Braces can definitely affect your life, so it’s important to understand a few things. First, the earlier in life that you start treatment, the faster it works. Adults generally need to wear braces for longer because their jaws are already fully formed, while children’s jaws are still developing and are thus more pliable. Some adults need to have dental work to get the maximum benefit from braces. This may include extractions or orthognathic surgery to expand the jaw. When you initially get braces, it’s not unusual to have some tenderness, or your teeth may feel a little bit loose. This is completely normal, so don’t worry: that loose sensation will go away quickly as your teeth adjust to the braces. You already know that you’ll need to adjust your eating patterns, at least a little. But, in general you won’t have to really give up very many foods for braces. You can still enjoy most dairy products, meat, seafood, veggies, fruits, breads, and soft desserts.