For most people, the first week with braces is the hardest part of the whole treatment. Having the brackets fitted does not hurt, but the teeth ache for a few days afterwards, the cheeks need time to get used to the metal, and eating takes some rethinking. After that, braces usually become part of daily life, with a short sore spell after each adjustment.
The fitting appointment involves no needles or drilling
Brackets are glued, not drilled. The teeth are polished and dried, a conditioning gel prepares the enamel, and each bracket is bonded on with a tooth-coloured adhesive set by a curing light. An archwire then runs through the brackets and is held in place with small clips or elastic ties. The appointment takes longer than a routine check-up, mostly because keeping the teeth dry takes care.
Most people leave feeling that their mouth is crowded rather than sore. The ache tends to start a few hours later, once the wire begins pressing on the teeth.
Days one to five: tender teeth and sore cheeks
The ache usually peaks in the first day or so and then eases, with most people noticing a clear improvement by the end of the first week. Teeth feel bruised when you bite, especially on anything firm. Paracetamol or ibuprofen taken as directed on the packet helps if they are suitable for you.
The other discomfort comes from the inside of the lips and cheeks rubbing on the brackets. Pressing a small ball of orthodontic wax over the bracket that is catching gives the skin a chance to settle, and within a couple of weeks the lining usually toughens. Warm salt water rinses can soothe small ulcers. If a wire end is digging in, our guide to a poking braces wire covers first aid until it can be trimmed.
What to eat, especially at first
In the first week, soft food is easiest: pasta, eggs, yoghurt, soup, mashed vegetables, fish and smoothies. As the soreness fades, most foods come back, with two kinds of exceptions.
Hard foods such as nuts, ice, hard lollies and crusty bread rolls can knock brackets off. Sticky foods such as toffee, caramel and chewing gum wrap around the wire and pull on brackets. Foods you bite into with the front teeth, like whole apples, corn on the cob and carrots, are fine if you cut them into small pieces and chew with the back teeth. Each broken bracket usually means an extra visit, and a period where that tooth is not moving as planned.
Cleaning takes longer, and it matters
Food and plaque collect around every bracket and under the wire. Left there, they can cause gum inflammation and chalky white spots on the enamel that may remain after the braces are removed. White spots are one of the most common side effects of braces, seen in about half of people treated with fixed braces in a 2025 systematic review, and careful cleaning and fluoride can lower the risk.
A routine that works for many people:
- Brush after meals where possible, angling the bristles above and then below the brackets.
- Use a small interdental brush to clean between the wire and each tooth.
- Floss once a day with a floss threader, or use a water flosser.
- Use a fluoride toothpaste, and ask your dentist or OHT whether a fluoride mouthrinse would help you.
Our guide to brushing technique covers the basics, which matter even more with braces.
Adjustments every six to ten weeks
Treatment progresses through a series of wires, each a little firmer or shaped differently from the last. At adjustment visits, which are usually every six to ten weeks, the wire may be changed or adjusted, elastics may be added to work on the bite, and progress is checked. These appointments are short. Expect a day or two of tenderness afterwards, usually milder than the first week.
If a bracket comes loose or a wire breaks between visits, contact the practice rather than waiting for the next appointment, because a loose bracket can stall that tooth. Sport is fine with a mouthguard designed to fit over braces.
Most courses take one to two years
Most people wear braces for about 12 to 24 months. Mild crowding can finish sooner, and larger bite corrections take longer. The length depends on how far the teeth need to move, how your body responds, and whether appointments are kept and brackets stay on. If you are deciding between braces and aligners, our articles on ways to straighten crooked teeth and clear aligner options compare the approaches.
Retainers keep the result
Teeth tend to drift back toward their old positions after braces come off, and long-term studies have found that this tendency continues for years. That is why a retainer is part of treatment, not an optional extra. It may be a fine wire bonded behind the front teeth, a clear removable retainer worn at night, or both. Most people are advised to keep wearing a retainer at night for the long term.
Cost and planning
Fees depend on the complexity of the bite, the type of braces and how long treatment is expected to take, so after an assessment you will usually receive a written treatment plan, often by email. Payment plans are common for orthodontic treatment. Our current deals page lists any offers, including a free consult for braces and aligners.
At Lumi Dental, our general dentists provide orthodontic treatment with both fixed braces and clear aligners, planned with a 3D scan and X-rays taken in the practice. If your bite is complex, we may recommend referral to a registered orthodontist.
Questions people ask before getting braces
Is it normal for teeth to feel loose?
Yes. Teeth become slightly mobile while they are being moved, because the bone around them is remodelling. They firm up again after treatment, which is part of why retainers are important.
Will braces affect my speech?
Fixed braces on the front of the teeth usually have little lasting effect on speech. Your lips may feel fuller at first while you get used to them.
Can adults have braces?
Yes. Healthy teeth can be moved at any age, although adult treatment sometimes needs more attention to gum health. Our article on bite problems explains some of the issues braces can address.
If you are thinking about braces, our team in Melrose Park can check your teeth and bite, explain the options and give you a written plan. Start on our current deals page or contact us.
This article is general information and not a substitute for an individual orthodontic assessment.
