Getting braces put on is a straightforward process that takes one to two hours, depending on the type of braces and whether your orthodontist completes everything in one visit or two. The procedure itself is painless, though you’ll feel pressure and some awkwardness as your mouth adjusts to having hardware on your teeth. Here’s what happens at each stage.
Cleaning and Preparing Your Teeth
Before anything gets glued to your teeth, the orthodontist needs a perfectly clean surface. The appointment starts with a professional cleaning using a gritty paste (similar to what you’d get at a regular dental cleaning) to remove plaque, food residue, and any film from the enamel. This step matters because even a thin layer of debris can weaken the bond between the bracket and your tooth.
Once your teeth are clean, a small device called a cheek retractor is placed in your mouth. It looks a bit odd, but its job is simple: hold your lips and cheeks out of the way so the orthodontist can see and access every tooth. Your teeth also need to stay dry throughout the bonding process, and the retractor helps with that.
Etching the Enamel
This is the step that makes the glue stick. The orthodontist applies a mildly acidic gel to the front surface of each tooth that will receive a bracket. The gel, typically a 37% phosphoric acid solution, sits on the enamel for about 30 seconds. It doesn’t hurt at all. What it does is create microscopic roughness on the tooth surface, similar to how you’d sand a wall before painting it.
After 30 seconds, the gel is rinsed off with water and your teeth are air-dried. You’ll notice the treated areas look chalky or frosty white. That frosted appearance means the enamel has been properly prepared and is ready to grip the adhesive. The etching only affects a very thin outer layer of enamel and doesn’t cause lasting damage to your teeth.
Bonding the Brackets
With the enamel prepped, the orthodontist applies a thin layer of dental adhesive (a specialized glue) to the back of each bracket, then presses it onto the correct position on each tooth. Positioning matters a lot here. Each bracket is angled and placed at a specific height on the tooth to guide that tooth’s movement over the course of treatment. The orthodontist may use small instruments to nudge a bracket into the perfect spot and clean away any excess adhesive that squeezes out around the edges.
Once a bracket is positioned, a small LED curing light is held over it for about 20 seconds. The blue light hardens the adhesive almost instantly, locking the bracket in place. This “light curing” approach gives the orthodontist plenty of working time to adjust placement before committing, since the glue only sets when exposed to the light. You won’t feel anything during this step, just the slight pressure of the bracket being pressed against your tooth.
The same adhesive system is used for both metal and ceramic brackets. Ceramic brackets have a slightly different texture on their base compared to metal ones, but the bonding process looks the same from your perspective.
Direct vs. Indirect Bonding
Most orthodontists place brackets one by one directly onto your teeth, which is called direct bonding. Some practices use a newer method called indirect bonding, where all the brackets are first positioned on a plaster model of your teeth in the lab, then transferred to your mouth at once using a custom tray. Indirect bonding tends to be more precise in bracket placement, though it can actually take slightly longer than the traditional approach. Your orthodontist will choose the method based on your case and their preference.
Threading the Archwire
After all the brackets are bonded, the orthodontist threads a thin metal archwire through the small slot on each bracket. This wire is the engine of your treatment. It applies gentle, continuous pressure that guides your teeth into new positions over time. The wire is secured to each bracket using tiny elastic bands (the colorful ones you get to pick) or small metal clips, depending on the bracket system.
The first archwire is usually one of the thinnest and most flexible options available. It’s designed to start moving teeth gently rather than applying heavy force right away. At future adjustment appointments, the orthodontist will swap in progressively thicker or stiffer wires as your teeth respond.
What It Feels Like Afterward
The bonding appointment itself is painless. You’ll feel pressure, taste the etching solution briefly, and deal with the general discomfort of keeping your mouth open for an hour or two, but nothing sharp or stinging. The real soreness starts later.
Within a few hours of leaving the office, you’ll likely notice a dull ache or tenderness in your teeth and gums. This is the archwire doing its job, applying pressure that your teeth aren’t used to yet. The inside of your lips and cheeks may also feel irritated from rubbing against the new brackets. Orthodontic wax (a small strip you press over any bracket that’s bothering you) helps significantly during this adjustment period. Most people find the soreness peaks in the first day or two and fades within a week.
Eating and Caring for Your Braces
For the first few days, stick to soft foods that don’t require much chewing. Mashed potatoes, yogurt, smoothies, scrambled eggs, and soup are all good options while your teeth are tender. Cut anything you do eat into small pieces so you’re not biting down hard with your front teeth.
Some foods need to come off the menu entirely for the duration of treatment:
- Hard foods like nuts, hard candy, popcorn kernels, and crusty bread can snap brackets off your teeth
- Sticky foods like caramel, taffy, and gummy candy can pull brackets loose and are nearly impossible to clean out of wires
- Foods you bite into like whole apples, corn on the cob, and carrots should be cut into pieces first rather than bitten with your front teeth
Oral hygiene takes more effort with braces. Food gets trapped around brackets and under wires easily, so brushing after every meal makes a real difference. Drinking water throughout the day helps rinse away debris between brushings. Your orthodontist will likely recommend a floss threader or interdental brush to get between teeth where regular floss can’t easily reach past the wire.