The first week with braces
The fitting itself does not hurt. From that evening the teeth feel tender for three to five days as they start to move, the lips and cheeks take a week or two to toughen up, and by the second week most people forget the braces are there. Here is the first week day by day, what to eat, what to keep in the bag, and the few things that are worth a phone call.
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Reviewed by Dr Shaz MacAvoy, Specialist Orthodontist. Doctor of Clinical Dentistry (Orthodontics), registered with the Dental Council of New Zealand.
The first week, day by day
Day 1: fitting day
The braces go on in about an hour. The brackets are glued to the teeth, the wire is fitted and we show you how to brush and where to put the wax. It feels strange and bulky, not painful. Eat soft food that evening. By bedtime the teeth are usually starting to feel tender, which is the sign they are moving.
Days 2 and 3: the tender days
This is the peak. Biting into anything firm feels bruised, and the front teeth are the most sensitive. Soft food, warm salt water rinses and paracetamol or ibuprofen taken as directed are all most people need. School and sport are fine, with a mouthguard for contact sport.
Days 4 to 7: settling
The tenderness eases day by day. The new job is the lips and cheeks, which rub on the brackets until the skin toughens. Wax on any spot that rubs, and small ulcers heal within a week. Speech is back to normal, and eating gets braver. By day seven most teens are back to nearly everything.
What to eat in the first week
Soft, cool and easy. Cut things small and chew with the back teeth.
Skip for now, and for the whole of treatment: whole apples and carrots (cut them up instead), popcorn, nuts, hard lollies, toffee, chewing gum, crusty bread and ice. They bend wires and knock brackets off. Our life with braces guide has the full list.
The first week kit
Most of it goes home with you from the fitting. The rest is a trip to the supermarket.
Brushing, rubbing and the odd niggle
Brushing with braces on
Two minutes after every meal, angling the brush above and below each bracket, then interdental brushes between the teeth. It takes longer than before, and the first week is when the habit forms. Clean gums let the teeth move freely, so this is also what keeps treatment on time.
Rubbing and ulcers
Dry the bracket, pinch off a small piece of wax and press it over the spot. Warm salt water rinses help ulcers heal, usually within a week. The inside of the lips and cheeks toughens over the first fortnight and the rubbing stops on its own.
Loose teeth?
Teeth can feel slightly loose in the first weeks. That is normal: they are moving through the bone, and they firm up again as they settle. Braces do not make teeth permanently loose.
Speech
A slight lisp or a feeling of too much in the mouth is common for a day or two, then disappears. Reading aloud for ten minutes speeds it up.
When to call us
Most first-week worries are normal, and we would always rather you rang. Phone (09) 520 1880.
Starting with clear aligners instead?
The first week is similar: tender teeth for a few days as each new tray does its work, a slight lisp for a day or two, and the discipline of 22 hours a day from day one. No wax needed, because there is nothing to rub. Our guide to caring for clear aligners covers the routine.
Answered honestly
Do braces hurt when you get them on?
The fitting itself does not hurt. The tenderness starts that evening as the teeth begin to move, peaks on days two and three, and settles by day five or so. Soft food, wax and ordinary pain relief are all most people need.
How long does the first week of braces hurt?
The teeth are tender for three to five days, worst on days two and three. The lips and cheeks can rub for a week or two until the skin toughens, and wax sorts that. By the second week most teens have forgotten the braces are on.
What can I eat on the first day with braces?
Soft and easy: pasta, soup, smoothies, yoghurt, scrambled eggs, mashed potato, soft bread without the crust, bananas and ice cream. Cut everything small and chew with the back teeth. Avoid anything hard, sticky or crunchy from day one.
Can my teenager go to school the day after getting braces?
Yes. The teeth are tender, not sore enough to stay home. Pack soft lunch, wax and a travel toothbrush, and let the PE teacher know a mouthguard is coming for contact sport. Most teens are at school the next morning.
Why do my teeth feel loose with braces?
Because they are moving. In the first weeks the teeth can feel slightly loose as they travel through the bone, and they firm up again as they settle into their new positions. It is expected and it is not permanent.
How do I stop braces rubbing my lips?
Dry the bracket, press a small piece of orthodontic wax over it, and rinse with warm salt water. The inside of the lips and cheeks toughens over the first fortnight and the rubbing stops by itself. If a wire end is poking and wax does not cover it, phone us.
Can you play sport in the first week with braces?
Yes. Non-contact sport is fine from the next day. For contact sport, wear an orthodontic mouthguard made to sit over the braces. If a big game or tournament falls in the first week, we can book the fitting for just after it.
Is the first week with clear aligners the same?
Similar, and a little easier. Teeth are tender for a few days as each new tray starts to work, there can be a slight lisp for a day or two, and there is nothing to rub against the lips. The one discipline is wearing them 22 hours a day from day one.
Thinking about braces?
A free 20 minute Smile Assessment at Newmarket or Albany for children and teens. No referral, no obligation, just an honest specialist answer on what treatment would involve.
Related: life with braces, how long teenagers wear braces, braces and sport and orthodontic emergencies.