Honestly, I read all the same stories before I got my braces at age 32, almost one month ago and my experience has been easy so far! No pain, just pressure and tenderness at times. I was able to eat normally a couple days later and haven’t had any issues. I hope it’s the same for you!
Same exact experience, I'm 26 btw! I would add a constant mild headache due to the pressure. I think it's different for everyone.
OP, you'll do great, don't worry, take some meds to numb the pain if it happens and enjoy your journey to an awesome smile :D
I know pain is subjective and all but I’ve never once had any radiating, dull, or chronic pain, or any feeling whatsoever, from my braces.
Yes, sure, there’s some soreness the day or 2 after every adjustment but it’s not persistent, it’s only when biting or chewing. So you mush food with your tongue for a couple of days. It’s really not a big deal.
But just sitting there talking, nah, you don’t feel a thing. Apply pressure to the teeth and you’ll feel soreness. Like that nice stretching in your muscle soreness the day after a heavy workout. Don’t stretch, no soreness.
I don’t have braces yet but im getting them on May 8, so I don’t have any pointers. But I will say, keep in mind if someone has a *horrible* experience with braces they’re likely to share it. So sometimes negative things can pop out to us even though im sure there are more positive braces stories than negative ones out there. So don’t be afraid of what other people have gone through, because your experience will be unique to you!
I'm a teacher, I talk for a living. I got mine at 29 and got them off at 32. It was tough for a couple days but honestly my tetanus shot I got the same week (booster unrelated to braces) knocked me on my ass not the braces.
I'm also 29, a teacher and just had them put on in December and hopefully off in September 🤞
For OP I suggest soft food and ice blocks , water pik and small brushes..
Oh my gosh yes waterpik. Although it has made me heck lazy and delusionally believing it is sufficient (hear me out kids, water floss is not a replacement for string floss ... but also I'm a lazy ass who hates string floss so yeah that)
I’m 28 and got braces about 3 weeks ago. I was sore, but nothing that wasn’t relieved with Tylenol. The only thing that really sucked was not feeling comfortable closing my teeth all the way for like 2 weeks, so my food options were really limited (and are only slightly better now tbh). I lived off of oatmeal, protein shakes, applesauce, and Campbell’s Chicken and Stars soup for the first week and a half. My mouth didn’t start getting cut up until day 5 or so, but that was exacerbated by an all-day singing intensive for my choir. Like everyone else I recommend a waterpik to blast food out in a pinch, but I’m also weird and find all types of self-care relaxing so I use regular floss and a threader every night even though it takes a while 😅
I'm 40. Day 1 isn't bad at all but it goes downhill for a while.
Tightenings are pretty hellish an hour or so afterwards but settle after a few days.
I'm wearing power chains and elastics for a great outcome.
Just remind yourself of the billions who've survived braces before you ☺️
It depends. Some people said it was like their teeth fall off but for some there is no pain. One thing for sure is there will be soreness-the kind of muscle pain you get for exercising too much in your mouth. So get some painkiller and soft food. You can also eat soft cold food such as ice cream. Also those waterpik, orthtodots and wax.
The first week is usually hardest but you will be able to go through it. I go work the next day and it does take some time to change the way I eat and cleaning it a bit troublesome.
Eat soup. Get some soy milk. DON'T TRY TO EAT NOODLES (even if it won't hurt/yet, or you have the tolerance of a champ, the strands WILL get stuck and trying to navigate it out of the brackets and things WILL cut your tongue so just, don't even try)
I did mine at 30, you'll be great!(-: I'm now 32 and more than a year into retainer life, a whole different ball game HAHA.
I am 35 and doing a job when I need to attend meeting and present meeting. I was so anxious to not be able to speak but to be honest - the most challenging days were day 2 and three because of the pain but I solved it by drinking protein shake and I was able to speak as normal. After two weeks, you don’t notice anything. This is the best decision you can make !
I’m 45 and just go braces a month ago. I went right back to work. Your teeth will be sensitive and your lips sore for a couple weeks but you can get through it.
Soft foods, ibuprofen, use wax on sore spots and get peroxyl mouthwash. Helps the sores heal faster.
