top teeth are hitting my bottom braces

[simplywired]

Boy did I recognize your posts. When I got my braces I alternated between being incredulous that I couldn't even get by molars together to feeling like a wimp. I see food-loving teenagers romping around, eating anything they want and think to myself "hell, they wouldn't miss a meal so this can't stay this bad". Hang in there - truly it does get better, I'm almost to the point where I can actually eat pretty well now (8 weeks into braces). If they can do it, we can do it - we'll be happy we did.

[niknikc]

I hope so Meryaten! I'd like to avoid as much hardware as possible We'll see what she says Tuesday and I'll know then

[new boy james]

mbrooksay, you need to talk to your ortho because there are solutions. I had the same problem and my ortho built up some composite (bite blocks) on 2 of my molars so I couldn't close my mouth all the way. So you have reduced chewing ability but you don't have to worry about the pain of clattering your lower brackets.

The bite blocks are removed painlessly when your teeth have moved sufficiently, in my case it was about 3 months.

Good luck!!

[rmwolf83]

I had the problem of my top front teeth hitting my bottom brackets. It was pretty painful, especially since I seem to have become a "clencher" since being braced. I went back to my ortho about a week after being braced because it was bothering me sooooo much. My ortho took a look and said that I was definitely hitting (no kidding!). He said that he could give me bite turbos if I really wanted them (I didn't....) but he recommended that I just stick it out for a little while longer. He claimed that it should be better in a "few days". It was more like 2 weeks, but nevertheless, it did get better, and I had a pretty deep bite. This sounds dumb, but one day I woke up, and it was better! It only took about 3 weeks for my top teeth to move up enough not to hit anymore. While I was waiting, I ate A LOT of soft foods like Spaghetti O's, Chef Boyardee Ravioli, noodle soup, stuff like that. Stuff that I could just sorta mush around in my mouth.

Hang in there, it will get better. I know you only want your teeth straighter, but honestly, straight teeth are nothing without a good, healthy bite. I don't think you'd be too happy if your ortho's only concern was straightening your teeth.....what if you went through your entire treatment just to get straight teeth, ignoring the occlusion, and you ended up wearing down and chipping your teeth and having jaw problems because your bite was so off? I'm sure you wouldn't want that, that's why your ortho is looking at the big picture and trying to fix everything. So, like I said, hang in there....it will get better, I promise!

~Rachel~

[niknikc]

Fingers crossed, eh?

Good news! I don't have to have them. She is correcting it by putting my tops on first for a while Even better she looked at my bite and was excited to see them almost there already! I'll get my spacers on bottom Nov. 9 and banded the next week, 3 months early

[OctoberMM]

By the way, I have already broken off and swallowed 1 bracket

I just got braces and have the same problem as the person who started this thread, and I intended to read these posts and get on my merry way. When I saw your post, however, I laughed so hard that I had to register and tell you about it.

And I don't laugh too often.

Anyway, I'm done.

-Peter