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I got my bottom braces on Thursday morning. I was really happy to get the bottoms on because it is one step closer to fixing my bite! Unfortunately, I can't eat or sleep or talk without pain. I have been instructed to eat soft foods for the next month because of how my bit is. I can't get my molars together at all due to my front teeth hitting my front brackets. If I bite down to hard then I will bite off the front brackets. One of the hooks on the bottom brackets is making a hole in my cheek. The canker sore is now the size of my baby finger nail. The hook keeps taking bigger chuncks out of the hole.
hi Pirate Wench. I understand you pain! If you continue to have trouble with the offending hook, you might ask your oththodontist if he/she would bend the hook just a bit. Sometimes what happens is the way the bracket hook is attached to our teeth is at an angle that does a number on our cheeks. Also, as your teeth shift, the angle may improve...
Had Damon 3 / Smart Clips for almost 2 years
Now in Hawley upper 10 hours/day, permanent lower retainers
I'm also in pain all day..everyday lately because of my cheeks, the wax wont stay on, the pain stuff doesnt last long enough, im doing salt water rinses all day.. It's really difficult, but I want straight teeth more than anything--and i hate whining.
Wax is certain to help. I use it whenever I have a bothersome sore and it works quite well. Also salt water rinses will help heal much faster. Good luck!
Full Metal Uppers and Lower on June 16 2006
De-Braced December 2008
In additon to all of the good advice above... I'd take an Aleve (that's the only thing thats worked for me post adjustments) and I'd ask about getting a molar build-up/stop/whatever they're actually called. They keep you from bitting down all the way (in the process eliminating A LOT of pain and you won't be able to bite one of your brackets off). I had a severe crossbite three months ago... and I bit off one of my brackets two days after getting braces because my bite didn't match... it wouldn't hurt to ask.
Metal Braces: August 18, 2006-January 14, 2009
Essix-type Retainers: January 14, 2009--present
Lemonlyme : what wax brand do you use? I buy the G.U.M. brand that is sold at Walmart. It is pretty sticky and I even use it on my expander wires that is pretty difficult to get wax on.
Please take the wax advice as posted by members. I thought I would pull my hairs out because of how much pain I was in.My tongue was cut and I could find no relief. Finally after almost 2 weeks I found the spot to put wax on and this allowed me to speak and eat immediately! It healed like in 2 days! You really need to get that bracket covered in wax ASAP and keep it like that for several days.
I put wax on the big canker sore and now I can feel all the small ones I didn't know I had! I also have started taking advil for the pain and have started using "Canker Care" on the sore spots. I have been doing salt water rinses since 3 days before I got the bottom brackets on (Thursday).
I went to the doctor yesterday because I thought I had an ear infection, but it turns out the pain from the canker sore was radiating the pain to my ear . The doctor said as soon as I get that canker under control my ear should feel better and to take advil in the mean time for the pain in my ear and mouth!
Everything together seems to be working. I just don't think I am going to be able to take the wax off until the angle of my tooth has changed significantly!!!
Pirate Wench,
sorry to read about the pain. I don't have full braces in yet but I do have 6 molar bands that did similar things to my mouth. It's been a couple weeks since those and I am pretty much without wax or anything and pain free for the most part. I do have a bracket that gives me problems sometimes. Just keep up the waxing! That is what helped me... and know that it does settle down. At least it did for me. Good luck!
I know the wax crumbles, and i do warm it up and such, but the spot that rubs the most is on a molar with a buccal tube, and it rubs my cheek in the back of my mouth and it just doesnt stay on. I have the silicone wax and some harder wax, neither stays..and if i use too much i cant move my mouth right.
Today i wetted some tissues and stuck it back there while im at home...and it works lol...we'll see how long though
I was really happy to get the bottoms on because it is one step closer to fixing my bite! Unfortunately, I can't eat or sleep or talk without pain. 
I have been instructed to eat soft foods for the next month because of how my bit is. I can't get my molars together at all due to my front teeth hitting my front brackets. If I bite down to hard then I will bite off the front brackets. One of the hooks on the bottom brackets is making a hole in my cheek. The canker sore is now the size of my baby finger nail. The hook keeps taking bigger chuncks out of the hole.
Thanx for ALL the advice 
I also have started taking advil for the pain and have started using "Canker Care" on the sore spots. I have been doing salt water rinses since 3 days before I got the bottom brackets on (Thursday).
. The doctor said as soon as I get that canker under control my ear should feel better and to take advil in the mean time for the pain in my ear and mouth!
