

Just sit back and relax, the process will be over soon. Think about something else if you can. It doesn't hurt, it's just a little uncomfortable having all that stuff in your mouth. People have it done every day, you'll be fine.