BURIEN
WEST SEATTLE
February 17, 2015
Pre-Braces Checklist – What to Do Before Getting Braces
The day you get braces marks the beginning of your journey toward a healthier and more beautiful smile, so congratulations are in order! To make the transition from bare teeth to braces as smooth as possible, there are some things you might want to take care of before your appointment. We’ve put together this checklist of six to-do’s to get you ready for your first couple of days in braces.
Your teeth will be a bit sore when your braces are first placed on your teeth, which means that you’ll want to only eat soft foods for the first couple of days. Therefore it’s a good idea to stock up on soft foods like soups, mashed potatoes, fruits for smoothies, oatmeal, Jello, yogurt, cottage cheese and pudding. Because you’ll need to avoid hard, crunchy and chewy foods throughout your treatment, make sure you always have a good supply of soft foods to enjoy while wearing braces.
When wearing braces, you’ll have to steer clear of sticky, hard, chewy and gooey candy as it can easily damage or break your braces. If you have some favorite candy you enjoy snacking on now and then like caramels, taffy or licorice, pick some up and enjoy it before you come in to have your braces placed on your teeth. If you do decide to indulge in your favorite sweet treats before your treatment starts, try not to overdo it and remember to brush and floss your teeth well afterward.
It will feel odd when you first have your braces put on your teeth. Your speech may be affected somewhat as well as you won’t be used to wearing braces. A good way to prepare yourself for the feeling of having something on your teeth is to wear a mouthguard that doesn’t conform to your teeth. You can buy a simple mouthguard at any sporting goods store for only a few dollars. Just pop it in and wear it for a few minutes each day prior to coming in to having your braces put on.
Nowadays orthodontic patients wearing metal braces can show off their unique style and sense of fun by choosing the colors of their bands. If you’re going to be wearing metal braces, decide what colors you’d like your bands to be before your appointment. You can choose just one color or you can mix or match colors – it’s up to you. Many of our patients who are students like to show their school spirit by wearing their team colors. Having colors to choose from helps make orthodontic treatment more fun!
When your braces are being placed on your teeth, you will feel some slight discomfort and pressure. For this reason, you can take an ibuprofen just before coming in to have your braces put on.
Many of our patients like to document what they look like before and after treatment by taking photographs of their smiles. If you’d like to do the same, consider taking a selfie or two before you come in to have your braces placed on your teeth. Then be sure to save the photo so you can look at it later when your braces come off to see how the appearance of your teeth and smile has improved.
Your first day in braces is an exciting one, and we want you to be fully prepared! Use our checklist as a guideline, and feel free to contact our Seattle orthodontic office if you have any other questions at all!
