Modern standards of beauty set an ever higher level: a perfect figure, chiseled facial features, even skin tone and a chic smile. Medicine also keeps pace with the beauty industry: it can help solve almost any problem with appearance. And if previously irregular teeth and malocclusion were almost a sentence, today this problem is solved in one word: braces. What is it, who is shown wearing it and is it painful to put such designs - let's try to figure it out.
What are braces?
The bracket system is an individually selected treatment regimen aimed at eliminating the problem of occlusion and unevenness of the dentition.
The decision on the necessity and possibility of using this method of treatment is made by an orthodontist. He must conduct the necessary examinations and analyzes, including radiological, and then select an individual installation and wearing scheme.
Outwardly, the bracket system most often looks like metal “locks” on each tooth, which are united by a continuous arc. Newer technologies make them less visible through the use of other materials.
Depending on the degree of curvature, the orthodontist may advise installing 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 is 24 months.
How painful it is to put braces, it can be said only after the procedure, but in any case, experts say that the procedure can be unpleasant, but painless.
When do you need to think about braces?
Any changes are best done early on. In other words, the earlier the braces are installed, the more effective they will be and the less time it will take to get a positive result.
However, talking about the curvature of the dentition is possible only after replacing the deciduous teeth with molars. Most often, the problem can be noticed at the beginning of adolescence.
For many teenagers, a visit to the orthodontist is stopped by a simple question: "Is it painful to put 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 fee for self-confidence and a bold smile throughout life.
You can correct the bite or dentition as an adult, but this will require more time and effort. Therefore, having heard from the child the question of whether it is painful to put braces at 12, 14 or 15 years, you need to start to exhort to do this and not to postpone the visit to the specialist.
Preparing to install a bracket system
If it is decided to put braces, then you need to go through a little training. This will ensure the safety and efficiency of the process.
- Dentist. The specialist should examine the oral cavity for caries, poor fillings and tartar. If necessary, the teeth should be treated, as the braces are placed in a completely healthy oral cavity.
- Periodontist. 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 tooth alignment belongs to him. The orthodontist conducts an examination, makes an X-ray and makes a decision on the layout of the bracket system. The doctor should tell in detail about the progress of the procedure, the rules of care and hygiene, the timing of wearing. He will also explain whether it is painful to put braces, and will tell you how long the procedure will take.
Since the end result of the procedure depends precisely 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 have been completed, the day comes to install a special design on the teeth. The patient does not let go of the question of whether it hurts to put braces. Reviews of patients who went 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 with a special glue. After that, a metal arc is inserted into the hooks, "aligning" the teeth in the right direction.
It has a pressing effect, so the patient may be bothered by aching, dull pain. But to despair early - over time, it passes without a trace.
The procedure for installing braces is quite painstaking and lengthy. On average, it takes 2 hours.
Early days with the system
Does it hurt to put braces? Reviews of people who aligned their teeth using this technology suggest that the main unpleasant sensations are observed in the first week after the installation procedure.
The dentitions get used to the constant pressure on them and respond with aching sensations. Depending on the sensitivity of the patient, the pain can more or less annoy. For people with a low pain threshold and high sensitivity, a specialist can 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 be installed correctly.
Also, people who are concerned about the question of whether it is painful to put braces, it is worth warning that the elements of the system at first can injure the mucous membrane of the oral cavity and interfere with talking.
This problem is eliminated with a special wax. First you need to lubricate the interfering areas, after adaptation occurs and the braces cease to be felt.
Care and hygiene - the key to results
A person who has decided to wear braces for a long time and has gone through the installation procedure must 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 may remain in the elements of the system, which serves as a favorable environment for the growth of bacteria. You need to use a special brush and paste for braces, you also need to perfectly master the possession of a toothpick. Many experts recommend the use of an irrigator - a device that flushes out all small particles remaining in the oral cavity with a strong pressure of water.
Wearers of braces should not bite hard vegetables and fruits: they must first be cut into pieces. It is also better to avoid the use of sticky and viscous sweets and sweets - they are very difficult to clean without residue.
We remove braces and smile
As the time comes for the removal of the system, the question of patients whether it is painful to put braces, gradually changes to another: "Is it painful to remove them?"
Here, both specialists and patients are unanimous: they remove the structure completely painlessly.
If the system was installed 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 arcs.
Life after braces
After prolonged wearing of the metal system in the patient's mouth, the feeling of lightness and joy is overwhelmed when it is removed. But the treatment process is not over yet.
So that the softened bone structure does not deform, the orthodontist will recommend wearing a special medical burl. It is made of transparent plastic and is not visible on the teeth.
The orthodontist selects the terms of its wearing individually. As a rule, it takes several months of continuous use. Subsequently, the doctor may recommend wearing mouthguards only at night. At the same time, you must observe a food regime similar to the time of wearing braces: do not bite hard, do not bite nuts and seeds, and if possible do not abuse sweet.
At this stage, it is important to comply with all the recommendations of doctors to the end, because such a tremendous work has been done to align the teeth! It's a pity if everything goes down the drain.
If you are concerned about the evenness of your bite or smile, or it seems to you that the child is embarrassed to smile because of his teeth - do not postpone the visit to the doctor. Do not think again about whether it hurts to put braces and whether you like to wear them. Medicine today is capable of a lot: a little effort on your part and the doctor’s side, and healthy, even teeth will please you all your future life.