What to Expect During the First Week of Orthodontic Treatment

Congratulations on receiving your dental braces from Lockett Orthodontics! You’re on your way to a healthy, straight, beautiful smile. We know that orthodontic treatment can take some getting used to, and you may wonder what to expect during the first week or two of having your braces. They can be tough to adjust to, but they’ll feel natural in just a short time.

What to Expect During the First Week

On the first day of having your braces placed, they will likely feel very foreign and kind of strange. Some people have a hard time making their lips close correctly and others have a difficult time speaking properly for a while. On the second day of having braces, you may notice that your mouth feels sore. Any real pain will likely be felt on the fourth day of treatment, so make sure you have some over-the-counter painkillers available.

While the soft tissues of your mouth get used to the metal wires, you can use dental wax to protect them from sores. Dental wax is provided by us, but if you need to purchase more it can be found in the toothpaste aisle of most stores. As time goes on, small callouses will begin to form on the insides of your cheeks as you get used to the brackets and wires.

In order to keep your braces functioning properly, it’s important that you treat them well. Avoid using your braces as tools to open bottles or packaging, and avoid eating certain foods. Hard and sticky items such as ice, taffy, or hard candies can do significant damage to the brackets and wires of your braces.

If you have any further questions or concerns in the first few weeks after you receive your braces, please don’t hesitate to contact Lockett Orthodontics here in Colorado Springs, CO. We want your orthodontic treatment to be as comfortable as possible!