UGH! Just got my bite plate in today and I can barely speak.
I work in a hospital talking to patients all day long, giving instructions and communicating with doctors. How is anyone going to understand me?
The ortho techs said to just keep practicing but HOW LONG before I can talk again?
Thanks
How long before I can talk with this bite plate?????
Moderator: bbsadmin
I've never had a bite plate, but when I was a teen I had a removable brace which covered the whole of the roof of my mouth, and I've had a nance appliance with braces this time round.
It feels terrible to begin with, but it was really only a couple of days before my speech improved, and within a week it was normal.
I bet by now you are already noticing your speech getting easier. Hang in there!
It feels terrible to begin with, but it was really only a couple of days before my speech improved, and within a week it was normal.
I bet by now you are already noticing your speech getting easier. Hang in there!
My sympathies. I hated my bite plate as I hated the removable appliance I had as a child.
Do not get tempted not to wear it - take it one day at a time. Seriously, for me at least, that mindset really helped. Wear it though, what's the point otherwise. In the end I only had to wear it 4 out of the 6 months my ortho had initially thought.
If you use the search on here to look for Rainbow Passage (or google it) you will find something to say to practice.
It does get better, after a week of wearing it, I was about 80% there.
Do not get tempted not to wear it - take it one day at a time. Seriously, for me at least, that mindset really helped. Wear it though, what's the point otherwise. In the end I only had to wear it 4 out of the 6 months my ortho had initially thought.
If you use the search on here to look for Rainbow Passage (or google it) you will find something to say to practice.
It does get better, after a week of wearing it, I was about 80% there.
Difficult question. I'd say it took me a week to learn to speak fairly normal, and a month to speak almost perfectly in my mother tongue. Other languages (in which I am fluent) didn't work out as well.
It also forced my jaw back to make an s sound like an s, so that was kind of counterproductive.
My daughter speaks without any problems with a bite plate, you can't hear it.
I was very happy when it went out after slightly more than 3 mths... after that time, it made no sense to wear it any longer. My molars started touching despite bite plate in.
I feel with you. Bite plates are no fun... but they work. It helped a lot for my TMJ.
DireWire
It also forced my jaw back to make an s sound like an s, so that was kind of counterproductive.
My daughter speaks without any problems with a bite plate, you can't hear it.
I was very happy when it went out after slightly more than 3 mths... after that time, it made no sense to wear it any longer. My molars started touching despite bite plate in.
I feel with you. Bite plates are no fun... but they work. It helped a lot for my TMJ.
DireWire
Bite plate gone for good after @3 mths
I am one of the long-term wearers of a bite plate on the Forum having had one for over a year and a half and will probably have it until my surgery. After that, I won’t be surprised if I get yet another. I have had five so far. Each one showed progress of my arch reshaping and major grind marks. I had one advantage to getting used to it, as it was much smaller than the two bite splints I had slept in for my TMJ prior to braces. Mine fits in the roof of my mouth and is not visible.
Bite plates come in two varieties removable and non-removable. BEG, PLEAD and BARTER to have a removable one. Being able to take it out really helps in keeping it clean and will make eating much easier. I’d rather have headgear than a non-removable bite plate.
The way a bite plate works is by separating your molars they will "grow" out of the gum and will open your bite. Normally a bite plate is used to eliminate a deep overbite. Mine removed a 7 mm deep bite while wearing it 24/7 for eight months. If not for my TMJ and grinding I would not need it anymore. Based upon the way I have chewed up three bite plates my ortho wants me to wear it when I sleep to prevent further damage to my teeth from grinding.
Okay, now for what you really want to know. How miserable is it long term? AS I said I had an advantage in that I had already became accustomed to bite splints. It is not bad in comparison. In fact I became so accustomed to it that it was hard to reduce my wear time to sleep use only.
Initially speaking was an issue. Wear it so your mouth adjusts to it. As a foreign object your mouth will produce extra salvia until it becomes accustomed to it. Practice talking. Sing. Try to control the amount of salvia you have. I teach college and only found one or two times it got the better of me. Much of your difficulties will be the voice you hear in your head, which is far different than what others hear.
If for some reason it is uncomfortable after a break in period, check with your ortho. I found as my mouth changes that the bite plate needs adjustment more often than other things. During my fifth adjustment I told the assistant that mine almost came in several pieces. Something had to be done to it if I were to continue to wear it. I'd even given thought to what colors my new one would be. She removed some material from it and it felt fine. The night before I almost stomped on it with the intent of destroying it (breaking was not severe enough).
If you find your teeth rubbing against each other or the prongs are very tight or too loose ask your ortho to check it. If you find a lot of excess salvia after you have become accustomed to it, that is a sign it may no longer fit as intended. Do not expect your first bite plate to be your last. In my time wearing one I have had four bite plates, three times I've had to have it built up and several times the prongs have needed readjusting. Please note my teeth have also moved a great deal during this time.
