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I've noticed that since I've started clenching my teeth while sleeping, I move my jaw to the left and my upper teeth slide off of my lowers and I'm constantly biting the inside of my cheek. It freaks me out when I do it because I wake up thinking that I've broke a bracket off.. I don't know if I'm mildly grinding my teeth which couldbe the cause of it. It's driving me a little crazy.. Is there anything I can do to prevent my teeth and/or brackets from hurting my cheek?
Let your ortho know, as clenching at night might not only damage the appliance and teeth, but it may and probably will impede on your treatment progress!
Orthos have a wast array of accessories for clenchers, including the small nighttime splint and/or molar build ups... And many others as well. Def let him know, don't wait!
BTW, I have read in your blog that you have a crossbite. Could you please elaborate about it more? Where it is and how many teeth etc. And also, what is your ortho's plan to fix it? Thanks!
Had full mouth metal braces for 21 months. Debonded April 2013. Now wearing clear plastic retainers every other night.
I have no formal dental or orthodontic education. Hence, all opinions expressed by me on this forum are those of an "informed consumer" and by no means intended as an expert advice.
ArchWired28 wrote:Let your ortho know, as clenching at night might not only damage the appliance and teeth, but it may and probably will impede on your treatment progress!
Orthos have a wast array of accessories for clenchers, including the small nighttime splint and/or molar build ups... And many others as well. Def let him know, don't wait!
Thanks Arch! I'll call my ortho first thing monday morning since the office is close on the weekends! =/ I already have molar buildups, but they've worn down a bit. I think my molar buildups are causing me to clench my teeth because before braces I never did. Since I have a deep bite, my teeth are probably trying to adjust to my new bite that's taking shape. I've been trying my best to relax my jaw when I realize I'm clenching but can't catch it all the time.
If this is the case, they will be able to do a splint for you to keep the teeth apart, at least at night. Good luck!
Had full mouth metal braces for 21 months. Debonded April 2013. Now wearing clear plastic retainers every other night.
I have no formal dental or orthodontic education. Hence, all opinions expressed by me on this forum are those of an "informed consumer" and by no means intended as an expert advice.
ArchWired28 wrote:BTW, I have read in your blog that you have a crossbite. Could you please elaborate about it more? Where it is and how many teeth etc. And also, what is your ortho's plan to fix it? Thanks!
I don't know exactly what kind of crossbites I have (the formal name) I plan on asking my ortho when I go for my adjustment in a few days. I only know of having 2 crossbites.
My lower right 2nd premolar and my upper left 2nd premolar are both lingual. (goes towards my tounge) I don't know if I have any other ones. I don't know what my ortho's plans are for that, that's something else I'll have to ask him about. I do know my upper left 2nd premolar has a bracket on it, but isn't hooked to a wire. My lower 2nd premolar doesn't have anything on it.
I had that exact same thing. The biting my checks at night! I hated it cuz I'd wake up in the middle of the night in pain! I went in for another problem to get fixed and in doing so they had to build up the molars even more then they had the first time. Once they built up the molars even more the problem went away right away. I haven't biten my checks at night since.
foreverlin wrote:I had that exact same thing. The biting my checks at night! I hated it cuz I'd wake up in the middle of the night in pain! I went in for another problem to get fixed and in doing so they had to build up the molars even more then they had the first time. Once they built up the molars even more the problem went away right away. I haven't biten my checks at night since.
Oh! Glad I wasn't the only one going through it. As much as I dislike molar buildups, I'll look forward to them building them up! Thanks for responding
foreverlin wrote:I had that exact same thing. The biting my checks at night! I hated it cuz I'd wake up in the middle of the night in pain! I went in for another problem to get fixed and in doing so they had to build up the molars even more then they had the first time. Once they built up the molars even more the problem went away right away. I haven't biten my checks at night since.
Oh! Glad I wasn't the only one going through it. As much as I dislike molar buildups, I'll look forward to them building them up! Thanks for responding
Sure! Hopefully it'll work and help you too! They only built it up more for me because my teeth were banging together but I was very happy for that side effect as well!
Ask your ortho for a mouth guard. I have a habit of pressing my hand to my cheek at night and my ortho gave me a sports mouth guard to wear at night. That should help. But do not get one of the ones in the store that you put in water to mold to the shape of your mouth, since your bite is changing and your teeth need to move.
