“Can braces cause injury?”

Don't worry! Braces will not cause any injury when being put on. They are "glued" on with a special adhesive - so they just one on to the front of each tooth - it's totally painless, and does not require any numbing. When people say braces "hurt," they are typically referring to the "tightness" that is felt when the thin wire is placed that joins all the braces together. The most "pain" you can have from braces can easily be handled with a little Tylenol or Ibuprofen.
In fact, if you take your age/weight appropriate dose of Ibuprofen about an hour before the appointment, it can definitely help with any of that initial tightness. Of course, new things on the front of your teeth can take some getting used to with your lips - that's the other part than can be uncomfortable for some at first - just because they rub a bit. But that's it - definitely not the end of the world. The reason for the tightness: Braces are meant to move teeth into a position that is straight. To move them, a wire is placed that puts light pressure so that the teeth move microscopic amounts on a daily basis. Your orthodontist will typically adjust or replace the wire with a new one about every 5-6 weeks so that the teeth continue moving toward the desired position.

Braces will not cause injury unless you impact your mouth on something hard. Do you play contact sports? You will have some discomfort the first day or two, but not much beyond that. You will not have your mouth numbed unless you elect to include an accelerated tooth procedure such as Propel.

Foods taste a little different so I recommend fastidious cleaning immediately after eating, being careful of hands around the mouth period and contact Sports, you should have no problems. Football is definitely a problem where braces are concerned as well as anything that requires the wearing of a clenched mouthpiece

Fortunately, braces do not cause any damage or injury during the fitting/bonding process. The teeth are prepared for bonding and the brackets are placed directly on to the teeth and the bonding material holds the braces on the teeth until the orthodontist removes the braces. More good news! Bonding braces does not hurt at all and there is no need to numb your mouth for that procedure. I would encourage you to proceed with orthodontic treatment with an orthodontic specialist near you. A beautiful, confident smile will positively change your life! 

Daniel A. Flores, DDS, MS

These are all valid questions and concerns! Definitely ask your orthodontist how they handle these issues. Generally speaking, there usually are no "injuries" during the fitting process for braces. There will be an adjustment period of a few days to one week once the braces are applied. Generally you can expect soreness of the teeth and lips as you get accustomed to the new lip movements needed to speak/eat/drink. Tylenol/Motrin and warm salt water rinses usually manage the discomfort. I have not heard of an orthodontist numbing the mouth with local anesthetic for the application of braces. They may however apply a topical gel for temporary relief.

Hello,

Thank you for your questions. I understand that you are very nervous about getting braces but rest assured the process is quite easy. Your orthodontist will not numb your mouth when you get your braces on there is absolutely no need for this. There is also no risk of any injury during the fitting process. Your orthodontist and the assistants will explain each part of the process in a lot of detail before they put on the braces. The process is relatively easy for patients you just need to it in the chair with your mouth open and the orthodontist will do the rest. There is no pain affiliated with placement however there will be some minor discomfort for a day or two after they are placed until you get used to them. This pain can be alleviated with Tylenol or whatever you would normally take for a headache and I always tell my patients to eat a lot of ice cream :) Anything cold makes sore teeth feel better.
Good luck! You will be pleasantly surprised how easy this process is! You will soon be on your way to a beautiful smile!

Braces cannot cause any injury during placement, but you do feel pressure when the force is applied to move teeth. You can discuss in detail with your dentist or orthodontist.
Thanks.

Usually there is no or minor damage during fitting. However, they may have to adjust the teeth for the brackets to fit your teeth well. This is also minor as well. Most importantly you must brush, floss exceptionally and keep your teeth well. I told you this twice. Remember that!

If you are getting traditional braces, i.e., brackets on each tooth with a wire to move the teeth, the initial putting them on is simple and painless (no need for numbing)! If you are getting clear aligners (invisalign or other), these, too, are pain-free; however, in both cases, in order to move the teeth, there is pressure exerted. This pressure can be somewhat uncomfortable, but remember everyone's threshold for pain differs (usually Tylenol or some mild analgesic will help).

Good luck and I'm sure the end results will justify any "pain" you go through!!

Braces are a very common procedure nowadays. Normally there should not be any particular complications with braces. Most people feel at unease after initial placement due to a few reasons such as (something new in their mouth) and (orthodontic wires which initially make you feel like your teeth are glued tight together). Overall, it is a pretty harmless procedure and in normal circumstances, the orthodontist does not need to numb the mouth.

Hi,

I don’t think braces can cause serious injury. They may probably cause very minor injury like cuts to your lip or scratches inside your inner cheeks, but nothing serious. You should expect some pain or discomfort for a few days. That is normal.

Dr. Sioco