grinding problem

Message

#1 Post by **ishasha** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 11:08 am

This is getting frustrating... I don't thinking I ground my teeth before I got braces. But one week after I was braced, the ortho had to put some stuff on my upper molars to prevent the teeth from biting into each other. I still don't know what the stuff is called, so I'll just refer it to "the stuff".

Then almost one month passed by, I found they were ground off so much that my teeth were biting into each other again. So I called the office and they added some more. Two days after, I woke up in the morning finding that "the stuff" on my left upper molar that they just added was ground off. I had to go in to have them add some more. Then today, 6 days after, I woke up at 5:30am realizing it was ground off again!!!

I feel so frustrated.

I made an appointment to go to the office tomorrow. I wonder if they are going to do something different to me this time. Last time the assistant wasn't quite happy about it and complained that I grind too much. Well, I have no control over it.

Since I didn't grind before, I figure it must be that this stuff is somehow annoying that I started to grind...

I wonder if anybody here has similar experiences and how it was handled... Thanks.

#2 Post by **Jillianleab** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 12:20 pm

I don't grind, but I've noticed I clench more with braces (especially having elastics too). Could you maybe get an orthodontic mouth guard to wear at night? I know a few people on this board have used those.

#3 Post by **jcdamon3** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 12:43 pm

Chances are you were grinding before and just didn't realize it. You dentist should be able to tell you although if you are not very old there may not be that much evidence yet. Having said that you are probably grinding more now due to braces/buildups.

#4 Post by **iBorg** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 12:50 pm

During the brace period your bite is changing. As a side affect of your bite changing, you're grinding as your teeth try to get to a position that feels right to them. I would guess most of us grind during treatment as things change. I would also guess most of us who grinded our teeth prior to braces hope that treatment will make it better.

Mike

#5 Post by **Catmom** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 12:57 pm

I've ground my front teeth so much that they will have to be reshaped when the braces come off. To help prevent me from grinding, I have occlusal pads (or "stuff") on my lower back molars. This also changes the position of my lower jaw.

I do wake myself up more at night now grinding, I guess because I'm sensitive to the braces. Once I'm debraced, I will have a new bite guard made so that I won't keep wearing my teeth down.

BTW, I broke a bracket my first night, probably from grinding!!!

#6 Post by **iBorg** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 2:44 pm

I got my bite plates six weeks earleir than the ortho planned due to my grinding. I understand the issue of the grinding and brackets. I believe if I didn't have my bite plate, brackets would come off weekly.

Mike

#7 Post by **Kat** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 4:22 pm

I hear people say "you probably always ground your teeth but you just didn't know it" as well.

That's crap I would know if I ground my teeth before.
I now do grind at night and whack my bottoms against my tops. I did have the blue bonding on my bottom molar one on each side and this has really helped. I knew I would break all mt front teeth off if it continued.
I have had the bonding build ups for about two months and absoutly love them because the have saved my teeth. (Hated the idea of them at first).

I have to sleep on my back always or I will whack my teeth still but as long as I stay on my back I've been ok. Fingers crossed I'll have no more problems.

I want this to stop as well. Make sure to say something to your ortho if it stays a concern. Better to save your teeth now rather than after repair.

#8 Post by **jcdamon3** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 7:03 pm

hat's crap I would know if I ground my teeth before.

I am one who said it after reading this from a dentist's website. Trust me it is not crap. Take it from one who had to be hit over the head with ground down front teeth before realizing , yes I was doing it. My dentist was too subtle with me. And when he spoke of teeth grinding I thought he meant my back teeth, so I was like "who cares". I also thought I was "just clenching" I "woke up" one day and realized not only am I grinding my back teeth I am grinding my front teeth. I had no clue. Really, no clue. After I woke up to the reality of this I caught myself grinding in front. Talk about shocking.

I now have my essix retainer and I can sleep well at night knowing that I can't damage my teeth. I am still clenching really hard though- I can tell in the morning that my teeth hurt.

The reason you are seeing it now is you are totally aware of it. That is how I finally realized how bad the problem is. Once we get our braces we start becoming more aware of our teeth, how they look, whether or not we are clenching and grinding or not. Our teeth hurt more so clenching at night is more signficant.

By the way here is the website from a dentist. Scroll down to #3 clenching and bruxing - you will see in bold there "YOU DO BRUX YOUR TEETH"

http://www.doctorspiller.com/Nice_Teeth.htm

Happy reading.

#9 Post by **iBorg** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 7:26 pm

One of my reasons for braces is to minimize the damage from my grinding. My ortho's comments at the consult was you'll still grind after treatment,but, treatment should minimize future damage.

Mike