You just found out that you're going to need braces. Now, you have questions that you want answered. Your parents are probably prepared for the technical questions dealing with procedures and costs. But, you might have questions of a more personal nature. Here are a few answers that you might have been wondering about.

Will They Hurt?

The braces are going to move your teeth back into their proper positions. Your dentist will attach wires and brackets to your teeth, which will be tightened and adjusted each time you go in for a visit.

There will be some discomfort associated with the adjustments. In fact, there may be a small amount of pain. You can alleviate some of the discomfort by using your orthodontic wax and by placing ice packs on your jaw. You may also want to have your parents get you some over-the-counter pain reliever.

Can I Still Eat My Favorite Foods?

When you wear braces, you'll still be able to eat most of your favorite foods. You'll just need to make a few adjustments. For instance, you'll need to take bites with the side of your mouth.

Biting from the side of your mouth will keep food from getting stuck on the front of your braces. You'll also need to take smaller bites and slow down when you chew. Smaller bites and slower chewing will keep you from biting yourself.

There will be some foods that you'll have to avoid while you're wearing braces. Some of those foods include:

• Gummy candies - can get stuck on your braces

• Popcorn - can get caught between the brackets

• Soda - can loosen the adhesive and cause stains on your teeth

Can I Kiss?

You want to know if you can kiss while you're wearing braces. The quick answer is that you can if you want to. You'll just need to be careful until you're used to your braces. There are some simple ways to avoid injuries.

First, go slow the first time you try to kiss with your braces. Going slow can prevent bumps that can lead to bleeding. Second, keep tongues away from the braces. The brackets can cause cuts on tender skin.

Finally, if both you and your partner are wearing braces, you'll want to avoid rubbing your braces together – they can get stuck. If that happens, you'll need someone's help to untangle your braces.

Now that it's time to get braces, you may be curious about how they're going to affect you. The questions and answers listed above will help you prepare for your life with braces. You can also ask your dentist or orthodontist questions about your orthodontics. They get embarrassing questions all of the time, so you should not feel too self-conscious.

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