Not in the same way a skinned knee or a crushed fingernail hurts. Your teeth may feel sore, and eating may be difficult for a day or two after each visit to the dentist. This gradually goes away, and is less after each visit. Often, children’s pain reliever will help.

They may hurt for a few days, but usually children’s pain reliever helps.

You won’t starve to death—there are enough foods available today that don’t require that much chewing! But you will find that with your crooked teeth and bad bite, it will be much harder to brush and clean your teeth. This could lead to more tooth decay and other problems, such as swollen and bleeding gums, and bad breath. It may also affect the way you talk, swallow, and move your jaw, as well as your smile.

The benefits of being able to chew your food and having straight teeth, a healthy mouth, and an attractive smile would seem to be worth the time and effort.

Your mouth will be easier to take care of, your speech may improve, and your teeth will last longer.

A retainer is a removable wire and plastic appliance that fits into the top of your mouth. It is worn after your braces have been removed. Even though your teeth are now where they should be, the bone may not be firmly set in place. A retainer holds your teeth in place while the bone hardens.

You may take the retainer out when you eat, but otherwise, you should wear it all the time to make sure your teeth stay straight.