Do orthodontic braces hurt?

Braces pain usually doesn’t start the
moment these tooth-aligning devices are first installed, and the
installation process itself is not necessarily a painful process,
although there are those who will tell you it can be a lengthy and
somewhat uncomfortable one. However, it usually doesn’t take long for
pain and discomfort to set in once those orthodontic devices are in
place. The question really isn’t whether you are going to experience any
pain or not; it’s really about how much does it hurt and for how long.

The
fact that your teeth are being moved around somewhat against their will
would certainly be a reason for some pain, but this movement is
extremely slow. It isn’t as if your teeth are being yanked out of one
position and into another, which certainly would be painful. It is
usually other things besides the actual tooth movement that can be a
cause of discomfort.

The Many Little Parts and Adjustments That Can Cause Discomfort

There
once was a time when getting braces meant having your mouth filled with
metal brackets, wires, and rubber bands. That meant there was any
number of things in your mouth that could cause a problem. Pain could
result from tension, poking, or rubbing, or some combination of the
three. Today, braces are lighter in weight, often require a bit less
‘hardware’, and tend to be somewhat more mouth-friendly. However, there
are still instances when the full complement of hardware has to be put
up with.

Braces can be uncomfortable, and they usually are at
first. Since your pearly whites are being held rather firmly in place
once the orthodontic devices have been installed, it may seem a little
peculiar that there is any pain involved, even if the teeth are
ever-so-slowly being forced into new positions. However, as far as your
mouth and your brain are concerned, you have suffered an injury. You may
not think of having these aligners put in as an injury, but the tissues
involved tend to think so. As a result, they can become inflamed and
you will likely feel a certain amount of discomfort.

People
experience braces-related pain differently, and since some are more
sensitive to it than others, some will experience greater discomfort
from wearing the orthodontic devices than others will. The saving grace
for almost everyone is that the pain is greatest in the beginning and
then begins to subside. When pain is experienced later on, it is
generally because something is wrong with the dental devices or because
they have just been adjusted.

Braces are in constant need of
adjustment, which normally consists of tightening to increase pressure
on your dentition once the teeth have moved in response to earlier
pressure. These adjustments can cause pain to return, but it is usually
less than before, if for no other reason than the person wearing the
dental devices having become somewhat desensitized.

What Braces Consist Of and Why They Can Sometimes Hurt

Aside
from the pressure, other sources of pain can come from the myriad of
parts that seem to make up a set of braces, although some configurations
are much more complicated than others. Over the past 15 years or so,
braces have, in general, tended to become far less complicated,
requiring fewer bands, wires, and the like. Still, it can be helpful to
understand what can go into constructing a set of braces to have a
better knowledge of where potential sources of pain might be located.

When
you first see someone who is wearing braces, the first thing you
generally notice are the brackets. The brackets are small squares that
are attached to the front of each tooth. They are attached either with a
bonding agent or by bands. The purpose of the brackets is to hold the
wire in place that is actually applying pressure to the teeth.

Bands
that are at times used to hold the brackets in place instead of a
bonding agent are themselves cemented to the tooth with a bonding agent.
Bands wrap around the entire tooth. Not everyone wearing braces has
them attached with bands. Braces and bands are generally not a direct
source of pain in that they normally don’t come into contact with either
soft tissue or the tooth roots. The same can be said for spacers, which
are placed between the teeth prior to the insertion of bands. Pressure
from spacers can at times be a cause of discomfort however, although the
spacers themselves are not permanent.

Arch wires attach to the
brackets and can be a prime cause of pain and discomfort since it is the
arch wire that is primarily responsible for exerting pressure on your
pearly whites. There are also instances when a wire can come loose and
become a somewhat dangerous weapon, depending upon what the loose end
may come into contact with. Arch wires are attached to the brackets with
ties, which are usually either small wires or rubber rings. Wires, no
matter how small, can sometimes cause problems if they manage to work
loose. Small rubber bands used to attach the arch wire to the brackets
are called ligatures.

Another source of pressure is a spring,
which is sometimes used in conjunction with the arch wires to open or
close spaces between the teeth. Some braces employ the use of springs
and others don’t depending upon how individual teeth have to be
repositioned.

In some places, headgear needs to be worn,
especially when the biting surfaces between upper and lower teeth
require adjustment. Headgear can be uncomfortable to wear, but generally
are not a major source of pain.

Braces Pain Relief

It
isn’t just the hardware components of the braces that are causing
discomfort although they can certainly be a contributing factor. One
theory is that it is the pressure on the jawbones that cause most of the
problem. Another theory already touched upon is that your body
interprets the presence of these orthodontic devices as an injury,
resulting in inflammation in the gums and around the teeth and the bones
the teeth are embedded in. A third and possibly related theory is that
braces can possibly cause an alteration in blood flow, which is also
treated by the body as an injury. Getting poked by an errant wire can be
another cause, but that is a fact, and not a theory.

In most
cases, relief can be attained by taking medications such as Motrin or
Advil. There are also topical medications that can be used to relieve
the pain. The most effective pain relief tend to be prescription
medications which your dentist or orthodontist would probably be happy
to prescribe. There are also toothpastes and mouthwashes that are
designed for sensitive teeth and gum that could provide a measure of
relief.

One good piece of advice, especially when braces have
first been installed, is to eat soft foods for at least the first few
weeks or months. Using a soft bristle toothbrush can help as well.

The
good news is that, while orthodontic treatment can at times cause pain
or discomfort, and don’t make you look any more attractive while wearing
them, the rewards tend to make it all worth it. You will look better,
feel better, and probably enjoy better health once you have a mouthful
of well-adjusted, pearly-white teeth.