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Original poster

Will DC be ok to go to school straight after he's had braces fitted?

39 replies

TattiePants · 04/05/2022 16:03

DC is getting his braces fitted (top and bottom) tomorrow morning and I hadn't given it much thought other than I would drop him off at school straight after the appointment. I'm now wondering if he should go straight into school or take the morning / day off. I had braces fitted 30 years ago so can't remember whether I was in pain afterwards. I'm also wondering if it's a good idea to have his first meal with braces on at school.

If you have a DC with braces, how were they after they were fitted and did it take them time to get used to them. What might complicate things further is DS has SEN so it might take a bit more time to get used to them.

OP posts:
Greensleeves · 04/05/2022 16:06

One of mine had his fitted yesterday and went straight to work from the hospital. He's 17, no SEN though. He's now at an emergency appointment because the damn things popped off within hours of being fitted, but that's not relevant really.

Mine is quite wussy about pain Grin so if he went straight to work it can't have been too bad. I had them as a teenager and remember them being uncomfortable but definitely not debilitating enough to miss school.

Bramshott · 04/05/2022 16:06

I'm not sure the pain comes on straight away, so I would (and did!) drop him straight in. He's more likely to be uncomfortable later on or overnight. Lay in some nurofen meltlets and soup & soft rolls and be prepared to make a bit of a fuss of him later.

Hellocatshome · 04/05/2022 16:07

Some of DS's friends seemed to be in quite a lot of pain, DS had then fitted and said it wasn't painful at all. I dont think you can predict it.

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WhenDovesFly · 04/05/2022 16:07

My DD went straight back when she had hers done. It was a few hours later that they started to hurt. If you send him in with lunch then make sure he has something soft as he may not feel up to chewing. Also have lots of soft things at home for the first few days until the aching subsides. My DD ate tons of ice cream the first few days as she found it very soothing.

Original poster
TattiePants · 04/05/2022 16:10

That's a good point about soft food at school. He usually buys a panini every day (creature of habit) but might struggle to eat that for the first few days. I'll see if I can talk him in to taking a packed lunch this week.

OP posts:
Plantlover12 · 04/05/2022 16:11

He should be fine to go back to school after the fitting, mouth/teeth might feel a bit sore so give usual painkillers. Make sure foods given are soft and not crunchy/chewy, and avoid foods that can stain i.e curry for a few hours as this can stain the cement as its just been cured to the teeth, but the orthodontist will/should explain all of this anyway.

StuckInTheMiddleOfNowhere · 04/05/2022 16:12

The aching will start that eve or next day from ds experience. He did return to school but no sen.

Tigertigertigertiger · 04/05/2022 16:13

Yes

Original poster
TattiePants · 04/05/2022 16:14

I guess we'll just have to wait and see how he feels afterwards. GCSEs start in 10 days so ideally I don't want him to miss and school.

OP posts:
ExtraordinaryBehaviour · 04/05/2022 16:15

Definitely no panini ime, mash potato and gravy is good or yogurts. It can be quite uncomfortable and very odd, mine was very concerned about biting them off

Original poster
TattiePants · 04/05/2022 16:19

I think it'll be shepherds pie and slightly over-cooked veg tomorrow night! Stocking up on yoghurt is a good idea.

OP posts:
serenghetti2011 · 04/05/2022 16:22

I’m surprised you don’t remember the pain op, it’s seared into my brain that agony and face ache I used to eat tonnes before the orthodontist to keep me going then sipped water for a few days after. But the pain does kick in a good few hours after getting them on or adjustment. I went on to have surgery so am a bit sensitive about it. My son has braces and he is usually suffering by 4/6 hours post appointment. I can’t even take him ao that’s this dads job.

hope your son is ok, I’m hoping mine gets his off soon been over 2 years with covid

TeenPlusCat · 04/05/2022 16:23

I was going to say take the rest of the day off and give TLC.
But if he is y11 (that's late for getting them isn't it?) then go in, maybe with a flask of soup for lunch?
DD really struggled the first couple of days eating, I made her favourite soft-ish food, chopped it very small, and then chatted to distract her whilst she ate.