LittleTurtle wrote:Ask your ortho for a mouth guard. I have a habit of pressing my hand to my cheek at night and my ortho gave me a sports mouth guard to wear at night. That should help. But do not get one of the ones in the store that you put in water to mold to the shape of your mouth, since your bite is changing and your teeth need to move.
Thanks, Little Turtle! I'll make sure to do that too.
AM21 wrote:
My lower right 2nd premolar and my upper left 2nd premolar are both lingual. (goes towards my tounge)
Seems very similar to my case. One tooth crossbites are usually due to slight crowding or tipping and are correctable by braces alone. He will use the neighboring teeth to pull the premolars in place.
P.S. It is very good that you are correcting it now, prior to having any dental work done on them. I have the same with the 1st molars (only they are displaced to the buccal or towards the cheek), and I was unlucky enough have the dental bridge done with one of them. The dentist have positioned that crown in a proper position while the other one stayed the same, and I am having LOTS of problems with my bite and TMJ because of that. I wish I have known before!
Had full mouth metal braces for 21 months. Debonded April 2013. Now wearing clear plastic retainers every other night.
I have no formal dental or orthodontic education. Hence, all opinions expressed by me on this forum are those of an "informed consumer" and by no means intended as an expert advice.
AM21 wrote:
My lower right 2nd premolar and my upper left 2nd premolar are both lingual. (goes towards my tounge)
Seems very similar to my case. One tooth crossbites are usually due to slight crowding or tipping and are correctable by braces alone. He will use the neighboring teeth to pull the premolars in place.
P.S. It is very good that you are correcting it now, prior to having any dental work done on them. I have the same with the 1st molars (only they are displaced to the buccal or towards the cheek), and I was unlucky enough have the dental bridge done with one of them. The dentist have positioned that crown in a proper position while the other one stayed the same, and I am having LOTS of problems with my bite and TMJ because of that. I wish I have known before!
I was also told that I might have to have extractions as well. I'm kind of hoping I won't but we'll see. =/ I do know I need to have a frenectomy done but that's later on down the road.
I'm sorry you're having so much trouble with your bite and TMJ, I hope that your ortho can get it straightened out! Would the braces alone help your TMJ problems or would you have to have something else done?
my TMJs look healthy on the CT scans, however, my teeth (or better to say, an improper bite) is forcing the jaw out of alignment. It is rotated a bit and I also have a functional shift (when I bite down the teeth and jaw have to slide to allow me bite fully). Hopefully, all of this will improve when my crossbite is resolved on the other side as well (so the ortho says). I have to take care of it, since if I don't, I will have structural TMJ damage very soon.
I have seen your teeth in the blog, looks like you have a long way to go. Hopefully they will be able to resolve it non-extraction. In general, I think it was a very good decision from your side to get braces. I would have given A LOT to reverse the time a year back and have an opportunity to get braces before my bite got screwed. But hopefully it's not too late for me, and for you - it is still all ahead!
Had full mouth metal braces for 21 months. Debonded April 2013. Now wearing clear plastic retainers every other night.
I have no formal dental or orthodontic education. Hence, all opinions expressed by me on this forum are those of an "informed consumer" and by no means intended as an expert advice.
my TMJs look healthy on the CT scans, however, my teeth (or better to say, an improper bite) is forcing the jaw out of alignment. It is rotated a bit and I also have a functional shift (when I bite down the teeth and jaw have to slide to allow me bite fully). Hopefully, all of this will improve when my crossbite is resolved on the other side as well (so the ortho says). I have to take care of it, since if I don't, I will have structural TMJ damage very soon.
I have seen your teeth in the blog, looks like you have a long way to go. Hopefully they will be able to resolve it non-extraction. In general, I think it was a very good decision from your side to get braces. I would have given A LOT to reverse the time a year back and have an opportunity to get braces before my bite got screwed. But hopefully it's not too late for me, and for you - it is still all ahead!
Wow! Well at least you're being proactive and trying to correct it! I really hope your TMJ troubles are fixed! I wish you the best of luck!!
Thanks for looking at my blog, I appreciate it! =]
