Metal Mouth Message Board

Hi all,

I'm new here. Just got my braces on 4 days ago. But I am ready to rip these things off my teeth! The problem is I can't bite down at all. My back top teeth hit the bottom brackets. I'm not sure how I'm supposed to chew food without breaking anything.

I don't want to be on a soft-food diet for 12-18 months! I'm already sick of soup and yogurt.

Please tell me I'll be able to eat normally again !

Hi Donna, I'm a newbie too. Just got my braces put on on Monday. I can totally understand what you mean. My front right tooth is so sensitive right now its scary and considering its been capped and has had a root canal I'm slightly nervous...

Anyhow, can anyone tell me, is it normal to have 8 molar bands? My Ortho insisted that the technician put all 8 in straight away. She said that usually this doesnt happen until later in the treatment. Has anyone else had this done?

Hi Donna,

First off, congrats on getting braced!

Yes, it does get better so hang in there. When I first got my braces on, it was at least two weeks before I felt somewhat "normal" and then got my lowers braced 6 weeks later so I had to do it all over again. To be honest, I don't think I bit into anything(sandwich, burger, etc) until 6 months or more, but everyone's different. Now I bite into everything! It was hard but the support here is terrific and watching my teeth straighten was so exciting!! I'm now 4 weeks away from getting my braces off and it's amazing how fast the time has flown.

Good luck in your treatment and keep us updated:)

Hi Kerri! Congrats on your new braces as well. Not sure about the molar bands... I don't have any yet. I hope your front tooth is feeling better soon!

Thanks Jenny! Wow - lucky you, only 4 weeks to go! You must be so excited! I can't even imagine how braces ever feel "normal" for anyone, but guess they do eventually. They feel so akward right now. Oh well...until I can eat normally, I will drink lots and lot of wine .

I've been braced for something around 3 and a half months and I can say it does get a bit easier. If your teeth are touching the brackets when you bite down though you may want to call your ortho and see if there is anything they can do to keep you from biting the brackets off. Better safe than sorry.

Don't worry. It does get better. When I first was braced, I remember wanting to rip them off two days later too. Learning to eat with braces took a bit of an adjustment. My advice, one: call your ortho if your teeth are hitting the brackets. I had that problem and it is easily fixed. Two: buy lots of those Proxabrush things (little brushes that fit between brackets). Three: learn the art of swish and swallow while you are out eating- this sometimes dislodges food in teeth. Four: Invest in a good electronic toothbrush ( I have the oral B Triumph and I love it) and a waterpik. Hope this helps. Hang in there. Remember, in the end it will all be worth it.

Thanks Kilikena and Tammers! I did see my ortho a few days after I got my braces because a bracket had popped off, and I did tell him my top teeth were hitting my bottom brackets. He said it would take about 2 weeks for my bite to adjust. Uh, I don't really know how that works...but if it doesn't improve by the time I see him in a few weeks, he'll hear about it .

It really does get better, hang in there! The first week was for sure the worst for me - in terms of trying to eat, trying to clean up after eating, and the overall anxiety of people seeing me in the braces and me still getting used to them.

I would talk to your ortho about biting into the brackets - I'm surprised that he didn't do something to prevent that for the time being (not that I know much about these things at all though). If it continues to be a major concern, call the office up. I know in the first week I was even scared to brush too hard for fear of brushing off a bracket. I was very nervous about screwing something up with eating too.

I'm 6 weeks in and pretty used to mine already and I didn't think I'd feel this way. I'm also smiling more and wider than I used to and I'm shocked about that too.

Donna wrote:Thanks Kilikena and Tammers! I did see my ortho a few days after I got my braces because a bracket had popped off, and I did tell him my top teeth were hitting my bottom brackets. He said it would take about 2 weeks for my bite to adjust. Uh, I don't really know how that works...but if it doesn't improve by the time I see him in a few weeks, he'll hear about it .

It's surprising that he didn't put glue on your molars (called 'molar build-ups' i think?) to keep you from biting down all the way (thus, not biting on brackets). Either that, or he could have given you bite turbos (or bite ramps) which are little wedges of glue (i think?) that go behind your top teeth to, again, prevent you from biting down on those brackets. And yes...your teeth will shift enough to clear the brackets, but why would he want you walking around for 2 weeks with the threat of chomping down on your brackets? Mine was freaked out about MAYBE my teeth hitting my bottom brackets that she put glue AND THEN bite turbos ... and my teeth WEREN'T even hitting the brackets!!!! So, I feel like...it must be a big deal, right?!!

Thanks Sarahlynn and Newsboysgrl! He did something at my last visit...I think he said he put in a shelf (??) but I can't see anything different. I guess I really should pay more attention to what he's doing.

I'm really hoping something changes soon, because I am very cranky and hungry these days .

It does get better! I've had mine on for a month now, and the first week or two was the worst! I had the same problem with my top teeth hitting one bracket when I tried to chew, and that bracket broke off a week and a half after I got them on. It's much better at this point because the orthodontist just left that bracket (very back) off for now. But for the most part I eat anything I want now, but I am still very careful when I eat because I do have a couple sore spots still.
Chin up, it will get better!

Ive had mine for over 6 months and its only been in the last week or so that i can bite into sandwhiches and burgers! I think my pain had alot to do with my gaps closing but now theyve finally closed im hoping the pain stays away from now on

CKinNC wrote:It does get better! I've had mine on for a month now, and the first week or two was the worst! I had the same problem with my top teeth hitting one bracket when I tried to chew, and that bracket broke off a week and a half after I got them on. It's much better at this point because the orthodontist just left that bracket (very back) off for now. But for the most part I eat anything I want now, but I am still very careful when I eat because I do have a couple sore spots still.
Chin up, it will get better!

Thanks CK! I have a bunch of brackets in the way, so no hope of all of those falling off, and staying off. I've had them on almost a week, and I don't hate them quite as much anymore. But I'm so looking forward to the day I can eat anything!

Jewles wrote:Ive had mine for over 6 months and its only been in the last week or so that i can bite into sandwhiches and burgers! I think my pain had alot to do with my gaps closing but now theyve finally closed im hoping the pain stays away from now on

Six months, yikes! I hope the pain stays away for you!