Original poster
TattiePants · 04/05/2022 16:25

serenghetti2011 · 04/05/2022 16:22

I’m surprised you don’t remember the pain op, it’s seared into my brain that agony and face ache I used to eat tonnes before the orthodontist to keep me going then sipped water for a few days after. But the pain does kick in a good few hours after getting them on or adjustment. I went on to have surgery so am a bit sensitive about it. My son has braces and he is usually suffering by 4/6 hours post appointment. I can’t even take him ao that’s this dads job.

hope your son is ok, I’m hoping mine gets his off soon been over 2 years with covid

I don't remember having them fitted the first time but I do remember what it was like each time they were tightened! I had 4 teeth out before I got mine and I was sure DS would have to have a couple out but thankfully not. That would definitely have been DH's job!

OP posts:
Original poster
TattiePants · 04/05/2022 16:30

TeenPlusCat · 04/05/2022 16:23

I was going to say take the rest of the day off and give TLC.
But if he is y11 (that's late for getting them isn't it?) then go in, maybe with a flask of soup for lunch?
DD really struggled the first couple of days eating, I made her favourite soft-ish food, chopped it very small, and then chatted to distract her whilst she ate.

@TeenPlusCat ideally he would have had them when he was 13/14 but Covid has pushed everything back massively in our area. Having said that, I was 16 when I had mine on. Soup would be ideal BUT he has dyspraxia so there's no way we could risk that at school! I might just feed him up lots for breakfast then he can just take a couple of yoghurts for lunch.

OP posts:
ifonly4 · 04/05/2022 16:43

DD went straight into school after having hers fitted, had removal and train tracks as a complex case. I think to start with it's a case of getting used to them, and most discomfort will kick in after tightenings, and in DD's case twistings.

TeenPlusCat · 04/05/2022 16:46

Ha! DD (anxiety) wouldn't eat college food when she first went so she took soup. Twice she spilt it in learning support (tomato soup too, she has dyspraxia) ... they have now banned food eating there. Grin

The cement takes 24 hrs to harden off properly iirc so you need to be extra careful. Eating a big breakfast sounds like a good plan.

DD's braces stayed on extra long because of covid. She has just recently been signed off completely about a year after they were removed. Took 4 years start to finish.

IWishIWasABaller · 04/05/2022 16:47

My sons orthodontist recommended that he take the rest of the day off from school after fitting also had a very strict eating plan for a few days. Pain kicked in after a few hours and it was very hard for him for a few days to get used to eating with the braces.

MummyJ12 · 04/05/2022 16:55

My DS had the rest of the day off and he was in quite a bit of pain so I decided to keep him off the day after too so I could give him pain relief and make sure he had foods that he could comfortably eat. I know I aired on the side of caution but it felt like the right thing to do.
I’d definitely recommend the rest of the day off as they can’t give them pain relief at school and then see how it goes.
It’s a long appointment for both top and bottom braces to be fitted anyway so your DC is going to miss the morning anyway probably.
Hope it all goes well.

serenghetti2011 · 04/05/2022 17:18

I had 4 teeth out too, my fixed braces were the 5th set I had so I’m a bit sensitive re orthodontist and dentists - big phobia
hope your son is ok though

LIZS · 04/05/2022 17:21

Should be fine but equip him with pain relief and dental wax just in case.

Panicmode1 · 04/05/2022 17:22

My son has just had a second set of fixed braces put on last week with a slightly stronger wire than before - he's been living on soup for about a week. He took paracetamol regularly, and did go back to school straight afterwards, but he had a mid morning appointment. Perhaps send DS back but see how he feels by lunchtime? My older two didn't really suffer very much at all beyond the first 24 hours with their braces - whether fittings or tightenings, but DS2 seems to be much more sensitive to the pain.

ShirleyPhallus · 04/05/2022 17:24

Agree with soft food and painkillers

Also bear in mind that the braces will likely make him talk funny / lisp for a bit until he gets used to them so he might feel self conscious about that too

Stock up on brace wax too for the brace rubbing sore spots on his gums

jenkel · 04/05/2022 17:27

both my dds went straight into school after, to be honest it aches after every time they are tightened, no time is any worse than the other, so as unpleasant and painful it is, it’s something they are going to have to get used too, perhaps take pain killers just before and keep them topped up and a soft diet for a few days. Also as somebody else mentioned, if is more common for them to pop off when newly fitted as quite often because of the position of the teeth they can’t get the braces on firmly

lljkk · 04/05/2022 17:30

14yo DS was ok to go straight to school afterwards.

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