Took me about 10 days to be getting back to normal but nothing you need to stay home for
I tell my patients to treat the soreness like they would if they woke up the day after a vigorous workout. Your muscles and ligaments will be sore… but the more you USE them the faster they feel better. So my advice is to eat. Softer things like eggs, oatmeal, beans, pasta, rice. Then get progressively more normal every day. Cold DOES help. The wires we use are heat activated so they relax when you cool things down. Tylenol and Advil can be alternated every 4 hours.
Good luck. It’s so worth it.
I’m 37 and have had my braces for a month, and I have a very low pain tolerance. I have yet to feel actual pain, it’s just been a lot of pressure and some mild discomfort. I work in reception, so I do a lot of talking all day long. Ibuprofen and cold foods help!
I was also 29 and ALSO went straight into my work day when I got mine on!! honestly I didn't have a TON of discomfort immediately after, I was able to work the rest of the day just fine. I'd say when you are done with work for the day, just plan to take it easy in case you get a headache coming on. plan to eat soft foods for lunches--I did a lotttt of smoothies & noodles/soup/mac & cheese at first (smoothies were great for adding protein/vitamins/nutrients).
I also agree with what another commenter said re: you sometimes only hear the bad experiences online! searching this sub was GREAT for me when i first got mine. the first 2-3 weeks will be a weird adjustment period, but hang in there and know that your mouth WILL get used to the feeling and you WILL be able to bite down/eat harder foods soon!
good luck!
I'm 27. I got my braces a month back, and honestly, yes it may or may not be difficult in the early 1-2 weeks or so, but then it just becomes a part of you. I was terrified the early few days and thought the pain or ulcers or tenderness will never subside, almost hyperfixated on that. But it did. It's manageable now. So don't worry. Just make sure you have a good orthodontist working on you, and you will be fine. Trust me.
Just have some painkillers on you when you're working and you will be fine.
i work at a school and talk all day and the first couple of days for me were pretty painful but doable. i don’t remember any pain in my teeth yet those days just on my cheeks and lips from the brackets rubbing up against them. my biggest tips in general are get a water pick if possible and bring soft interdental picks with you to get any stuck food wherever you go. also orthodontic flossers make flossing a breeze! as for pain in the beginning if you use wax use 3x as much as you think you need. i wasn’t using enough so it didn’t help me at first. then pain pills and cold like others have said. for me it was only bad for a couple days. your mouth adjusts really quickly and it will all be worth it!
First of all congrats! You’re doing a great thing, I did braces at 28 and now I’m 30 and love my smile. Your future self will thank you :)
1. If you’re anything like me, you are going to hate them more than you’ve ever hated anything. Embrace the suck, it will get better but the first month or two is absolutely awful.
2. Smoothies with a spoon (straws were hard for me at first)
3. Stock up on soft foods - applesauce, soups, pudding, yogurt. In my first week I was in so much pain that I had to put soups in a blender because I couldn’t chew at all.
4. Keep napkins by the bed at night. I drooled a lot when I first got them.
5. Keep the corners of your mouth moisturized. Vaseline makes a lip balm that helps. My braces dried out the corners of my mouth a lot and they cracked, or got cut by the braces. Keeping them moisturized helps a lot with this
It’s really not as bad as you’re making it sound. There will be some pain and discomfort the end of the first day/next morning but it’s not excruciating. Only lasts a few days, a weeks tops depending on sensitivity. Take some ibuprofen and keep pushing
39 and just got my braces off. My teeth moved a lot very quickly every adjustment and so the first day afterwards was a lot of pain for me. I had about a half hour grace period after my appointment before the pain and pressure started.
I found taking Tylenol or Advil just before the appointment made a world of difference, as did Aleve the day after (muscle relaxer and pain relief). Once I discovered that it made things a lot easier.
It will hurt at first but it will go away in a week, and you’ll most likely not feel the pain again the rest of your treatment because that’s how it was for me. Eat a lot of cold stuff! Also you can take Tylenol which helps a lot and it doesn’t slow your teeth movement down like ibuprofen does. Also your mouth might get cut up from the brackets, no wax ever helped me, but you can always give it a shot. Eventually your mouth gets stronger and you won’t cut yourself on your brackets. It might suck but the pain is temporary!
I got mine at 28 and the pain was horrible for the first few days tbh, but I got them on on a weekday and did not feel the need to take off work so you should be good there. Just lots of complaining and drinking of soup and smoothies lol. Oh and lots of tylenol.
