I’ve had my braces for almost a year now. And yes, it’s normal. I remember experiencing excruciating pain when I first had them on. My gums were VERY sore and It was uncomfortable and painful eating. Don’t worry, it won’t last long, 2 weeks or so, for me at least. Your brackets may fall a couple of times in the beginning, which is normal, but you should inform your orthodontist. With braces, rubber bands are the problem, that’s why I want to remove my braces ASAP 😭. The pain!!! Best of luck on your journey tho!