Finally you will probably be given the choice of colors or clear. HAVE FUN with it. My first one was clear. My others have been a purple and clear combination. Not only does it show a sense of humor (and with braces you better have one
) but also it’s easier to see when you're not quite awake.
Consider a bite plate training for a retainer when you're brace free.
A bite plate is not the end of the world.... unless you decide it is.
Good Luck!
Mike
Bite plates come in two varieties removable and non-removable. BEG, PLEAD and BARTER to have a removable one. Being able to take it out really helps in keeping it clean and will make eating much easier. I’d rather have headgear than a non-removable bite plate.
The way a bite plate works is by separating your molars they will "grow" out of the gum and will open your bite. Normally a bite plate is used to eliminate a deep overbite. Mine removed a 7 mm deep bite while wearing it 24/7 for eight months. If not for my TMJ and grinding I would not need it anymore. Based upon the way I have chewed up three bite plates my ortho wants me to wear it when I sleep to prevent further damage to my teeth from grinding.
Okay, now for what you really want to know. How miserable is it long term? AS I said I had an advantage in that I had already became accustomed to bite splints. It is not bad in comparison. In fact I became so accustomed to it that it was hard to reduce my wear time to sleep use only.
Initially speaking was an issue. Wear it so your mouth adjusts to it. As a foreign object your mouth will produce extra salvia until it becomes accustomed to it. Practice talking. Sing. Try to control the amount of salvia you have. I teach college and only found one or two times it got the better of me. Much of your difficulties will be the voice you hear in your head, which is far different than what others hear.
If for some reason it is uncomfortable after a break in period, check with your ortho. I found as my mouth changes that the bite plate needs adjustment more often than other things. During my fifth adjustment I told the assistant that mine almost came in several pieces. Something had to be done to it if I were to continue to wear it. I'd even given thought to what colors my new one would be. She removed some material from it and it felt fine. The night before I almost stomped on it with the intent of destroying it (breaking was not severe enough).
If you find your teeth rubbing against each other or the prongs are very tight or too loose ask your ortho to check it. If you find a lot of excess salvia after you have become accustomed to it, that is a sign it may no longer fit as intended. Do not expect your first bite plate to be your last. In my time wearing one I have had four bite plates, three times I've had to have it built up and several times the prongs have needed readjusting. Please note my teeth have also moved a great deal during this time.
Finally you will probably be given the choice of colors or clear. HAVE FUN with it. My first one was clear. My others have been a purple and clear combination. Not only does it show a sense of humor (and with braces you better have one
) but also it’s easier to see when you're not quite awake.Consider a bite plate training for a retainer when you're brace free.
A bite plate is not the end of the world.... unless you decide it is.
Good Luck!
Mike
I wore braces (this time) for 1294 days or 3 years, 6 months and 17 days.
But who's counting?
Jaw Surgery June 1, 2009
Thanks for praying for me and thinking happy thoughts.
But who's counting?
Jaw Surgery June 1, 2009
Thanks for praying for me and thinking happy thoughts.
Very wise words. I had a bite plate for 14months. When I first got it I thought 'Am I ever going to talk properly again?'. Then I thought 'I want nice teeth and I am prepared to do anything to get them'. I stuck with it and am so glad that I did as it did exactly what it was supposed to. In the scheme of things it is a small thing to put up with. The strange this is, when the time came to take it out for good, I didn't want to. It took me 3 days to wean myself off it! That just proves that do you get used to it.A bite plate is not the end of the world.... unless you decide it is.
Good Luck and just focus on that end result, whatever you have to put up with, it will be worth it.
Fitchick
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Jun06 Lower brace on
Aug06 Root Canals completed
Mar07 Upper Brace on
July08 Braces off!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
bfrod - how are you doing/feeling?
Hope you are ok. It really does get better.
Did our ortho how long you may have to wear the bite plate for?
Great words from Mike, wish I'd had them when I started. Though I was lucky, I only had my bite plate a few months and just had one.
I know I said earlier to take it one day at a time, but actually I think the best thing is to try and forget it. Sometimes I woke up in the morning and forgot I had it on for a few hours.
I have to confess that when I was struggling with it at the beginning I put i my head I had to at least do the same as another member who had managed it for a month then only did nights - but once I'd reached a month I carried on. I managed it 80-90 % of the time (I took it out for 'important' events as well as to 'rest' for 10-20 mins at a time) but it worked. I trusted my ortho and I am glad I did.
Hope you are ok. It really does get better.
Did our ortho how long you may have to wear the bite plate for?
Great words from Mike, wish I'd had them when I started. Though I was lucky, I only had my bite plate a few months and just had one.
I know I said earlier to take it one day at a time, but actually I think the best thing is to try and forget it. Sometimes I woke up in the morning and forgot I had it on for a few hours.
I have to confess that when I was struggling with it at the beginning I put i my head I had to at least do the same as another member who had managed it for a month then only did nights - but once I'd reached a month I carried on. I managed it 80-90 % of the time (I took it out for 'important' events as well as to 'rest' for 10-20 mins at a time) but it worked. I trusted my ortho and I am glad I did.