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So I've been bottom braced since January '11 and top braced since April. At first I thought it was just my teeth moving, but after a whole month now, I am noticing that I'm clenching my jaw when I am starting to sleep. When I wake up in the morning, my top teeth hurt and my whole jaw is sore, I must be clenching for the whole time I'm sleeping.
I have elastics as well to correct my overbite and I suppose now that my bite has changed and I can actually close my mouth properly, this may be part of the reason. Do I tell my ortho or dentist and does anyone else have this problem?
What can they do about it? I don't want it to mess up my progress or harm my teeth.
I saw your post and couldnt press reply fast enough.
Unlike you, I had bruxism before braces...bruxism is the whole reason I am braced!
Apparently, I have been grinding for years. However, an ill fitting crown caused me to experience INSANE PAIN, it seemed like...overnight! I literally woke up one day and couldnt move my face!
Went to my dentist and they got me a night time guard. About 8 months later I got braced. Ever since I have had my braces on, I have not been grinding as much but still wake up with some jaw pain near my ears and whatnot.
YES TELL BOTH YOUR DENTIST AND YOUR ORTHO...heres why:
1. You might have a tooth that is too high now for your bite
2. You might need some adjustments (filing) to a couple of teeth now that your bite has changed
3. There are devices they can provide you for night time grinding with braces. I did not need this...but, my dentist was adamant that IF I needed it, then they could do something for me. I will get a new night time guard after the braces come off.
4. Your teeth change so much with braces, they might want to monitor you for a few weeks to see if your mouth will adjust to the change on its own.
I cannot stress enough the importance of discussing this with both of them. THey will work together like my dentist and ortho does.
Don't wait...it might cause problems.
I feel for you, I really do. I know the frustration of grinding and pain in the AM.
[quote="kreyFL"]I saw your post and couldnt press reply fast enough.
Unlike you, I had bruxism before braces...bruxism is the whole reason I am braced!
Apparently, I have been grinding for years. However, an ill fitting crown caused me to experience INSANE PAIN, it seemed like...overnight! I literally woke up one day and couldnt move my face!
[/quote]
Hi kreyFL,
Have your braces helped? I have lower crowding and am wearing down the tops of the front lower teeth. My dentist said braces would help, but in a somewhat serious but jesting tone said that orthodontists mess up people's bites in other ways when they try to fix wearing-down issues. You can barely see my lower teeth when I smile and it seems like this overbite(?) might be part of the problem. Was looking through posts to see if others had good outcomes with a case similar to mine.
nifer237: I completely understand where you are coming from. I wake up each morning (well the past 3 days anyway) with a sore jaw only to realize that I have been clenching my jaw when I snooze. I don't have my bottoms or elastics yet, so we'll see what they say to me on the next visit.
kreyFL: My next appointment isn't until next Wednesday, any suggestions until I can get to the ortho? Thankies!
"One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain."
-Bob Marley
This may sound like lip service but this has somewhat worked for me, try to train yourself not to grind by opening your bite while your mouth remains closed. Resist the urge to join your upper and lower teeth except while eating and especially at night before sleep.
I don't have my bottoms or elastics yet, so we'll see what they say to me on the next visit.
