Soreness caused by Braces and Appliances

When you first get your braces, you may notice that your teeth and mouth feel a little tender or sore. This is perfectly normal and we promise your mouth will not be sore forever! Soreness caused by braces is due to the gentle movement of the wires within your brackets. To relieve the pain, we recommend dissolving one teaspoon of salt in eight ounces of lukewarm water. Swish this solution in your mouth for just a couple of minutes (do not swallow the saltwater). This will soothe the cheeks, lips, and surrounding tissues. If you feel pain or pressure, we feel Ibuprofen works best if approved by your physician.

If the pain is more severe and does not go away after rinsing, you can also try taking a pain reliever. It is also not uncommon for your lips, cheeks, and tongue to become irritated for one to two weeks as they toughen and become used to the braces. We would be happy to give you some wax that you can put over the braces to lessen the tenderness. If you need some wax, please let us know.

Lose Teeth

If your teeth begin feeling a little loose, don’t worry; this is normal! Your braces must first loosen your teeth to move them into the right position. Once your teeth have been repositioned, solid bone will form and they will stabilize.

Loose Wires And Bands

The wires and bands on your braces may come loose. If this happens, please contact us so that we can check and repair your appliance. If any piece of your appliance comes off, be sure to save it and bring it to the office with you for inspection.
You can temporarily fix the loose wire by using the back of a spoon or the eraser end of a pencil to carefully and gently push the wire back into place. If the loose wire is causing irritation to your lips or cheeks, put wax or a wet cotton ball over the broken wire to relieve the pain.