Pain
There are various reactions patients experience to having spacers placed between their teeth. If the patient has a relatively small amount of space between their molars (or none at all), then the spacer may irritate the nerves in the gum of the mouth, causing pain. In some cases the spacer digs into the gums, causing bleeding and swelling. An orthodontist may advise the patient to drink cold drinks or to eat ice cream, producing a similar, although less efficient and short-lasting effect. Spacers are usually painful, although pain relievers can alleviate the pain if needed. Depending on the placement of the patient's teeth, spacers may not hurt when first applied, then start to hurt after some time, or they may immediately start to hurt. Depending on the type, spacers may cause pain while chewing, making certain foods (usually those that are tough or crispy) difficult to eat. Some people may also experience a sensation similar to having loose milk teeth. Brushing will not cause spacers to be displaced and regular, if not more brushing while spacers are in place is encouraged.
Read more about this topic: Orthodontic Spacer
Famous quotes containing the word pain:
“I cannot choose [to kill Caligula] because, aside from the pain I am suffering, I suffer too from his pain. My problem is that I understand everything.”
—Albert Camus (1913–1960)
“When pain of the world surrounds us with darkness and despair,
When searching just confounds us with false hopes ev’rywhere,
When lives are starved for meaning and destiny is bare,
We are called to follow Jesus and let God’s healing flow through us.”
—Jim Strathdee (20th century)
“How had I come to be here,
like them, and overhear
a cry of pain that could have
got loud and worse but hadn’t?”
—Elizabeth Bishop (1911–1979)