What is it like having braces?

It’s a lot of mouth pain, seperated by weeks of dull mouth pain.
I had braces for 2 or 3 years, and hated it. My teeth were much better, though I wish I brushed more and better.
Was it worth it? Probably. My teeth were pretty hideous.

Overall, they’re not as bad as some people make them out to be!

People have them for different lengths of time, depending on the type of braces and the severity of the situation. I personally got braces in the seventh grade and had them taken off in my sophomore year, and my teeth were really bad. I know people who only had their braces for a year or two, so the time period will depend on your personal teeth.

I won’t lie to you and say that they won’t hurt at first; they will hurt for about a week or two when you first get them on, and they will hurt again for shorter periods of time when you have them tightened (though not as badly as when they are first put on). I recommend eating soft foods such as applesauce, pancakes, soup, etc. to minimize pain. The braces may also irritate your lips and cheeks in the beginning, so remember to use the wax that the orthodontist provides. You get used to it quickly, however, and it won’t be a problem for long.

You may have a lisp at first, but that part will pass within the first few days.

After I got past the initial pain, I actually enjoyed having braces! With most types of braces, you can pick different colors of rubber bands to put on, which I really enjoyed. I also ignored most of the rules, as did my friends, and we regularly chewed gum and ate chewy candies without incident. While I wouldn’t recommend doing that, I wouldn’t take the rules as seriously as your orthodontist will make them out to be. Just use common sense, and don’t eat things like whole caramel apples or corn on the cob.

Be forewarned, though: clean your teeth extremely well. I brushed my teeth regularly and thought that I cleaned my teeth fairly well, but I still had slightly noticeable marks left from the braces after they were removed.

Were braces worth it for me? Absolutely. My teeth were just awful, and I would certainly would have regretted not getting the braces.

Good luck to you, and I hope this all helps!

Not bad at all! The part I disliked the most was the spiky things in the back hitting my gums, but they give you wax to put on it. I opted to get glow-in-the-dark rubber bands, which was a good call.

Whatever you do, make sure you wear your retainer for years and years afterwards!!! I got my braces off at 15 and was terrible about wearing my retainer. Now I’m 23 and my teeth look like hell. Not going to pay all that money to get them again.

They’re really only bad for about a week after getting them in, getting them adjusted, and then it feels weird when they come off.

And you may not need a retainer. I didn’t and don’t