DO BRACES HURT?
Having braces placed and having braces adjusted does not "hurt" in the sense of experiencing acute or sharp pain. Patients are never given numbing injections nor prescription pain medications as this is simply not necessary. Most all patients find orthodontic treatment to be a relatively easy and even a fun and rewarding experience.

After initial placement of braces and after orthodontic adjustment appointments, patients do often feel some mild pressure or tenderness around their teeth. The feeling is nothing like a sharp "pain" but rather feels much like a slightly sore muscle after a good workout at the gym. Typically the tenderness goes away completely in one to three days and the patients' teeth feel just like normal or even better for the next four to eight weeks until the next adjustment.

Perhaps the most telling fact about the ease of contemporary orthodontic treatment is that given the choice, the vast majority of patients prefer to come for adjustment more rather than less often, clearly feeling that the momentary tenderness of their teeth is more than worth it in order to achieve progress toward their goal of a great smile.