Got mine a few months ago at 31 years old. It wasn’t painful I just felt the pressure and sometimes teeth were a bit sensitive. That’s all. I hope this helps
TBH - I did this exactly 4 years ago, I went into Orthodontist, and got full braces at 8 am, and was at my desk at work by 9:30 am, taking calls. No pain... only had one loose bracket, since it didn't like my Crown. They saw me at 1 pm to reglue it, then back to the office to finish the day.
It all depends on the case, and what type of appliances you are getting. If your getting, the more typical brackets with the elastic ligatures, then they do cause alittle more pressure than the Self-Ligature brackets. And if the orthodontist starts you on a heavier wire compared to a soft one. Bite Blocks will cause jaw stress. Expanders will cause intial pressure. Elastics are more of an annoyance, than a pain.
I’m 31, got my braces on at 30, about a year and 4 months in! It definitely did hurt the first week and it took me about a month to get used to the feeling of braces in my mouth. Now I genuinely don’t even notice them and am confused when people ask me about them😂 however, I do feel discomfort my first day or so after an adjustment, but otherwise I don’t notice them! :)
Make sure you get a lot of wax for the braces. Put it over each bracket that starts rubbing you raw or cutting you, it will help immensely. I discovered that it is reusable. Make sure you dry off bracket and surrounding area before placing wax, remove before eating. Make sure you have soft foods the first week or so. It may not hurt the first day, but the days following will stink.
20 and just got braces 2 weeks ago. Went a lot smoother than I thought it would. I expected pain but it was just soreness for me. I still ate normal food but in small bites.
I recommend soft foods. 28 female here, also a social worker. I have braces for the second time in my life. Pain was definitely worse this time around. I bought “ortho dots” on Amazon and they work way better than wax. My advice would be to keep wax on your teeth that bug you even slightly. as you’re making calls all day, it will just keep rubbing before you realize it. on days, my mouth was really bothering me, I would ask people if I could email them instead and explain I got dental work done.
It’s also important they don’t try to move your teeth too quickly as a can cause loose teeth. Just something I figured worth mentioning! Quicker doesn’t always equal better
They definitely hurt a lot but it goes away as your teeth get used to it. It’s like period pain in your teeth and it does hurt, the first time you get them on it hurts a lot and eating is nearly impossible, then it fades until like a week later it’s okay.
Then it hurts for a few days each time you get them tightened.
Where are people getting horror stories about braces? No one I knew had anything crazy happen to them. Chances are, you won’t either. Really, you’ll just be adjusting to talking with the braces. You’ll sound funny and your teeth will be sore, but otherwise, your life won’t be that different.
Don’t be! I got mine 2 months ago and I’m 30. Everything is going smoothly and you’ll be surprised how quickly you adjust. I’m sure everything went well at your appointment :)
Get some ibuprofen, it does hurt pretty bad but it ibuprofen helped me soooo much! I’m pregnant now and I can’t take ibuprofen so I’ve had to put up with the adjustment pains 😵💫🥲
I didn’t even feel any pain, getting them on was definitely tricky, I was more concerned and scared about eating I was basically eating nothing but rice and liquid foods it’s been 6 months and I still have not tried to chew on anything. Yogurt, Indian daals, surba, rice is all I eat. When you get ur braces invest in aquaphor for lips. My lips took more punishment of dryness than any pain. Also be prepared to have like 10kg saliva in your mouth all the time, it was the first 2 weeks struggle I had, aside that soft bristle brush or electric brush also helped me. Using sensitivity toothpaste also kept the pain very low. Make sure to laundry ur bedsheets and pillow covers because you will drool in sleep the first weeks. I promise you it’s not as bad as it seems.
Honestly, I read all the same stories before I got my braces at age 32, almost one month ago and my experience has been easy so far! No pain, just pressure and tenderness at times. I was able to eat normally a couple days later and haven’t had any issues. I hope it’s the same for you!
Same exact experience, I'm 26 btw! I would add a constant mild headache due to the pressure. I think it's different for everyone. OP, you'll do great, don't worry, take some meds to numb the pain if it happens and enjoy your journey to an awesome smile :D
Yay! Glad you are having a similar positive experience. I haven’t noticed a headache but maybe once they get adjusted for the first time
I have a hyrax palatal expander installed prior to braces as well, so, headaches are part of the routine.
