Life with Braces
What to Expect with Braces
If you’ve been thinking about getting braces but aren’t sure what to expect, your team at Molen Orthodontics is here to help!
We want you to feel confident in your choice, and we’re more than happy to answer all of your questions.
Orthodontic treatment is a major investment in your appearance and health. No matter your age, needs, or goals, our doctors will take the time to review your treatment options and complete a detailed evaluation of your bite, teeth, gums, jaw joints (TMJs), and facial structure.
Braces FAQs
Do braces hurt?
No, the process of getting braces does not hurt. When your Molen orthodontist places your braces on, we’re simply bonding brackets to your teeth and attaching the archwires. This won’t cause you any pain.
The first week you have braces, you may experience some minor soreness as your teeth and gums are adjusting. You can take some Tylenol® or another over-the-counter pain reliever to counteract the soreness. This should subside after the first week or two.
How long will I have braces or Invisalign?
Your treatment time will depend on a few factors, including the complexity of your case, and your diligence in wearing your removable appliances.
On average, a full treatment can take anywhere from 16 to 20 months, but every case is different and your treatment plan may be shorter or longer. Once we complete your complimentary exam, we’ll have an estimate of how long your treatment period will be.
Can I play sports with braces?
Yes, as long as you wear a mouthguard when playing sports, you won’t have to sit on the sidelines this season.
With braces or Invisalign, it’s incredibly important that you wear a mouthguard while playing sports. A mouth guard can protect your teeth from serious damage.
What can I eat with braces?
You can still eat at your favorite restaurants in Auburn, Enumclaw or Sumner – Bonney Lake! You’ll be able to eat tons of delicious snacks, meals and desserts with braces too.
Check out our instructional videos for more information on what to eat your first week with braces, and throughout your treatment.
In the meantime, here’s a list of foods you can eat with braces:
- Dairy — cream cheese, pudding, milk
- Breads — tortillas, pancakes, muffins,
- Grains — pasta, rice, cereal
- Meats — soft chicken, soft meatballs, lunch meats
- Vegetables — cooked carrots, peas, beans
- Fruits — bananas, kiwis, strawberries, grapes
- Treats — ice cream (no nuts), milkshakes, Jell-O, frozen yogurt
What foods should I avoid with braces?
As a general rule of thumb, try to avoid foods that are considerably chewy, sticky, crunchy, or hard. These food items are infamous for damaging brackets and wires and breaking orthodontic appliances.
Chewy, sticky foods can stick to your wires and pull them out of place. Hard foods can pop your wires out of place or break a bracket. As much as we’d love to see you, we know you want to keep your treatment on track.
Here are some examples of foods to avoid when wearing braces:
- Chewy foods — bagels, hard bread rolls, Twizzlers
- Crunchy foods — popcorn, ice, dried fruits, Cheetos, Doritos, Fritos
- Sticky foods — caramel, gum, Laffy Taffy, Starburst
- Hard foods — nuts, Jolly Ranchers, hard pizza crusts, Nerds
- Foods that require biting — corn on the cob, apples, carrots
Check out our instructional videos for more information on what foods to avoid with braces!
Is it normal if my teeth are wiggling during orthodontic treatment?
As weird as this sensation may be, this is normal! Your teeth and gums are adjusting to your braces. The whole point of your treatment is to guide your teeth into alignment, and with this movement comes some minor tooth wiggling.
Toward the end of your treatment, once your teeth have shifted into the desired position and you enter the retention phase, your teeth will stabilize and stop wiggling.
If any of your teeth are wiggling considerably and it concerns you, please don’t hesitate to give us a call. We’re here to calm your fears and ensure that you’re working toward the best possible results from your treatment.
How do I brush and floss my teeth while wearing braces?
When you get your braces on, we’ll show you how to properly brush and floss your teeth.
Maintaining your oral hygiene is especially important during orthodontic treatment. If you don’t brush and floss regularly, bacteria can grow between your teeth and around your brackets and archwires, causing permanent stains, cavities, or gum disease.
We recommend brushing more often (three times a day) to prevent potential plaque build-up. Floss daily, and use a water flosser to clear away any food debris that might be caught.
Here’s how to brush properly with any type of braces:
- Brush the outside and inside of your teeth, as well as the chewing surface and gumline.
- Brush in small circles to reach between your archwires and around the corners of your brackets.
- Make sure you’re brushing thoroughly, but gently enough to avoid damaging your braces.
Will I need rubber bands (elastics) and orthodontic wax?
This will be determined during your initial exam. Some patients need rubber bands to align their bite, while others don’t. It all depends on your unique case.
Elastics, or rubber bands, are one of the most common appliances used during treatment with braces, and can also be used with clear aligners in some cases. Elastics are hooked around a bracket on the top teeth and a bracket on the bottom teeth, or button/hook on the top aligner and button/hook on the bottom aligner, to exert persistent (but gentle) force.
Over time, this force aligns the teeth and jaw bones and treats malocclusions (poor bite conditions), like overbites, underbites, cross bites, and open bites. Check out our instructional videos for more info on wearing rubber bands/elastics!
Orthodontic wax is used in the case of minor orthodontic emergencies. If a wire pops loose, or a bracket is irritating your cheeks, orthodontic wax can be applied to the bracket or poking wire to provide temporary relief until you’re able to visit us.
To apply orthodontic wax, you’ll wash your hands, then pinch off a small piece of wax. You’ll roll this piece into a ball, then apply it to the DRY wire or bracket. Squeeze the wax into place to make sure it doesn’t fall off, then run your tongue over the wax to feel for any looseness. If there is too much saliva upon placement, the wax will not stay attached well.
Be sure to give us a call so your orthodontist can get your braces fixed at your next appointment.
Quick Links
Locations
Enumclaw
Sumner –
Bonney Lake
Free consultation (valued at $275) includes smile assessment, x-rays, and scan, if needed. Invisalign and the Invisalign logo, among others, are trademarks of Align Technology, Inc., and are registered in the U.S. and other countries.
an ENOX Website