Pain after having braces fitted

[CherryMaple]

DD (13) had elastics put in today, before having braces in a week or so. She’s highly sensitive, so very sensitive to pain (when other people might not feel it). She’s in pain with the elastics. She’s had paracetamol and still feels she can’t eat and she’s crying. Is she likely to need ibuprofen too?

I’ve never had braces and need advice on what she’s going through. What are the next few days going to hold? How much worse will it be with the actual braces?

What are your tips for what she can eat?

DD says her friends have days off school sick when they have braces fitted. Anyone got experience of this? What’s reasonable? If she’s the same tomorrow, she wouldn’t be well enough to go...

I'd say yes to ibuprofen; I was in pain for about three weeks when I had my braces put on. I found it really painful and having them adjusted was sometimes as bad.

Honestly soup was the only thing I could manage. I'm sure some people get over it much faster but I don't think it's unusual for it to be very painful.

I think it's almost always better to go to school, because it distracts from the pain. Obviously if she has greater difficulties because of extra needs, then it might be different for her. But what would she do if she were at home? If she could read or play on the computer or whatever, then she could probably manage lessons, with some pain relief. If she's so distraught with pain that she can't focus on anything, then keep her home, but it might be hard to occupy her.

I usually found days 2 and 3 worst, then it improved. Elastics weren't worse than getting them tightened, for me.

But distraction and just knowing I was missing school work that mattered, usually got me through school. Staying home was never an option. I'm not sure we were even allowed paracetamol or ibuprofen either.

No reason not to alternate the two medications, though, if she is really feeling it badly. Taking them regularly rather than waiting til she complains of pain might be good for the first couple of days, so that it is a consistent level of pain relief.

My daughter found it very painful for the first three or four days, could only eat very soft foods and we had to alternate paracetamol and ibuprofen. After that absolutely fine though, she still gets pain when she has the wires changed to tighten them but again just uses painkillers for a couple of days. Hopefully your daughters’ will settle down soon

It’s very achey OP!

Oh gosh it’s been years since I had my braces and I can still remember the pain. I am a hypochondriac but honestly it’s difficult to cope with.
My whole jaw ached, couldn’t bite my teeth together for days & certainly couldn’t chew or eat much more than soup or smoothies.

Go easy on her OP, I would say one day off school if the pain is really bad but as others have said being in school is a good distraction.
Definitely alternate ibuprofen and paracetamol if she’s struggling

Our orthodontist says no to ibuprofen as it stops the teeth moving. Could you try co-codamol instead? Thats what we have used for my daughter plus Anbesol liquid on her gums.

Food wise anything soft that doesn’t really need chewing….
Scrambled egg, soups, mash (maybe a baked potato?)

Thank you so much everyone. Really appreciate all the advice.

What causes the pain though!
The pressure on the the teeth or digging into gums?

It sounds awful. Dd is having some fitted soon... Is it worth so much pain?

How long do braces go in for?

@Autumngoldleaf

Currently it’s pressure on the teeth. DD is having braces because she has two adult teeth missing that never developed (hypodontia). They are making room to insert two more teeth on bridges (then implants).

She’ll have the braces for two years, then retainers long term. Even though I know she really needs it doing, it’s hard at the moment to see the (short term) pain, and to think about the food restrictions, etc.

Took me a week to stop crying! The pain is sometimes from the rubbing,make sure she has some relief wax from the Orthodontist to spread on,acts like a lubricant.

Length of time depends on the amount of work being done. Most of dd's friends were told 18 months to 2yrs.

DD is 5 months in. She has an expander on the roof of her mouth which is a ridged metal plate thing which is pushing her teeth outwards. Plus metal bands around the back teeth and metal on the front. The pain is a combination of the pressure, rubbing when she talks or eats and getting her tongue stuck in the expander and cutting it while asleep.

I remember the pain so well. It's really sore and quite a lot of pressure. They're literally moving your teeth.

It is worth it in our case. DD had terribly crooked teeth and even in 5 months, they've changed the whole shape of her jaw. She can bite properly at last!

Oh and I thoroughly recommend liquid anbesol and wax for where it rubs.

@Randomactofkindness Can they have co-codamol at 13? Can I buy it over the counter?

My son gets this every time they are tightened. It’s very painful - I had braces for 4 years so plenty experience with the pain I used to take pain killer pre orthodontist then keep it regular until things settled down. It’s a full face/jaw/mouth ache and it’s very sore, gives my son a headache.

Def go with the brufen, it’ll help with the achy feeling as well as the pain. I used to just eat soft/liquid foods I’d have a big meal prior ro tightening to see me through too. Sorry for your daughter if she’s quite sensitive to pain it must be really difficult for her hope it subsides soon

I had train track braces. Yes they were initially painful, and every time they were tightened they were very painful again. I don't think I had any painkillers, would have been a good idea!

Btw it was well worth the pain. I now have a winning smile.

12 and over can use co codamol of other drugs have not worked bit check first as some children shouldn't have them.

I had braces for 4yrs. I'm always amazed by how things have moved on. My visits took forever too. DD is never there for more than 7 minutes it seems.

My son got a little wax thing too for the rubbing bits, bonjela is good too if she likes it. You can buy 8/500 cocodamol you could just give one to start with one paracetamol and see how she gets on.

it goes in a couple of days...

Yes!
www.nhs.uk/medicines/co-codamol-for-children/
I’m a pharmacist 😊

As someone who had to have braces as a teenager and then again as an adult, with bands. I feel for your DD, One of the best things to stop braces rubbing against gums is brace wax that you can get from your dentist/orthodontist, I think some chemists stock it too. I was in a lot of pain the first 2 weeks and then after every adjustment. Paracetamol for every 4 hours, I would try to avoid ibruprofen if possible because it can mess up your good bacteria in digestive system long term. Maybe try soft foods for first few days. One thing I would recommend for anyone having braces or bands is an electric water glosser. I had to have my teeth wired together as well as bands for jaw surgery and the flosser was the only thing that kept my teeth really clean, and I didn’t need any fillings because of the flosser.

DH is rushing out now for Anbesol and co-codamol. Really appreciate all the advice.