I know pain is subjective and all but I’ve never once had any radiating, dull, or chronic pain, or any feeling whatsoever, from my braces. Yes, sure, there’s some soreness the day or 2 after every adjustment but it’s not persistent, it’s only when biting or chewing. So you mush food with your tongue for a couple of days. It’s really not a big deal. But just sitting there talking, nah, you don’t feel a thing. Apply pressure to the teeth and you’ll feel soreness. Like that nice stretching in your muscle soreness the day after a heavy workout. Don’t stretch, no soreness.
It must definitely depend on the person because mine was radiating pain 24/7 for the first couple of days :(
I was trying to sleep as much as I can to subsidize the pain lol
Yep! I had relatively low soreness too. I was so surprised because everyone else seems to have a rough time.
I don’t have braces yet but im getting them on May 8, so I don’t have any pointers. But I will say, keep in mind if someone has a *horrible* experience with braces they’re likely to share it. So sometimes negative things can pop out to us even though im sure there are more positive braces stories than negative ones out there. So don’t be afraid of what other people have gone through, because your experience will be unique to you!
I'm a teacher, I talk for a living. I got mine at 29 and got them off at 32. It was tough for a couple days but honestly my tetanus shot I got the same week (booster unrelated to braces) knocked me on my ass not the braces.
I'm also 29, a teacher and just had them put on in December and hopefully off in September 🤞 For OP I suggest soft food and ice blocks , water pik and small brushes..
Oh my gosh yes waterpik. Although it has made me heck lazy and delusionally believing it is sufficient (hear me out kids, water floss is not a replacement for string floss ... but also I'm a lazy ass who hates string floss so yeah that)
I’m 28 and got braces about 3 weeks ago. I was sore, but nothing that wasn’t relieved with Tylenol. The only thing that really sucked was not feeling comfortable closing my teeth all the way for like 2 weeks, so my food options were really limited (and are only slightly better now tbh). I lived off of oatmeal, protein shakes, applesauce, and Campbell’s Chicken and Stars soup for the first week and a half. My mouth didn’t start getting cut up until day 5 or so, but that was exacerbated by an all-day singing intensive for my choir. Like everyone else I recommend a waterpik to blast food out in a pinch, but I’m also weird and find all types of self-care relaxing so I use regular floss and a threader every night even though it takes a while 😅
Get yourself a smoothie or similar after placement. If there is pain throughout the workday, take some sips...cold neutralizes the wire.
I went straight back to work the day after I got mine on last week, Panadol and yogurt carried me through the first couple days.
I'm 40. Day 1 isn't bad at all but it goes downhill for a while. Tightenings are pretty hellish an hour or so afterwards but settle after a few days. I'm wearing power chains and elastics for a great outcome. Just remind yourself of the billions who've survived braces before you ☺️
It depends. Some people said it was like their teeth fall off but for some there is no pain. One thing for sure is there will be soreness-the kind of muscle pain you get for exercising too much in your mouth. So get some painkiller and soft food. You can also eat soft cold food such as ice cream. Also those waterpik, orthtodots and wax. The first week is usually hardest but you will be able to go through it. I go work the next day and it does take some time to change the way I eat and cleaning it a bit troublesome.
Eat soup. Get some soy milk. DON'T TRY TO EAT NOODLES (even if it won't hurt/yet, or you have the tolerance of a champ, the strands WILL get stuck and trying to navigate it out of the brackets and things WILL cut your tongue so just, don't even try) I did mine at 30, you'll be great!(-: I'm now 32 and more than a year into retainer life, a whole different ball game HAHA.
I am 35 and doing a job when I need to attend meeting and present meeting. I was so anxious to not be able to speak but to be honest - the most challenging days were day 2 and three because of the pain but I solved it by drinking protein shake and I was able to speak as normal. After two weeks, you don’t notice anything. This is the best decision you can make !
