Does getting braces put on hurt?

There’s a common misconception that getting braces put on hurts. It is the most popular question we’re asked…“Will it hurt?” The simple answer is, no. The process of getting braces, in fact, is a piece of cake. There are no needles involved so no injections of any kind. Having brackets bonded (glued) to your teeth is totally painless. We just have to make sure your teeth stay completely dry throughout the process so we have to keep what are called cheek retractors in your mouth. These help keep your cheeks and lips away from the teeth and can be a little annoying for some patients. But once again, they do not hurt or cause discomfort either. Once the braces are placed, there will be some soreness that begins 3 to 4 hours after bonding of the braces (due to the movement of the teeth). Typically this only lasts for 3-5 days and then starts to dissipate. The feeling is more of a dull achy sensation and is not a sharp pain. It can be managed with Tylenol (acetaminophen) in most cases. If Tylenol doesn’t work, you can try Advil or Motrin (ibuprofen). After 3-5 days, there is usually no discomfort for the rest of the time until your next adjustment. Your teeth will be a little sore after each adjustment for 2-4 days but this is even less severe than what you will feel the first few days after braces placement.