Modern beauty standards are setting ever higher standards: a perfect figure, chiseled features, even skin tone and a gorgeous smile. Medicine is also keeping pace with the beauty industry: it can help solve almost any problem with appearance. And if earlier uneven teeth and malocclusion were practically a sentence, today this problem is solved in one word: braces. What is it, who is shown wearing them and whether it hurts to put such structures - let's try to figure it out.
What are braces?
Bracket system is an individually selected treatment regimen aimed at eliminating the problem of bite and unevenness of the dentition.
The orthodontist decides on the necessity and possibility of using this treatment method. He must conduct the necessary examinations and analyses, including X-ray, and then select an individual installation scheme andwearing.
Externally, the bracket system most often looks like metal "locks" on each tooth, which are united by a solid arc. Newer technologies make them less visible by using different materials.
Depending on the degree of curvature, the orthodontist may advise you to install braces on the lower or upper jaw, or both at the same time. The period of wearing the system is also selected individually, but on average it is 24 months.
How painful it is to put on braces can only be said after the procedure, but in any case, experts say that the procedure can be unpleasant, but painless.
When should you think about braces?
Any change is best done early. In other words, the earlier you get braces, the more effective they will be and the less time it will take to get a positive result.
However, it is possible to talk about the curvature of the dentition only after replacing the milk teeth with molars. Most often, the problem can be noticed at the beginning of adolescence.
A visit to the orthodontist stops many teenagers with a simple question: "Does it hurt to get braces at 12 (13, 15, etc.)?" The task of parents at this stage is to convey to the child that minor discomfort now is just a small price to pay for self-confidence and a bold smile throughout life.
Correct the biteor the dentition is possible even as an adult, but this will require more time and effort. Therefore, when you hear a question from a child about whether it hurts to put braces at 12, 14 or 15 years old, you need to start exhorting to do this and not put off a visit to a specialist.
Preparing for the installation of the bracket system
If you decide to put braces, then you need to go through a little preparation. This will ensure the safety and efficiency of the process.
- Dentist. The specialist should examine the oral cavity for caries, bad fillings and tartar. If necessary, the teeth need to be treated, as braces are placed in a completely he althy oral cavity.
- Paradontologist. When wearing braces, the gums experience increased stress. The doctor will be able to assess the condition of the latter and, if necessary, recommend means to strengthen them.
- Orthodontist. A key role in the success of the alignment of the teeth belongs to him. The orthodontist conducts an examination, makes an x-ray and decides on the scheme for setting the bracket system. The doctor should tell in detail about the course of the procedure, the rules of care and hygiene, the timing of wearing. He will also explain if getting braces hurts and how long the procedure will take.
Since the final result of the procedure depends on the orthodontist, the choice of a specialist must be approached very carefully and responsibly.
Does it hurt or not?
When all the preparatory steps are completed, the day comes for the installation of a special design on the teeth. The patient is not releasedthe question of whether it hurts to put braces. Reviews of patients who have gone through this indicate that there is little pleasant in the procedure. However, there is no acute pain, as in the treatment of caries or injections.
The procedure itself consists in the fact that the orthodontist attaches a hook or bracket to each tooth using special glue. After that, a metal arc is inserted into the hooks, "building" the teeth in the right direction.
It has a pressing effect, so the patient may be disturbed by aching, dull pain. But it's too early to despair - over time, it passes without a trace.
The procedure for installing braces is quite painstaking and lengthy. On average, it takes 2 hours.
First days with the system
Does it hurt to get braces? Feedback from people who have straightened their teeth with this technology suggests that the main discomfort occurs in the first week after the installation procedure.
The dentition gets used to the constant pressure on them and responds with aching sensations. Depending on the sensitivity of the patient, the pain may be more or less annoying. For people with a low pain threshold and high sensitivity, a specialist may recommend taking painkillers for the time of addiction. However, if the pain persists after seven days from the date of installation, you should definitely consult a doctor: the system may not have been installed correctly.
Also, people who are concerned about the question of whether it hurts to put braces should be warned that the elements of the system at first mayinjure the oral mucosa and interfere with talking.
This problem is fixed with a special wax. At first, you need to lubricate the interfering areas, after which adaptation occurs and the braces cease to be felt.
Care and hygiene are the key to results
A person who has decided to wear braces for a long time and has undergone the procedure for their installation should be extremely conscious of the rules for caring for them.
For oral hygiene in this case, brushing your teeth twice a day is not enough. Small pieces of food can remain in the elements of the system, which serves as a favorable environment for the reproduction of bacteria. You need to use a special brush and paste for braces, you also need to master the possession of a toothpick. Many experts recommend using an irrigator - a device that flushes out all the small particles remaining in the oral cavity with a strong pressure of water.
Brace wearers should not bite hard vegetables and fruits: they must first be cut into pieces. It is also best to avoid eating sticky and sticky candies and sweets - they are very difficult to clean out without leaving a residue.
Remove braces and smile
As the moment of removing the system approaches, the question of whether it hurts to put braces in patients is gradually replaced by another: "Does it hurt to remove them?".
Here, both specialists and patients are unanimous: the removal of the construction is completely painless.
If the system wasinstalled on the upper and lower jaw at the same time, then you need to know that they will be removed in turn, with an interval of several weeks. This is done so that the jaw gradually adapts to work in a new position without the support of metal arches.
Life after braces
After a long period of wearing a metal system in the patient's mouth, a feeling of lightness and joy overwhelms when it is removed. But the healing process is not over yet.
So that the softened bone structure is not deformed, the orthodontist will recommend wearing a special medical cap. It is made of transparent plastic and is not visible on the teeth.
The orthodontist selects the timing of its wearing individually. It usually takes several months of continuous use. Subsequently, the doctor may recommend wearing a mouthguard only at night. At the same time, you need to follow a diet similar to the time of wearing braces: do not bite off hard, do not gnaw nuts and seeds, if possible, do not abuse sweets.
At this stage, it is important to follow all the recommendations of the doctors to the end, because such a colossal work has been done to straighten the teeth! It's a pity if everything goes down the drain.
If you are worried about the evenness of your bite or smile, or you think that the child is embarrassed to smile because of his teeth - do not put off a visit to the doctor. You should not once again think about whether it hurts to put braces and whether you will like wearing them. Medicine today is capable of much: a little effort on your part and the medical side, andhe althy, straight teeth will delight you for the rest of your life.
