Pain or discomfort from your braces

When you first get braces, you may experience some discomfort or pain in the first few days. Depending on the type of braces you have, the level of discomfort can vary. The pain is usually felt around the teeth, but the treatment may also cause headaches.

This is completely normal! With braces, we apply some ‘pressure’ to your teeth or bite to gradually move everything into the correct position. You may also experience this kind of discomfort after each consultation when we adjust your braces (in progressively smaller increments), as we apply some force to your teeth again at that time.

Immediately after your braces are placed, you may experience discomfort for up to five days. After each adjustment to your braces, the discomfort typically disappears on the same day.

What can you do to reduce the discomfort or pain to a minimum during these times?

• Feel free to take a pain reliever (e.g., paracetamol, ibuprofen) according to the instructions on the packaging.
  
• Opt for softer foods to make chewing easier, such as potatoes, mashed potatoes, bananas, ground meat, etc.

But rest assured: this discomfort is temporary!

Is your child wearing butterfly braces (RPE/BMX/HHRPE) and experiencing severe pain near the nose? Then stop turning the screw immediately and email 3 clear photos (see below) - a broad smiling facial photo, a photo of the appliance, and a photo of the teeth - to info@orthogroep.be, and include the patient’s details. We will then assess what needs to be done and contact you.

Although these brackets have been specially designed to be as flat as possible, their position on the inside of your teeth means that your tongue will need some time to adjust to the new space in your mouth. This may cause mild speech difficulties for a few days or even a few weeks. Once your tongue has adapted, your speech will return to normal.

A slight lisp is one of the most common temporary effects of wearing a lingual brace. The sounds 's', 'z', and 't' can be particularly challenging at first, but with a little practice you will quickly overcome this. The best advice is therefore to talk as much as possible during the first days and weeks.

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