Congratulations! You’re officially on the path towards your healthiest, most beautiful smile.
The first few days will be your biggest adjustment period, so we’ve created this page with that in mind. Below are a few useful guidelines to help you in your new smile style.
Sore Teeth
After braces are placed in the mouth, it is normal for the teeth to be sore for about 2 to 3 days. Tylenol or Advil/Motrin will help relieve this discomfort. Some irritation to the cheeks and tongue is normal, but if you feel anything sharp is poking you, please call our office at 843.293.3522.
Eating Habits
Please do not eat hard foods including nuts, ice, crisp taco shells, whole apples and carrots (cut them into pieces first), hard French bread crust and rolls, spare ribs, corn on the cob (cut the corn off the cob before eating) and popcorn! These foods can cause breakage of the brackets and wires.
Also, beware of nail biting and pen or pencil chewing habits, since these can damage your braces. Do not eat sticky foods like taffy, caramels, bubble gum, or sticky candy of any sort. Use common sense about most foods. Excessive broken appliances due to careless eating habits may result in additional charges for repair.
Sore Teeth
While wearing Invisalign, it is normal for the teeth to be sore for about 2 to 3 days. Tylenol or Advil/Motrin will help relieve this discomfort. Some irritation to the cheeks and tongue is normal.
Eating Habits
Get in the habit of removing your aligners before eating and drinking. This keeps your aligner in good working shape and allows you to eat and drink whatever you like during treatment. The aligners are made of plastic resin so heat can distort and damage them. Also, eating while wearing the aligners will cause sugar and other food particles to stay on your teeth, which contributes to plaque and tooth decay. Don’t chew gum while wearing aligners.
If your retainer is new, don’t worry your speech will return to normal, with the appliance in place, within two to three days. You may experience a couple days or teeth soreness, especially if new or after an adjustment. If you have a sore spot on your gums, call our office so that we can arrange to adjust the appliance.
We want your braces to be as comfortable as possible. Our technicians will make sure that irritation is minimized and you receive an optimal response to treatment. You can play a part, too.
An emergency that requires immediate attention is one causing pain. In this case, please contact our office at 843-293-3522. If after hours, a technician can be paged through this number.
In most situations, a broken appliance does not need immediate attention and temporary solutions can be handled at home.