Eating two weeks in - help please!

[janel]

Hi all

I had my upper lingual braces on two weeks ago and I still can't chew! Well, I can physically chew but it hurts to bite down - even more annoying! Some days it's worse than others - today I can't even manage soft bread without crusts. It seems to start to get a bit better but then just gets worse again. Paracetemol helps but I don't want to take it too often. Should I call the orthodontist? If not, how long should I leave it before calling? I obviously expected discomfort but the brace doesn't make my teeth hurt any other time apart from when I try to bite, touch a tooth or brush hard. My orthodontist seemed to suggest I would be eating more than just soup/soft pasta by now!

Hope someone out there can help. I'm getting really bored of soup, pasta, mash and yogurt!!:)

[xtremsk8terk2]

Janel,

I am 10 months in with linguals on top and bottom and I know the exact issues you are going through right now. My first month with linguals on was brutal even though my ortho made it seem like I would only experience discomfort for a week to 10 days. Honestly, it was about 4 weeks in before I started switching away from soup and soft foods to solid foods.

You will gradually notice that you will be able to eat foods you haven't before. EVERYTHING should be cut up and not bitten into (as I'm sure your ortho has told you). I still cut up everything that I eat ... including sandwiches. I think you should expect the discomfort from touching or biting down to be better but still persistent for quite a while, depending on how much work is being done.

Ultimately, this is totally normal. I think you will find after the first month is over that you will really love the linguals. Good Luck!

[janel]

This is really reassuring xtremsk8terk2, thank you! Another thing my ortho said is that I would start to notice changes in the first week or so. Now almost three weeks in and possible slight movement has occurred but nothing very obvious at all, in fact I wonder if I'm just seeing things! When did you start to notice changes?

Thanks again

[xtremsk8terk2]

Sorry for the late reply...

My ortho told me I should start seeing movement within the first month. However, I didn't really notice any change until about a month and a half in. Ever since that point I've noticed slight changes every week. Sometimes overnight you will notice little changes as well (if you're really paying attention).

[dojo]

My pains were only for 7-9 days, but I couldn't close my mouth and it was hurting a lot. Then I just started biting more into the harder stuff and little by little it subsided. I took some Kethonal too (this is what we have in Romania) and it was better. Paracetamol is not for pain, as much as I remember. Am not sure though.

Jusy hang in there, it will pass. Some have it worse than others. Just think that, even if annoying, the pain is good. it means teeth are getting 'dislocated' and start moving to the right position