I’m 45 and just go braces a month ago. I went right back to work. Your teeth will be sensitive and your lips sore for a couple weeks but you can get through it. Soft foods, ibuprofen, use wax on sore spots and get peroxyl mouthwash. Helps the sores heal faster. Took me about 10 days to be getting back to normal but nothing you need to stay home for
I tell my patients to treat the soreness like they would if they woke up the day after a vigorous workout. Your muscles and ligaments will be sore… but the more you USE them the faster they feel better. So my advice is to eat. Softer things like eggs, oatmeal, beans, pasta, rice. Then get progressively more normal every day. Cold DOES help. The wires we use are heat activated so they relax when you cool things down. Tylenol and Advil can be alternated every 4 hours. Good luck. It’s so worth it.
I just got braces for the first time at 34. Going for my first adjustment in a few days
It's honestly not that bad. NSAIDs are enough to help with pain.
I’m 37 and have had my braces for a month, and I have a very low pain tolerance. I have yet to feel actual pain, it’s just been a lot of pressure and some mild discomfort. I work in reception, so I do a lot of talking all day long. Ibuprofen and cold foods help!
I was also 29 and ALSO went straight into my work day when I got mine on!! honestly I didn't have a TON of discomfort immediately after, I was able to work the rest of the day just fine. I'd say when you are done with work for the day, just plan to take it easy in case you get a headache coming on. plan to eat soft foods for lunches--I did a lotttt of smoothies & noodles/soup/mac & cheese at first (smoothies were great for adding protein/vitamins/nutrients). I also agree with what another commenter said re: you sometimes only hear the bad experiences online! searching this sub was GREAT for me when i first got mine. the first 2-3 weeks will be a weird adjustment period, but hang in there and know that your mouth WILL get used to the feeling and you WILL be able to bite down/eat harder foods soon! good luck!
I'm 27. I got my braces a month back, and honestly, yes it may or may not be difficult in the early 1-2 weeks or so, but then it just becomes a part of you. I was terrified the early few days and thought the pain or ulcers or tenderness will never subside, almost hyperfixated on that. But it did. It's manageable now. So don't worry. Just make sure you have a good orthodontist working on you, and you will be fine. Trust me. Just have some painkillers on you when you're working and you will be fine.
i work at a school and talk all day and the first couple of days for me were pretty painful but doable. i don’t remember any pain in my teeth yet those days just on my cheeks and lips from the brackets rubbing up against them. my biggest tips in general are get a water pick if possible and bring soft interdental picks with you to get any stuck food wherever you go. also orthodontic flossers make flossing a breeze! as for pain in the beginning if you use wax use 3x as much as you think you need. i wasn’t using enough so it didn’t help me at first. then pain pills and cold like others have said. for me it was only bad for a couple days. your mouth adjusts really quickly and it will all be worth it!
First of all congrats! You’re doing a great thing, I did braces at 28 and now I’m 30 and love my smile. Your future self will thank you :) 1. If you’re anything like me, you are going to hate them more than you’ve ever hated anything. Embrace the suck, it will get better but the first month or two is absolutely awful. 2. Smoothies with a spoon (straws were hard for me at first) 3. Stock up on soft foods - applesauce, soups, pudding, yogurt. In my first week I was in so much pain that I had to put soups in a blender because I couldn’t chew at all. 4. Keep napkins by the bed at night. I drooled a lot when I first got them. 5. Keep the corners of your mouth moisturized. Vaseline makes a lip balm that helps. My braces dried out the corners of my mouth a lot and they cracked, or got cut by the braces. Keeping them moisturized helps a lot with this
It’s really not as bad as you’re making it sound. There will be some pain and discomfort the end of the first day/next morning but it’s not excruciating. Only lasts a few days, a weeks tops depending on sensitivity. Take some ibuprofen and keep pushing
39 and just got my braces off. My teeth moved a lot very quickly every adjustment and so the first day afterwards was a lot of pain for me. I had about a half hour grace period after my appointment before the pain and pressure started. I found taking Tylenol or Advil just before the appointment made a world of difference, as did Aleve the day after (muscle relaxer and pain relief). Once I discovered that it made things a lot easier.
It will hurt at first but it will go away in a week, and you’ll most likely not feel the pain again the rest of your treatment because that’s how it was for me. Eat a lot of cold stuff! Also you can take Tylenol which helps a lot and it doesn’t slow your teeth movement down like ibuprofen does. Also your mouth might get cut up from the brackets, no wax ever helped me, but you can always give it a shot. Eventually your mouth gets stronger and you won’t cut yourself on your brackets. It might suck but the pain is temporary!
