The experience of getting dental braces differs for each person depending on the braces types that are opted for. For example, if you have selected traditional braces, it contains bonding glue, elastic rubber bands, metal brackets, and wires, but if you choose Invisalign braces, you would be wearing personalized aligners for around 20 to 22 hours a day.
So, read this article to get a clear idea about what to expect before and after dental braces.
Before getting dental braces
Will it hurt?
This is one of the major concerns for almost every teen and even for adults. Although the whole procedure is pain-free and only needs one or two hours. Nonetheless, you need to know at what time braces begin orienting your teeth, it might cause discomfort and pain.
But, all this pain can be simply relieved by:
- Rinsing your mouth with salty and mild water
- Eating soft foods in the initial days after the dental braces are put on
- Arrogating the counter pain relievers
- You can also try cold foods such as milkshakes and ice cream as they help in reducing swelling.
Which foods to eat after getting dental braces?
Once you get comfortable with dental braces, you can eat meat, dairy, vegetables, grains, and soft fruits. Nonetheless, to assure dental hygiene, sticky, chewy, and hard foods must be neglected as they might get stuck in the brackets and metal wires.
What happens during appointments?
You might need to visit the dentist multiple times as the teeth aligning process requires time, based on the dental braces you have opted for. Invisible braces show a noticeable difference in one or hardly two months, whereas traditional braces need more time to align crooked teeth.
After the dental braces are put on, several patients need to have an appointment after every 30 to 45 days. During this appointment, your orthodontist will track the improvement of your teeth and, if required, rearrange the braces to resume the realignment.
How many days does the treatment last?
The duration of the treatment relies on various factors, such as the seriousness of maladjustment, your dental health, the type of braces, your age, and many more. However, braces generally take around two years to show noticeable results.
What things to avoid while living with braces?
To make sure that dental braces work prominently, you need to:
- Be more gentle and careful when brushing your teeth.
- Use fluoride and mouth rinse toothpaste to remove the plaque left near the braces.
- Avoid biting chewy and hard foods such as corn, sticky sweets, pork crackling, bagels, and pizza crust.
- Avoid beverages, soda, and juices high in sugar and acid.
After getting the dental braces off
What happens after the braces are off?
Many orthodontic patients are expected to notice the results after around 2 years of wearing dental braces. Though you will surely see aligned teeth, you must also look for some white spots on your teeth. This is because specific parts of your teeth were covered by wires and brackets for a long period. Nothing to worry about, as these spots fade out after a while.
Is it mandatory to wear retainers after the dental braces come off?
Once your braces are detached, you need to wear personalized retainers to keep the alignment of teeth in place. You must wear such retainers for a year to get more sustainable results.
Few essential things to do after your braces are removed:
- Try to use mouth rinse at least once a day
- You should clean your retainer daily with a retainer cleanser
- Try not to miss out on regular dental checkups
If you don’t want to take any risk regarding your orthodontic treatment, you can anytime count on Oswal Dental Clinic. We have multi-specialty treatment features and offer all kinds of dental services. Our professional team of dentists will guide you through every precaution you must take before and after dental braces.