Last Updated on July 26, 2019 by Gio Greenard

What Happens to Your Lips When You Get Braces to Fix Your Overbite? A huge concern for people who are thinking about getting braces for their overbites is that they will experience discomfort. Such people ask questions about what happens to their mouths and their lips when they get a correction for an overbite. The truth is that some discomfort can exist, but an experienced orthodontist can help to minimize the discomfort to an almost non-existent level. The key is to schedule the care with an excellent provider.

The Procedure of Getting Brackets

The orthodontist does his best to make traditional brackets as comfortable as possible. However, the patient still has to wear an appliance that he is not used to having in his mouth. The result of that is usually some level of discomfort. The discomfort usually occurs during the first few weeks of having them on, and it subsides when the patient’s lower face and the inside of his mouth and cheeks harden. Wearing the brackets can be quite uncomfortable until those beginning stages end.

Common Issues That Can Arise

One of the biggest problems that occur with people who have traditional brackets is that they experience pain on the inside of their lip and their cheeks. The second most common problem is a chapped lip. Many people complain about chapping occurring because of the way that the brackets make their mouth expand. Again, the face has to adjust to the new hardware but the patient can do some things to speed up the process and to help themselves to get through the rough period. The most important thing for a person who is going through this is to avoid picking the flakes if they appear. Picking the flakes in any way will cause the healing to delay.

Alternative Options

The specialist may recommend an alternative form of treatment for a person who has a sensitive mouth. One suggestion that the specialist may have is that the patient trying lingual brackets. Lingual options can work well because they go on the back of the teeth instead of the front. The patient then does not have to feel the constant pressure or scraping that occurs with traditional brackets.

The Damon system may be a slightly less irritating choice. Damon brackets are smaller in size than traditional brackets are. Additionally, they require less tightening than regular systems do.

Another option that may be better from a comfort standpoint is ceramic braces and brackets. Many patients say that they are more comfortable than traditional brackets are when it comes to the discomfort on the inside or the outside of the mouth.

Invisalign Option

Another suggestion for people who want to avoid problems with the lips or the inside of the mouth is Invisalign. Invisalign is a revolutionary system that can resolve a lot of problems. Mouth pain and chapping are only two of the many problems that Invisalign addresses and corrects. The other problem is exposure. The system is completely invisible, so students, teens and people who work jobs where they face customers all the time will not have to worry about anyone seeing their corrective devices.

This system uses plastic aligners that the patient can remove any time he or she wants to clean the teeth, eat a meal, or simply take a break from having something inside of the mouth. Invisalign patients often praise the system because they find that it is a comfortable teeth correction system. Invisalign is ideal for someone who has mild to mid-grade teeth alignment issues. Severe issues may call for a tougher system that has brackets.

OTC Solutions That May Help

Some over-the-counter solutions are available for dental patients who are experiencing chapping, mouth ulcers and other issues. The best remedy for mouth ulcers that occur because of the brackets is an element that numbers the area. People who don’t mind the horrible taste of a topical anesthetic can invest in something like Orajel or Anbesol. Another route that a person can take is the dental wax route. The specialist may give it to a patient free in the office. If by some chance it is not free, the person can still get it at the local pharmacy. It is a substance that the patient can put on the teeth to serve as a barrier so that the brackets can no longer cut the inside of the mouth.

Peroxide is a good mouth rinse that will keep infections from developing. For chapping, lip balm is always the best solution. Burt’s Bees and Chapstick have some wonderful solutions that can moisturize the mouth and get rid of the flakes. Lip balm is inexpensive, and it can do person wonders. There is no limit to the number of times a person can use it. Therefore The patient needs to use it as much as possible.

Why You Need Beach Braces

If you are someone who is thinking about getting brackets but are a bit concerned about having mouth issues, you should speak to Dr. Pannuci. The office is an elite office that has received numerous types of recognition for its innovative dental care procedures, flawless work, not to mention affordable pricing. The specialists at this facility can ensure that you have no issues with your mouth because they will help you to choose a precise procedure that fits only you.

Contact Us for a Consultation

You can call someone to schedule an initial consultation right now. The phone number to the facility is 310-379-0006. You can go online and complete a short form to make an appointment for an initial consultation. Either way, someone will contact you and let you know when you can come in to talk about your teeth.

The specialist at this firm will be with you every step of the way to ensure that you are as comfortable as possible. You are in good hands with the professionals at Beach. They can set you up with one of the previously mentioned correction systems, and you can get your straight smile back in no time.

Beach Braces Orthodontics
220 N. Aviation Blvd
Suite A
Manhattan Beach
CA 90266
Phone: (310) 379-0006

What Happens to Your Lips When You Get Braces?

Dr Patricia Panucci

Dr Patti Panucci attended the University of Louisville School of Dentistry for four years, where she graduated with a DMD degree (May 2000) among the Top 10 in her class. Following that, she headed west to Los Angeles to complete her three-year residency at one of the top-ranked orthodontic programs in the country – the University of Southern California.

Along with her certificate in orthodontics, Dr. Panucci earned a master’s degree in craniofacial biology. During those three years, she fell in love with Southern California beach life and decided that this was where her future lay.