How Are Traditional Braces Put on?

If you are wanting to join the long list of people in the United States who are wearing braces to straighten crooked teeth, improve uneven bites, or correct gapped teeth, you may have certain questions about the process. You could be wondering what your first day is going to be like. We have compiled for you a list of commonly asked questions and answers.

How Long Will It Take to Put on the Braces?

Putting on the braces will require a couple of hours. The condition of your teeth and the type of braces you have chosen to wear will determine the process for putting them on, which could be accomplished in one or two appointments.

Is the Process Painful?

You will certainly feel some pressure in some parts of the process. However, getting the braces in your mouth will not be painful.

The Procedure for Putting on Traditional Braces

If you have crooked teeth in the posterior region of your mouth, your dentist may decide to put spacers or rubber bands between the teeth for a week before the braces are installed. This step is essential to create sufficient space for the bands to fit around your back teeth. You may experience some soreness in the jaw as your teeth move to accommodate the spacers.

Starting Clean

Whether you want braces to correct problems with misaligned teeth or twisted teeth, your teeth should be spotlessly clean. The dentist will only apply the braces after your teeth have been thoroughly cleaned and dried.

Gluing the Brackets On

The brackets are tiny metal or ceramic appliances that can hold the wires in place on your teeth. When attaching the brackets, the dentist will place a tiny amount of glue in the center of each tooth before shining a blue light on the teeth to set the glue. Following the glue, the brackets will be placed on the teeth.

Sliding the Bands On

The braces must be anchored, so the dentist will be putting metal bands around the back molars. Some twisting or pressure will be experienced when the dentist is maneuvering the band onto the molar, and you can let your dentist know if it feels uncomfortable. He or she can adjust the band to make it comfortable.

Attaching the Arch Wire

The dentist in houston will attach the archwire to the brackets after they are firmly in place with the bands. This will be accomplished by wrapping a small ligature around each bracket to hold the wire in place. Many people consider rubber bands the fun part of having braces because they have an option to choose any color they want. The dentist thereafter snips the end of the archwire, ensuring it is not touching the gums and the back of the mouth.

What Happens After the Braces Are Put on?

You will likely experience some discomfort within the first couple of hours after the braces are put on. You may also experience pain when you are eating and have a headache or jaw discomfort for several days following the procedure.

You can consider over-the-counter pain medications to find relief from the discomfort. Soreness in your mouth will also be experienced where the brackets and wires are rubbing against the insides of your cheeks. You can use the wax provided by the dentist to cover parts of the braces that are causing the pain.

You will be advised to have soft foods for the initial few days after the braces are placed or adjusted to minimize the pain from chewing. A list of foods to have or not to have will be provided to you by the dentist.

Your mouth will become accustomed to the braces in about a month, after which you will not experience any soreness.

What Changes After You Get the Braces On

The biggest change you will notice is your overcrowded teeth will gradually begin to move in place. However, you must also adopt a new daily oral care routine after the placements. You can prevent cavities and stains on the surfaces of your teeth by learning new ways to brush and floss, which you will be recommended to do multiple times every day.