With 2 weeks to become accustomed to them, I'd say most anything she usually eats. There are some things like caramel apples, taffy, peanut brittle,corn on the cob, etc. that it wouldn't be prudent for her to bite into. My guess, based on my own and DD's experiences with them, is that you'll be surprised at how quickly she'll adapt to having them.

Hi Cydney - what is she having put on? Usually any discomfort and awkwardness disappears after a few days, so I think 2 weeks should be a good amount of time, I'd think she could eat most anything. They say no hard stuff like apples, carrots, ice, no popcorn, no gum -

Just be ready with some Advil when she first gets them on and stock up on mac and cheese and fruit and yogurt for smoothies.

My son just got rubber bands and has adjusted to them pretty well. Last holiday season, it was tubes and rods - which were a pain as they kept coming apart. But the actual brackets on the teeth aren't bad at all. Each thing comes with a 2 or 3 day adjustment period and only a couple of times out of the past 3 years have I had to run a milkshake or something soft to him at lunchtime at school...it helps the pain to feel a little pampered, ya know??? :-)

Good luck! keep posting if you have more questions - I just posted a thread about soft foods for when my DS got the elastics...everyone is very helpful.

Stacy

I had braces as an adult (when I was working in an orthodontist's office), and learned to be able to eat just about everything. The trick is to cut things like apples into bite sized pieces so you aren't biting into the apple. I cut corn off the cob, bbq rib meat off the bones...I even ate corn nuts (very, very carefully).

I can't think of anything served at a traditional Thanksgiving table that she shouldn't be able to eat after 2weeks...her teeth shouldn't be sore for more than a couple of days. (And then for a day or two after each adjustment, of course).

If she ends up having to wear a neckgear, I used to hang charm bracelet charms on mine, between two extra rings from the rubber strip that goes across the front teeth (to keep the charm from swinging around too much). I wore them to work, and in a couple of weeks had quite a few of the teenage girls copying me.

Thank you for all your responses. You have put my mind at ease. She is just getting the expander on the roof of her mouth, the brackets around her teeth and the elastics on the brackets. It sounds like she will be able to have turkey after all!!

I hate to tell you that the expander is worse than braces for pain and getting used to, since it is adjusted (sometimes renewing the pain) daily and across the roof of the mouth, not just around the teeth. But still, by 2 weeks, she should be getting used to it. Turkey dinner should be manageable. If your stuffing or fruit salad has nuts, maybe you could leave them out this year.

My daughter got braces one week ago. She is 13 and is completely over it now.
Good luck to yours!
Jo (btw, she lived on yogurt,applesauce and smoothies for the first few days)

One thing that helped me survive 3 years of adult braces - have her take Tylenol BEFORE each office visit, as well as afterwards.

LOL on the charms Rachelellen!

I agree with Gina I had braces as a teenager and surprisingly enough Johnny Boy (my 13 yr old) braces come off at 9am tommorrow morning...he's so excited and his teeth look straight as an arrow!! Margaret will have hers on another year and the other 2 kids will get theres in a couple of years. She will be absolutely fine but a tip Get the WAX from the ortho that is a must have.

another tip! We used this when DS has gotten sore spots in his mouth when something new is put in...you swish it around in your mouth for a minute and spit it out. It helped him alot. Found by the toothpaste in the store.

Here is a link that might be useful: peroxyl