One week and still can't chew!!

[thescunner]

Hi all,

I've just discovered this site after having had my braces on for a week now, what a good feeling to realise I'm not alone!!

I'm a 34 y/o guy with braces top and bottom, ceramics on the top and metal on the bottom. I have to be honest and say it's not been as bad as I'd been expecting, the day after I had them fitted was a bit grim right enough (oh the headaches and the nausea) but all in all it's been ok, no sores in my mouth which I'm glad of.

What does concern me is that a week on I'm still struggling to eat anything harder than a banana, even that still hurts quite a bit. It wouldn't bothered too much but I was talking to the 15 y/o daughter of a friend of mine who also had braces fitted recently and she said she was beginning to eat normally within a week of having her braces fitted. How long is normal before actually being able to chew again with some level of normality? I miss normal food!!

I also have a single crown which my ortho told me might be a problem as far as the adhesives goes and as predicted it came off yesterday. Ortho said that if this happened they'd have to "sand" the crown a bit to make a better contact surface for the adhesive, does anyone have any experience of this kind of thing, is it likely to work ok?

Here's looking forward to a great many more posts!

Grant

[BamaGirl]

Hi!!

WELCOME!!

My teeth were still pretty tender after a couple of weeks. There are still things that I can't bite into and I got my braces on April 16th. As for the crowns, I know exactly how you feel. I had 4 crowns when I got braced (and one temporary). They didn't realize that they were crowns and just followed regular procedures. Within the first 2 weeks, all four had come off!! Fortunately, I had to go back in anyway to have a bracket put on that last crown after I had the permanent one put on. They put the brackets on all 5 crowns using a what they called "porcelain prep" (not sure what that is) . It took a little longer for each tooth but I have had no problems at all since. Good luck and congratulations on starting your journey!!

Kristy

[Miss Smiley]

welcome thescunner!

As to chewing normally, it took me almost a month. I did find it easier to eat when I had taken a pain pill and soon as I knew it, I was eating steak, tacos, kettle chips, and whatever else I felt like. My laterals still feel funny when I bite into things but for the love of food, I just bear with it.

I hope your teeth feel better soon.

[mikecl]

I have been wearing an upper brace since 11 May and the left molar band is the only thing that is causing any real hassle.

I am still favouring the right hand side of my mouth for chewing but I agree that you have to try and chew as normal as soon as you can as it does become easier.

Mike

[lelerz]

Perhaps my teeth were overly sensitive, but it took 2-3 months before I could even bite into a soft sandwich without cringing in pain.

[lionfish]

I also have a single crown which my ortho told me might be a problem as far as the adhesives goes and as predicted it came off yesterday. Ortho said that if this happened they'd have to "sand" the crown a bit to make a better contact surface for the adhesive, does anyone have any experience of this kind of thing, is it likely to work ok?

I had a bracket pop off a crown 3 days in. My ortho tried a different glue and it's been fine for almost 16 months.

[skyclad]

It's been a little over a month, and I am chewing better but there are days when all I can eat is oatmeal. I promise it gets better.

[ABraces2007]

I don`t bite into things ever because of several reasons:
1) the first thing ortho says "don`t bite into hard things"
2) when you`re on public it is so disgusting when you bite into things and food get glued into your front braces.... yukkie... you`d better watch nobody could see it
3) you always can eat normally if you use knife and fork
However, i do can chew as normally since my first week braced, i haven`t experienced any pain chewing, just had to get accustomed to wires comming across my molar bands..
So, my suggestion is: don`t bite into things- it hurts and also it looks disgusting especially on adults.. cut all the food into pieces and send it directly towards your molars...
Good luck!!!

[AngelOfLife]

Perhaps my teeth were overly sensitive, but it took 2-3 months before I could even bite into a soft sandwich without cringing in pain.

Braced for 6 weeks so far, I can't bite straight into a sandwich even now. My front teeth are the ones needing the most work however, so I am guessing that could be the reason. Everything else I can eat fine now.

thescunner, it won't be long before you can start eating normal foods, trust me. The time is different for everyone,

[thescunner]

Thanks guys, your replies have been really helpful.

i can see me being a regular on here for the next few years...

[Clairey Fairey]

I struggled to eat for the first 2 weeks after spacers and molar bands coz my molars hurt!! Now they've settled down after being pushed by the spacers, I eat mainly with my molars. I can't really bite into anything hard on my front teeth anymore, only soft things, and when I do they get stuck in the top brackets!! Nice and visable, especially with ceramics!!

But yeah, it will get easier, I find it doesn't hurt anymore, just that my front teeth are now really weak!! And I have an overjet so the front teeth don't meet anyway so eating things like apples has always been difficult!!

As for the crown, I was lucky with mine as it has a band around it, but I do have a filling with a bracket attached to it. Not come of yet though!! Only a matter of time!!

[lelerz]

Yeah I agree w/ Meryaten! W/ the exception of when I first got the braces and the periods after an adjustment, I too regularly bite into foods (that aren't overly hard, like apples etc) and have no issues with it. I usually have a bottle of water w/ me and just swish the liquid around a bit to make sure nothing gets stuck. Plus I check w/ my compact to ensure my teeth are relatively clean afterwards as well.

[manna22]

Hi GRANT!

I'm 30 days exactly into my braces and I just started lettuce. I had a very hard time adjusting to my new mouth. I bite into few foods but I'm trying. Keep your head up...and keep tryin, the more you try the more you'll be inclined to keep pushing yourself. I've found that it's like exercise...eventually your mouth will catch up with what your belly wants!!! GOODLUCK!

[metalchic]

It's been a little over a month for me since I got "braced" and I still have trouble chewing. I am missing a couple of back teeth due to baby teeth leaving and no permanent teeth every growing in (they didn't play well with others apparently). I never really thought about it until now. I also had a baby tooth extracted on the side prior to being braced. So I have the slightly sore teeth issue from the brackets and the fact that my back teeth top/bottom are not even so I don't have a great source of chewing the back. I'm really screwed! I really want a burger so bad!!! However, all of my clothes have gotten WAY too big for me so it's a great diet plan. I have managed to eat pasta and some mexican food. I did eat some chips and salsa last weekend (yay!!!) That was difficult but I couldnt' stand it any longer, I had to have my Lime Tequila Tositos, I was careful and broke them into tiny pieces and shoved them to the roof of my mouth and broke them with my tongue. Oh what we will do for our favorite foods. Steak is still a big problem and a big juicy burger, well, as Tony Soprano would say---fuhgettaboutit....

[bracesafter40]

No problemo Grant, it does get better, although it seems like it will never. It took me weeks to be able to chew; it was soft foods for a while. End up losing about 10 lbs. while I waited to be able to chew again. Have lost 21lbs so far; this is really due to the fact that I've stopped snacking on crap though.

Hang tough; read how I felt after 14 days being braced - http://bracesafter40.blogspot.com/2007_ ... chive.html.