It is your first time facing the orthodontist and you are curious about one thing in particular, how much are braces going to hurt? This is an issue that comes to our attention at Central Coast Orthodontics quite frequently, and since we want to be as helpful as possible, we can give you some exact figures instead of vague answers.

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How Much Do Braces Hurt? 3 to 5 out of 10!

Braces are rated at a level of 3 to 5 out of 10, with occasional peaks to 6 or 7 immediately after placement and adjustment of the appliance. It is not that bad! You trade a few discomfort-filled days once in weeks for a great smile you will have for years to come.

Compare 10 (broken bone) and 1 (mosquito bite), and you can see that braces hurt not too much at all. They just cause some discomfort, which most patients feel like pressure rather than pain. The sensation is very similar to soreness after training.

Breaking Down the Pain Timeline

The actual day of fitting is completely painless. Getting the brackets and wires put on is not uncomfortable at all; but then after 4 to 6 hours, when your teeth begin feeling the effects of the pressure from the wires, pain will set in. During the first week, the discomfort rating can be around 5 or 6, particularly when eating.

From days 5 to 6 onwards, patients are almost back to their regular state. However, every 4 to 6 weeks you'll have a checkup and adjustment done, and expect 2 more days of discomfort, although now the pain should rate somewhere between a 3 and 4. Each visit usually brings progressively less discomfort since the teeth and gums have adjusted. For a day-by-day breakdown, see how long braces pain lasts.

Patients opting for traditional braces will need to deal with minor irritation to the cheeks and lips due to rubbing against the brackets, and not due to the tightening, which will require orthodontic wax to be sorted out.

Why Some People Feel It More Than Others

Pain tolerance is individual, therefore what may cause you pain level 5 could be only 3 for another person. There are some factors that make your sensitivity higher, for example, treatment of all teeth at once rather than partial alignment, more crowded teeth and not following advice from your orthodontist on after-care. Young people usually feel less sensitive during the procedure than adult patients due to their softer and more pliable jawbone.

In case if pain is a concern, then it is necessary to discuss the issue with your orthodontist and consider the option of using LightForce braces. This type of braces is made of individually 3D printed brackets and allows moving the teeth faster and with fewer adjustment visits.

How to Make It Hurt Less

You have more control over the level of comfort that you are experiencing than you may think possible. Here is what will help:

• Consume soft foods for the first couple of days after the procedure, such as blended drinks, mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs, and soups. Crunchy foods should be left for after.
• Take an over-the-counter analgesic one hour before the procedure if your orthodontist has permitted that.
• Gargle with warm salt water. The salt soothes irritated gums and speeds up the healing process if the wires or brackets are causing irritation.
• Cover any areas that feel uncomfortable with orthodontic wax. The orthodontist will demonstrate how to do it properly.
• Use a cold compress on the jaw if you experience discomfort. Cold reduces swelling and provides some numbing.

What If Invisalign Sounds Better to You?

Some patients would be happier with consistent pain rather than an alternating pattern of discomfort with the use of metal braces. Invisalign causes continuous pressure at a rating of 2 or 3 because you will need to change the aligner trays weekly or biweekly, instead of tightening your braces every month. But none of them is "pain-free." It is up to you which choice you would make.

Bottom Line

Braces cause some pain but nothing that will deter you from achieving a beautiful smile. Patients experience pain levels between 3 to 5; however, the severity starts to fade away after a week and gets better during each tightening after that. Millions of people have experienced it before, and so can you. Curious why the soreness happens in the first place? Read why braces hurt so bad.

Do you have more questions? Our team at Central Coast Orthodontics would be glad to help you with anything related to braces and their installation. Schedule your free consultation or check out the patient resources page for more information about braces.