Has anyone else experienced: NOT BEING ABLE TO CHEW

[BracedInTheCity]

I got my braces yesterday and to keep my top teeth from hitting my brackets they put some hard plastic "buttons" on the back of my front teeth. Well, now I can't close my mouth enough to chew no matter how I try to adjust my jaw!

Has anyone else experienced this? How long does this last? I am STARVING so does this mean I'll only be able to eat food that can slide down???

[amandajane]

Sorry to hear about that. Eat soft foods like egg salad, ensure, spinach, soup. I had a tough time when I first got braced, it get better.
If you have a high metabolism try like macaronni and cheese, soft potatoes.
Hang in there.

My story: viewtopic.php?t=31380

[BracedInTheCity]

Sorry to hear about that. Eat soft foods like egg salad, ensure, spinach, soup. I had a tough time when I first got braced, it get better.
If you have a high metabolism try like macaronni and cheese, soft potatoes.
Hang in there.

My story: viewtopic.php?t=31380

Thanks for coming in and comforting me. I'm about ready to CRY literally. I don't like the way I look, it hurts AND I can't close my mouth enough to chew! It's all very frustrating and NON-accomodating.

*sigh*

[sarahlynn]

I don't have buttons on my front teeth, but I do have cement buildups on my molars for the same reason as you. My top teeth only hit the cement blocks when I close my mouth. It was awkward to eat the first day or two - I ended up just swallowing most things and thought that I was bound to die of choking if that continued! Eating got better though and now I can eat nearly anything. It was weird because when I was first braced I was cutting things up really tiny, but now with the cement buildups it kinda helps to have a larger piece of food to chew on. But since you just got braced you'll probably start to become sore over the next few days. Take it easy when eating, start with some softer things and let yourself adjust to all of the new stuff in your mouth. Then work your way up to eating normally again. You'll learn to chew with the buttons. It all just takes time, so hang in there.

[Audra]

I've been braced since July of 2008. I had molar buildups for about 11 months and it made it very hard to eat as I only had two teeth on one side that met to chew on. In the beginning I would just give up halfway through eating because it was too much trouble. I eventually got used to it and was able to eat almost everything. Of course, food does not get chewed as thoroughly as it should, but it was better than it was in the beginning. Also, as your bite changes, it may become easier - it can also become more difficult for a time too, so be prepared for that. You will find your bite changes a lot as your teeth continue to move. And believe me, time flies. I can't believe I've had these things on my teeth for almost 14 months now.

Hang in there. It does get better.

[BracedInTheCity]

I don't have buttons on my front teeth, but I do have cement buildups on my molars for the same reason as you. My top teeth only hit the cement blocks when I close my mouth. It was awkward to eat the first day or two - I ended up just swallowing most things and thought that I was bound to die of choking if that continued! Eating got better though and now I can eat nearly anything. It was weird because when I was first braced I was cutting things up really tiny, but now with the cement buildups it kinda helps to have a larger piece of food to chew on. But since you just got braced you'll probably start to become sore over the next few days. Take it easy when eating, start with some softer things and let yourself adjust to all of the new stuff in your mouth. Then work your way up to eating normally again. You'll learn to chew with the buttons. It all just takes time, so hang in there.

Thanks, Sarahlynn! I actually stopped in the ortho's office at lunch and they say the same thing...it'll get better.

I appreciate your comments!!!

[BracedInTheCity]

I've been braced since July of 2008. I had molar buildups for about 11 months and it made it very hard to eat as I only had two teeth on one side that met to chew on. In the beginning I would just give up halfway through eating because it was too much trouble. I eventually got used to it and was able to eat almost everything. Of course, food does not get chewed as thoroughly as it should, but it was better than it was in the beginning. Also, as your bite changes, it may become easier - it can also become more difficult for a time too, so be prepared for that. You will find your bite changes a lot as your teeth continue to move. And believe me, time flies. I can't believe I've had these things on my teeth for almost 14 months now.

Hang in there. It does get better.

Thanks, Audra! It really does make a difference to hear other people have gone through the same thing and their experiences.

I really thought going into this that I had it all figured out, but not so much. I didn't think getting braces would take such an emotional effect on my the way it has.

And being hungry doesn't help LOL

[Audra]

In the beginning when your teeth hurt (and after each adjustment) you might want to stick to soft food. I lived on smoothies, protein shakes (I like Muscle Milk), pudding, bananas, yogurt, soup, macaroni and cheese - stuff you don't really have to chew, but will still fill you up. There's no reason to go hungry. You just need to learn to find the foods to sustain you while you're having difficulty chewing. It won't be long till you're back to eating steak etc. Things like pizza are still do-able. Just cut into tiny pieces.

[Donna]

Same thing happened to me. My top teeth kept hitting my bottom brackets and I could not chew anything. I was so upset and hungry! But after a few weeks, it did get better. I'm not sure if my bite has shifted or I've just gotten used to chewing, but now I can eat pretty much anything. I still find chewing annoying and painful though....

Hang in there!

[amandajane]

I'm 31 in braces, but I've got an extremeley high metabolism( burn food- calories quickly).

List foods that are good for these sort of people.

[Audra]

Amandajane, maybe you should go talk to a dietician.

[wilson123]

I have a bit of trouble chewing and I've had mine on a fortnight. The problem for me is my bite alignment is off so when I bite down I bite slightly over one side and because of the brackets I catch them. Just have to wait until my teeth move in I guess :-/

[braceface418]

Good foods to eat if you want to keep on your weight:

- Greek yogurt (not the fat free kind)
- protein beverages (I liked the mocha soy kind that bolthouse makes -- also a good substitute for coffee in the morning)
- bacon ice cream (for real -- I made this)
- scrambled eggs with cheese
- mac and cheese
- pudding
- oatmeal with mashed/small pieces of fruit like bananas, blueberries, or peaches

If you're looking for healthy, the fall is quickly approaching, which means lots of squash, beets, and other root crops in my neck of the woods. You could roast them until they're soft, and if that's still too much to chew, try mashing them and adding some butter. Fruit sorbets or apples sauces are another option.

I have a pretty quick metabolism as well and don't think I've noticed any change in weight. I couldn't use any of my incisors the first month of braces, so I definitely have some experience with this. Anyway, good luck and happy dining!

[ScubaJeff]

I have the same bite ramps installed and had a terrible time dealing with them for the first few days (nearly called it quits and had the braces taken off). I found I got better at eating once the inside of my mouth and tongue healed up a bit. I'm still not thrilled with the bite ramps nor can I eat what I want but I am slowly adding more variety to my diet. I'm now at day 16 with the braces installed and each day I'm still getting along better with them.

[jxds]

When I first got braced, I got bite pads on my lower molars that completel prevented my teeth to meet. I could not chew at all at first and it was really frustrating. I thought it was physically impossible to chew with those things on, but after a while I started managing them and being somehow able to eat more or less normally. With some foods I had problems all the time, like salad or rice, but otherwise I could eat almost anything. However, when I got them removed, I could really feel the difference, I had been almost swallowing huge pieces of food for months!

Anyway, it does get better!!