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Metal braces are a huge change for your child. It's a way for them to improve their smile and self-esteem, but it also improves their oral health and overall health. Still, there are metal braces side effects they may not be expecting.
The good news is that most side effects from metal braces are temporary. Once they get used to having these foreign objects in their mouths, the side effects will subside. Whatever happens, you know the team at Surfside Smile Co. will be with them every step of the way!
So what can your youngster expect from metal braces? Let's take a look!
What can your child expect the first week with braces? The first day or two, those braces are just going to feel WEIRD. Their mouth will have to get used to all this extra stuff in there! You'll probably see your kiddo checking out those braces with their tongue more than once. It's normal.
After getting their braces, they'll feel pressure at first, then their teeth and gums may feel a bit sore. This is also normal and expected. It usually can be managed with over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen or acetaminophen — just follow the package directions. Your child can also rinse their mouth with warm saltwater to soothe sore teeth and gums and reduce inflammation.
We also strongly recommend your child sticks to soft foods for the first few days after getting braces. Pasta, mashed potatoes, well-cooked vegetables, cooked oatmeal, protein shakes, and of course — ice cream!
The soreness may be worse on the second or third day but should dissipate a few days after getting braces, as their teeth get used to being moved. But give us a call if the pain lasts more than a week or gets steadily worse instead of better.
Metal braces can take some getting used to, and until that happens, your child may have a few changes in their speech. They may have a temporary lisp or speech impediment as their lips adjust to the braces.
Don't worry! This shouldn't last long. Once they get used to the braces, your child's speech should return to normal. In rare cases, your child may need time with a speech therapist, but most of the time they figure things out pretty quickly.
Most of the side effects of teeth braces will disappear after the first week or so. They'll get used to the feel of braces. You'll probably see less of that tongue checking them out.
However, that doesn't mean the pain is done. Your child will probably have some discomfort with each adjustment. During that time, we remove the old archwires, check that the brackets are secure, and add new archwires. This helps maintain the braces and allows us to continue to move the teeth.
Your child will also have to learn how to brush and floss with braces. These tasks are a little more challenging with braces, but they are certainly achievable with the right tools.
We recommend using an electric toothbrush with a rotating head. They tend to do a better job of getting around braces, brackets, and wires. Some also have timers that remind your child how long to brush each section of their mouth — upper left, lower left, upper right, and lower right. They should brush each section for thirty seconds, for a total of two minutes.
How do you floss with all those wires in the way? A floss threader takes care of that problem! Floss threaders come in two main varieties. The first looks like a giant needle. You thread the floss through the large eye, slide the floss threader over or under the archwire, and pull the dental floss through. Easy peasy!
The second type of floss threader is a long, thin piece of plastic with the dental floss attached. You simply slide the floss threader through, and it pulls the attached floss along.
Either of these methods works great. Some people also suggest using water flossers, but they don't have the scrubbing power that dental floss has and won't clean the tooth's surface as well. However, water flossers are good for rinsing plaque and food particles from around braces brackets. It's a good supplement for dental floss but not a good substitute.
For the first week or so, your child may experience irritation in certain areas of their mouth from the braces. This is where braces wax comes in!
This special dental wax is made of a nontoxic material such as beeswax, paraffin, or carnauba wax. The wax is easy to mold around the offending braces bracket or wire and can soothe the cheeks, lips, or tongue until they "toughen up" and get used to the braces.
Your child may need orthodontic wax at different times during their treatment, so make sure they keep some on hand! They need to remove it to eat and toss it out! They should never reuse braces wax!
When should you call us for a braces emergency? As we said, pain from braces is normal. However, if the pain steadily worsens or is accompanied by inflammation, swelling, or bleeding, give us a call.
We also need to hear if a braces bracket pops off or if a wire breaks. Your child can place braces wax over the damaged area until they can get in for repairs. The dental wax will keep the bracket or wire from poking them until they can get repairs.
They can also use braces wax on a poking wire that isn't broken. As the teeth move, the archwire will move and may poke them a bit in the back. Braces wax will soothe this until their next appointment. They shouldn't need to treat this as a braces emergency unless the wire is actually causing injury.
Braces emergencies are rare, but definitely give us a call if you think there is a problem that needs to be addressed right away. Surfside Smile Co. is here for you!
The first few weeks with braces are the toughest part — it's all uphill from there. By the time those braces come off, your child will have a smile they're proud of and barely remember the soreness from week one. At Surfside Smile Co., we're here to make every step of that journey as smooth as possible.
Schedule an appointment with us today. We can't wait to meet your family!
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Call 732-639-0011 or request an appointment online to set up your first visit. We’ll be in touch soon.