Teens and adults who are facing orthodontic treatment have many ideas about what living with braces will really be like. Everyone is different, but you can pretty much expect all the following to happen at some point during your treatment.
1. Discomfort Is Inevitable
Getting used to your braces will take a few weeks. The brackets and wires are, after all, attached to your teeth and aren’t going anywhere for a while. If you wear Invisalign, the pressure of the trays will have you wanting to remove the aligners, but don’t. Try to be patient as you get use to how strange it all feels. You will learn to live with your braces, manage meals, and do your careful cleanings.
2. Expect Adjustment Periods
There will also be adjustment periods throughout your treatment, especially every time you change to new Invisalign aligners or see your orthodontist for an adjustment of your brackets and wires. This is normal – the discomfort means the braces are working, and a little temporary irritation leads to an amazing straight smile.
3. Your Appearance Will Change a Little
Of course, your appearance will change with braces, unless of course you’re wearing Invisalign – the thin, clear trays are difficult to notice on anyone’s teeth. Brackets on the teeth, however, do bump out the lips slightly, which will change your profile a little. Remember though that any physical change caused by braces is temporary, and ultimately your appearance will go back to normal, except you’ll also have straight, beautiful teeth.
4. Sometimes You’ll Hate Your Braces
If you take good care of your orthodontics and teeth, you shouldn’t run into any problems during treatment. However, sometimes issues happen that are beyond your control, like a broken wire or a bracket that’s poking you in the cheek. Your Center City orthodontist is always ready to deal with your concerns and help you get relief, but it’s okay if you kind of hate your braces in these inconvenient moments.
5. Sometimes You’ll Love Your Braces
For the patients who wear metal or ceramic braces, rubber bands are part of the treatment. Some people will want the most unobtrusive accessories possible – others will take advantage of the opportunity to add changing bursts of color to their smile on a regular basis. What all braces-wearers have in common though is the joy that they experience as they notice their teeth shifting into alignment and making them look better long before their treatment is actually complete.
6. Braces Become Part of Your Identity
Eventually, you’ll forget what life was like without braces. You’ll simply go about your days doing what you need to do to take care of your shifting teeth whether you have clear aligners or brackets. Being an orthodontic patient will become part of your identity and you might even find yourself feeling proud about what you’re accomplishing.
7. You Are the Common Denominator
The success or failure of your orthodontic treatment lies solely with the patient. If you comply with your orthodontist’s instructions and take care of your braces or Invisalign the way you’re told, from day one to retainer days, then your smile will straighten out in a reasonable time and you will have an amazing set of aligned teeth.
Find out what kind of braces are right for you from Dr. Roberts or Dr. de Marsche in Center City. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.