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Parenting

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Original poster

DS about to have fixed braces fitted - top tips please

23 replies

maria1665 · 12/05/2010 16:57

We are about to set off for the dentist to have fixed braces fitted. Son is 12. Likely to have them for a year - or two.

Any tips for seeing him through. I've got painkillers for tonight.

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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chopstheduck · 12/05/2010 16:59

plenty of soft food to start with and wax to place over the sharp bits, bonjela to treat where it rubs. I found they really cut at first where they rub against the inside of the cheeks. I don't remember them actually being painful in themselves, or the application though.

chopstheduck · 12/05/2010 16:59

good luck btw.

Original poster

maria1665 · 12/05/2010 17:00

Thanks - just about to set off now.

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chopstheduck · 13/05/2010 10:02

How'd you get on?

MrsRhettButler · 13/05/2010 10:05

when i had braces he fitted them first but didn't tighten them until the week after.. its the few days after he has them tightened that will be the worst imo.. yoghurt and soup.

definitely need wax, my cheeks were ripped to pieces! i wouldn't of put bonjela on the cuts though... they were VERY sore, literally ripped open but you can prevent this with the wax, good luck

ruddynorah · 13/05/2010 10:07

his cheeks will be ripped to shreds. and he will want to cry when it's tightened. and when it gets taken off it's the scariest thing ever, at that age.

i always used to have a massive donut bought for me on tightening days.

good luck!

Original poster

maria1665 · 13/05/2010 10:09

Oh thanks for asking. He was quite happy when the braces were first fitted - didn't mind the way they looked and felt, and was even philosophical about being the first boy in his year to have them on. ('Its fine mum. I'll be the first one to have straight teeth.)

This morning - oh dear. I woke him up to go to school - he'd clearly had a bad night. (I hadn't bothered with painkillers as he seemed ok. Duh.) Said he felt sick and his teeth were really painful. Gave him some painkillers
and he did manage to eat some porridge, before heading off rather miserably to school.

Poor kid. In the past two weeks, he has really stepped up to the plate, personal responsibility wise. And all he gets in the short term is a mouth full of metal and painful teeth.

OP posts:

chopstheduck · 13/05/2010 10:09

I didn't actualyl find the tightening painful. Fingers crossed it is the same for him. x

Original poster

maria1665 · 13/05/2010 10:10

I like the donut idea. He loves them.

OP posts:

chopstheduck · 13/05/2010 10:12

aww poor boy! Hopefully he will get used to it soon.

I know for me, eventually it wasn't so painful and I even risked eating toffees with them. Wasn't a great idea though - pulled half of the brace off where it was anchored at the back

ZZZenAgain · 13/05/2010 10:12

are these braces to widen the jaw or to realign the teeth?

ajandjjmum · 13/05/2010 10:14

My top tip would always been to take some painkillers an hour before the appointment. Ds always argues but I think it's well worthwhile.

Original poster

maria1665 · 13/05/2010 10:17

ZZ - the braces are to widen the jaw and realign the teeth.

OP posts:

lovecheese · 13/05/2010 12:35

It is really really important that he has good oral hygiene whilst wearing braces. He probably doesnt even want to think about cleaning the things at the moment, but as soon as he is able get him brushing well with a soft bristled brush and using a little brush shaped a bit like a christmas tree to get inbetween teeth and brace. A flouride mouthwash is also a good idea. The last thing he wants in a couple of years time when they are removed is straight but decayed teeth. You will need to really labour the point to him. Good luck.

MayorNaze · 13/05/2010 12:36

can you still get coloured bands on them? it kind of made the achey jaw and teeth almost worth it to have cool colours

lovecheese · 13/05/2010 12:39

yes you can MayorNaze.

lovecheese · 13/05/2010 12:54

Oh, nearly forgot - no toffee!!

Original poster

maria1665 · 13/05/2010 13:09

We are at the hygenist in two weeks to make sure he is doing the business.

We weren't offered multi coloured bands. Are they for boys as well?

OP posts:

ZZZenAgain · 13/05/2010 15:47

Dd had fixedbraces to widen the upper jaw but was so miserable I had them removed. I didn't realise it was still possible to use those as late as 12.

Have you considered removable ones - for eating, toothbrushing etc?

Dysgu · 13/05/2010 16:41

I had my fixed braces put on upper and lower teeth when I was 13 to realign and widen - they finally came off 5 years later!! EVERY appointment was painful and ripped my cheeks apart! I rarely ate for the 24 hours following. I had headgear to fasten on every night and a dragon of an orthodontist who stopped giving wax after 2 years as she felt I should just get used to it.

I hated every minute of it - the time we were on holiday in the far reaches of Scotland and the wire snapped so my dad had to literally sit on my chest and pull the wire out with pliers is still the tale told around the dining table 20 years later!

Prior to my fixed braces I had had removable braces for 3 years - complete with little gadget to screw them open each week!

Looking back I am very grateful that my parents insisted I stick with them. My orthodontist regularly told me should would take them off if I didn't do my part by proper cleaning and wearing the headgear - and as a normal teenager I would happily have taken that option (as I school friend of mine did). However, I am now the one with straight teeth and my dad still loves my teeth as his are exactly how mine would have been if I had not had the braces...

It might be hard but the outcome will be worth it. My mum's sympathy after every appointment was invaluable.

Good Luck
`

Original poster

maria1665 · 13/05/2010 16:48

5 years! I thought it would be 18 to 24 months.

I don't think removable ones would help as the pain seems to be due to the teeth having moved.

I found some pictures on the internet - before and after for this type of treatment. I showed them to him when he got home from school, to cheer him up. I don't think he's eaten much at school today.

OP posts:

ZZZenAgain · 13/05/2010 17:33

I'm thinking we will have the removable ones you had (the ones you screw every night). The fixed one had dd spitting non stop, awake all night etc. I am not keen on the prospect of 5 years though, they told us about 6 months - 1 year to widen the upper jaw

depends presumably on what has to be achieved Maria.

Have been putting off getting it sorted till we move to Singapore but not sure what is best. I never had to have braces so really don't know how it is. Hadn't reallsed trips to the orthodontist would be so painful really. I was expected some headaches due to the gradual realigning of the jaw but had not expected drastic pain.

wish my dd's teeth wouldn't need this. sigh

ZZZenAgain · 13/05/2010 17:36

she needs the upper jaw widened but the teeth do not need straightening.

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