Getting braces is an adjustment, but for most patients, they quickly become part of everyday life. You can still go to school, work, play sports, enjoy your favorite activities, and eat many of the foods you already love.
The biggest changes involve taking a little extra care of your teeth and protecting your orthodontic appliances. At Beyond Smiles Orthodontics, we’ll make sure you know exactly what to expect and how to care for your braces throughout treatment.
Comfort
When braces are first placed, it is normal for your teeth to feel tender or sensitive as they begin responding to orthodontic pressure. You may experience similar soreness for a short time after certain adjustments.
The brackets and wires can also feel unfamiliar against your lips and cheeks at first. Your mouth typically adapts, and orthodontic wax can be used if a particular area causes irritation.
Speech
Traditional braces usually have little effect on speech. Your mouth may feel different when you first begin treatment, but most patients adapt quickly and continue speaking normally.
Appliances placed behind the teeth or on the palate may require a longer adjustment period because they interact more directly with the tongue.
To make sure a braces treatment goes as smoothly as possible, patients are asked to follow a few simple rules. Thankfully, they aren’t complicated, and many of them are good for oral health, whether or not someone has braces!
Food & Drink
You can continue enjoying a varied diet while wearing braces, but you will need to be more careful with foods that could loosen a bracket, bend a wire, or become trapped around your appliance.
Hard, sticky, and particularly chewy foods are the biggest concerns. Cutting foods into smaller pieces rather than biting directly into them can also help protect your braces.
You should also avoid chewing on non-food items such as pens, pencils, or fingernails. These habits can place unnecessary pressure on brackets and wires.
Music
Musicians can continue playing brass and woodwind instruments while wearing braces. Your lips and mouth may need some time to adjust to the brackets, so playing can feel slightly different at first.
With a little practice and adjustment, most patients are able to continue playing their instrument throughout treatment.
Sports
Braces do not have to keep you on the sidelines. You can continue participating in sports throughout orthodontic treatment.
For contact sports or activities where your mouth could be hit, we recommend wearing an orthodontic mouthguard designed to fit comfortably over braces. This helps protect your teeth, lips, cheeks, and orthodontic appliances.
Occasionally, a bracket may become loose or a wire may shift or begin irritating your mouth. This does not always mean you have a serious orthodontic emergency, but you should contact Beyond Smiles so we can determine what needs to be done.
Avoid trying to remove or significantly adjust your appliance yourself. If a wire or bracket is irritating your cheek or lip, orthodontic wax can often provide temporary relief until we can advise you further.
Hard Foods
You don’t want to damage your braces by chewing down too hard on tough foods! Patients should avoid the following, or at least plan to eat them VERY carefully: pretzels, chips, beef jerky, nuts, pizza crusts, and whole ice cubes.
Sticky Foods
Sticky foods may accidentally loosen the brackets and/or damage the wires, which can throw orthodontic treatment off-course unexpectedly. Treats to avoid include caramels, toffee, gummy bears, and definitely gum.
Non-Chewables
Patients who struggle with habits like nail-biting or chewing on pens/pencils should do their very best to break the streak in order to minimze the chances of orthodontic damage. Your teeth and braces will thank you!
Good oral hygiene becomes even more important once braces are placed. Brackets and wires create additional areas where food and plaque can collect, so brushing and flossing thoroughly helps protect your teeth and gums throughout treatment.
Brushing With Braces
Brush carefully around your brackets, wires, and gumline to remove food and plaque. Paying attention to the areas above and below each bracket is especially important.
Keeping a small toothbrush or orthodontic hygiene kit with you can also make it easier to clean your teeth when you are away from home.
Flossing With Braces
Flossing takes a little more effort with braces, but it remains an important part of keeping your teeth and gums healthy.
Floss threaders, interdental brushes, and other orthodontic cleaning tools can make it easier to clean underneath wires and between teeth. Our team will show you techniques and tools that can make your daily routine easier.
