Fixed braces – pain
Most patients do not feel pain after the fixed appliance is placed. However, it is not uncommon for the pain to occur, it lasts on average 1-3 days. In the first few days, the patient may experience the pain that becomes less severe over time.
Initially, the pain can occur even when chewing soft food or at the touch of the tongue. The discomfort is greater in the beginning because you have a feeling of the presence of a foreign body in your mouth. If the pain appears, it is transient. In that case, the patient can take the usual therapy for pain.
How long does the period of adjustment last?
As the teeth change their position, patients need some time to adjust to the new situation. The adjustment phase can take 7-14 days and after that, the body slowly gets used to it and accepts the orthodontic device as a part of the oral cavity.
When the braces are placed on the teeth, the mouth registers them as food and begins to produce saliva, this reaction can take from 20 minutes to several hours after the fixed appliance is placed.
The cheeks and lips quickly get used to the braces. Some patients, in the beginning, constantly cross over the braces with their lips or tongue, and this "examination" of the braces usually lasts for a day (the first day). The bite you are used to will change as your teeth will be moved after the braces and arches have been placed.
After placing the fixed appliance, softer food is recommended for the first 24 hours.
What other discomforts can we expect to face ?
In addition to pain, there are also loosening of teeth, which is a normal course of therapy.
Because soft tissue is sensitive at the beginning of the therapy, the braces may chafe the patient's cheek and lips, causing some kind of discomfort. It is then recommended to use wax to cover the fixed denture braces. After 5 days, the soft tissue becomes accustomed to the fixed appliance.
Pain can also appear after changing the arches in the appliance. Some arches are activated by body temperature. If, after replacing the arches, you feel that your teeth are under intense pressure, just rinse your mouth with cold water. This will reduce the pressure on your teeth. But remember, don't bite the ice!
