Freddie Answers Bothered for Braces

Dear Freddie,

Recently I went to the orthodontist, and I found out I need braces. I’m really scared and have a lot of concerns about what happens. What if I look ugly? Does it hurt super bad? What colors do I get? How long does getting them on take?

Sincerely,

Bothered for Braces

Dear Bothered for Braces,

It’s completely normal for you to be scared about getting braces. Most kids these days have to go through the same thing! You’re not going to look ugly. Having metal on your teeth isn’t going to change your appearance completely. Also, even if you don’t like how they make you look, once you get them off you’ll have a straight smile that will be well worth it.

Regarding your fear of the braces hurting, I wouldn’t describe braces as pain. It’s more of an aching that only bothers you for a small bit of time. The only time you might feel discomfort with braces, is the first two days you have them, and the days you get your wires tightened; Which is only about once a month. To answer your question, no, it doesn’t hurt super bad. My only suggestion would be to take Tylenol every once in awhile in the first few days.

You’ll have plenty of time to explore colors throughout your braces treatment, so don’t sweat the first colors you choose. I suggest just getting your favorite color(s) to start, and going from there. You can’t really go wrong, but if you get yellow, you might look like your teeth are stained.

I understand it’s hard to get a straight answer on the internet for how long the application of the braces takes. You always end up getting an answer that tells you something like “It depends.” Well, if you get both top and bottom, it takes about forty-five minutes, but it only feels like five, and you won’t feel any pain while getting them on.

I hope this eases your worries a bit, and hey, I understand what you’re going through. I was once a brace-face myself. Check out my yearbook photo of me rocking the metal mouth. It was all worth it in the end!