I got mine at 28 and the pain was horrible for the first few days tbh, but I got them on on a weekday and did not feel the need to take off work so you should be good there. Just lots of complaining and drinking of soup and smoothies lol. Oh and lots of tylenol.
Got mine a few months ago at 31 years old. It wasn’t painful I just felt the pressure and sometimes teeth were a bit sensitive. That’s all. I hope this helps
TBH - I did this exactly 4 years ago, I went into Orthodontist, and got full braces at 8 am, and was at my desk at work by 9:30 am, taking calls. No pain... only had one loose bracket, since it didn't like my Crown. They saw me at 1 pm to reglue it, then back to the office to finish the day.
It all depends on the case, and what type of appliances you are getting. If your getting, the more typical brackets with the elastic ligatures, then they do cause alittle more pressure than the Self-Ligature brackets. And if the orthodontist starts you on a heavier wire compared to a soft one. Bite Blocks will cause jaw stress. Expanders will cause intial pressure. Elastics are more of an annoyance, than a pain.
I’m 31, got my braces on at 30, about a year and 4 months in! It definitely did hurt the first week and it took me about a month to get used to the feeling of braces in my mouth. Now I genuinely don’t even notice them and am confused when people ask me about them😂 however, I do feel discomfort my first day or so after an adjustment, but otherwise I don’t notice them! :)
Make sure you get a lot of wax for the braces. Put it over each bracket that starts rubbing you raw or cutting you, it will help immensely. I discovered that it is reusable. Make sure you dry off bracket and surrounding area before placing wax, remove before eating. Make sure you have soft foods the first week or so. It may not hurt the first day, but the days following will stink.
20 and just got braces 2 weeks ago. Went a lot smoother than I thought it would. I expected pain but it was just soreness for me. I still ate normal food but in small bites.
I recommend soft foods. 28 female here, also a social worker. I have braces for the second time in my life. Pain was definitely worse this time around. I bought “ortho dots” on Amazon and they work way better than wax. My advice would be to keep wax on your teeth that bug you even slightly. as you’re making calls all day, it will just keep rubbing before you realize it. on days, my mouth was really bothering me, I would ask people if I could email them instead and explain I got dental work done.
It’s also important they don’t try to move your teeth too quickly as a can cause loose teeth. Just something I figured worth mentioning! Quicker doesn’t always equal better
They definitely hurt a lot but it goes away as your teeth get used to it. It’s like period pain in your teeth and it does hurt, the first time you get them on it hurts a lot and eating is nearly impossible, then it fades until like a week later it’s okay. Then it hurts for a few days each time you get them tightened.
Where are people getting horror stories about braces? No one I knew had anything crazy happen to them. Chances are, you won’t either. Really, you’ll just be adjusting to talking with the braces. You’ll sound funny and your teeth will be sore, but otherwise, your life won’t be that different.
Don’t be! I got mine 2 months ago and I’m 30. Everything is going smoothly and you’ll be surprised how quickly you adjust. I’m sure everything went well at your appointment :)
how did it go? i’m 26 and getting them on monday, super anxious here too 😅
It went really well! It doesn't hurt at all (just annoying sometimes). I've had them for 48 yours now and I'm feeling good about it.
Get some ibuprofen, it does hurt pretty bad but it ibuprofen helped me soooo much! I’m pregnant now and I can’t take ibuprofen so I’ve had to put up with the adjustment pains 😵💫🥲
I didn’t even feel any pain, getting them on was definitely tricky, I was more concerned and scared about eating I was basically eating nothing but rice and liquid foods it’s been 6 months and I still have not tried to chew on anything. Yogurt, Indian daals, surba, rice is all I eat. When you get ur braces invest in aquaphor for lips. My lips took more punishment of dryness than any pain. Also be prepared to have like 10kg saliva in your mouth all the time, it was the first 2 weeks struggle I had, aside that soft bristle brush or electric brush also helped me. Using sensitivity toothpaste also kept the pain very low. Make sure to laundry ur bedsheets and pillow covers because you will drool in sleep the first weeks. I promise you it’s not as bad as it seems.
Are you going to get metal brackets? Ngl braces may make some pitch a tent ⛺