Is Braces Treatment Painful?

Every time we get a new patient seeking braces treatment, we get asked the same question: is braces treatment painful?  This is a legitimate question to ask, so we want to answer it as best as we can.

In short, no, braces treatment is not painful.  However, the best answer we can give is a little more complicated than that.

Braces treatment alone does not require surgical tools, tooth removal, or drilling.  Depending on the unique needs of the person in treatment, other methods may be needed to fully correct their smile, and depending on what these are, they themselves might cause varying levels of pain.  But braces themselves are not painful.

What braces can do is cause some discomfort or irritation.  Most of this occurs when the braces are first placed on the teeth.  During this time, your teeth must adjust to the presence of the braces and the forces they place on the teeth.  Because of this, your teeth may feel sensitive to biting pressure for 3-5 days.  This sensitivity returns each time your braces are adjusted, but in this case, it is usually just for about 24 hours.

Another aspect of braces that causes discomfort is that the braces can rub against the soft tissues of the mouth.  This irritates the mouth and can make it feel a bit raw.  However, you can reduce the irritation with dental wax and eventually the tissues of the mouth will adjust to the presence of braces.

What is far more painful than having braces are the problems that can arise from not having them.  When teeth are too close together, it is difficult or impossible to truly clean between them, leading to gum disease and even tooth loss.  When bites are not aligned, it stresses the jaw joint, leading to TMD.  There are also other problems that can develop when orthodontic problems go untreated.

Because of this, the discomfort of braces is by far the best choice.  And since it is temporary but delivers lasting results, we believe that the discomfort it causes is nothing in the grand scheme of things.  To know more about braces in Santa Cara and Palmdale, visit our website.