Pain from braces

[MacarenaFerreiro]

DD is distraught. She has had functional appliance braces for about 4 months and has managed so well with them after an initial 48 hours of pain. She's been told another 2 or 3 months and she'll not have to wear them for any longer.

Yesterday treatment started on straightening her teeth. with a "train track" on the upper front six. She is in agony (she says). Lots of tears and snotters, whining, moaning, irrational comments about how straight teeth aren't what she wants.

We're giving her both paracetamol and ibuprofen, she has gel to rub on her mouth to numb sore spots. We're allowing her to eat soft foods.

Anything else we can do or is it just a case of waiting for this initial pain to pass? (I know it will pass. She knows it will pass. But that's not helping her right now and she is all for an emergency appointment to get the braces removed).

It'll only be sore for the first couple of days, and then again for a couple of days when it gets tightened. If it's rubbing use the wax stuff - if it's rubbing a lot or sticking in her gum/cheek get it checked. The functional appliance really was the hard bit.

It does hurt , I still remember it from 30 odd years ago! My dd had them a few years ago and she never cried in pain so maybe they tightened them too much ? Can you call them Ans get them to see her?

Pain will pass in a few days. It's just a case of waiting it out. You may be able to get the wire loosened if it's an movement one, (i.e. Taut rather than loose) but they usually put the brackets on with a wire that is non functional to give them time to get used to it. Does she have some orthodontic wax to smooth over the braces and stop ulcers forming on the opposing cheeks.
Best of luck.

Braces are painful. It will hurt for 24 to 48 hours every time they are tightened. Yes, the pain is pretty bad.

Once that initial pain has passed they are fine, will just feel 'tight' for a few more days.

How old is she?

At just a few months she is lucky, I had Braces for over two years!

Yes, it is painful. I remember it well and I had braces for five years. I remember sitting a year 9 SATs exam in agony because I'd had my braces tightened the day before and had just eaten a cereal bar at breaktime. Eating would always set the pain off again.

If she only has to bear it for a few months then she's lucky. Please don't let her get them removed. The results are SO worth it.

The pain will pass. Normally only last a couple of days. Dose her up on maximum pain killers. My daughter (and I'm guessing everyone) was exactly the same crying and wanting them off. Fast forward 15 months and her teeth are perfect and she says well worth the pain.

She's almost 12. What's not helping is that today and tomorrow she has induction days for her new school where she'll be starting after summer, she is very self-conscious about her teeth and mouth as she is still wearing the appliances too.

It will be so worth it as her teeth are very crooked, especially the ones at the front. It doesn't bother her now, but it most definitely will in a few years time.

It is really painful for them :(. Both of mine have braces and both have been pretty miserable for the first few days after they are done. I admire their stoicness to be honest.

Poor kid. I still remember crying to my parents that i didn't care about straight teeth. I was 11 too. And, to be fair, i didn't then. In retrospect, of course, I'm really pleased that my parents insisted.

The first time the braces are put on is the most painful, and then it does hurt every time they're tightened but not as much. DS was quite miserable for several days in fact and took a lot of painkillers. We tried saltwater rinses as that's supposed to help but it made him gag. He didn't really want to eat much at all. But it does pass, so got progressively less painful every day and after about 5 days it was fine. He has lovely teeth now!

I had braces as a teenager and have them again now in my 30s as I got fed up with them as a teen.

It's always painful for a couple of days but it will pass. It can feel horrible because it's right inside your head, and sometimes can radiate up through your skull, but it goes pretty much back to normal within a week.

I enjoy the pain now because I know it means the braces are working (plus I hardly eat for a few days so drop a pound or two in the process!)