Metal Mouth Message Board

OK, so I'm almost at the one week mark, and I've had a few startling collisions between my front top teeth. It's has happened when I've been talking (and startled the person I was talking to when I suddenly jumped), and while I've been eating.

I only have the braces on top teeth so far, and my orthodontist said I MIGHT have to have a tooth extracted on the bottom. The other option he suggested was pushing my lower teeth out a bit to make more room but gads... that would make matters worse!

So I'm speaking more slowly, and trying to be aware of my top teeth, and I'm eating very gingerly for fear of a collision.

I'll admit, wearing braces is proving to be a bit more of an ordeal than I was expecting. I'm 49 years old, I'll probably be 51 one when I finish, and I'm thinking that maybe my teeth really weren't all that bad to begin with...

Im 56 and will be finished at 57 1/2. I hope. It 's really not to bad. Ive been braced for 1 1/2 years now. Can barely notice the braces anymore. Only "feel" them working after an appt when sore for a few days, then back to normal. Right now i'm in a process. Trying to get teeth better aligned and my top frnt teeth are all moving around. Crazy. They get too close so it is hard to floss then get too far apart. So glad I know it just takes time to get it right. Hang in there. It will be worth it.

Yes! This happened to me all the time, especially my first few months in braces. It gradually stops happening the longer you wear braces----thankfully, b/c yes it's very alarming when it happens. A few times I clacked my teeth together so badly I wondered how I didn't chip a tooth.

In the beginning, this happened to me alot also. It was annoying, you could be chewing, talking to someone and all of a sudden, your teeth hit. It does go away after a while. Of course, if you chip teeth in the process, let your ortho know asap.

Happens to me as well, I thought this was because of how messed up my bite is. Good to know I am not the only one whos bite is messed up LOL

OK, that's very reassuring, and I really appreciate the posts! On the way into work this morning I relaxed my jaw, and slowly closed my mouth. I found that my front top teeth now touch my bottom front teeth, so no wonder they're colliding! I realized that when I eat, I tend to pull my jaw back - but then my upper teeth rest on my twisted canine teeth, and my back teeth can never come together. For the past week I've been surviving on a diet of apple sauce and yogurt, as I'm afraid to eat anything that I might have to chew.

One other wrinkle is that I've noticed that I'm talking differently, so as to avoid the teeth collisions, and now I sound like a complete half wit. Next week I have to give a talk during a customer presentation as a technical expert. There will be vice presidents from both sides there, as well as experts from the customer side who will be grilling me mercilessly (they do that so they'll look good in front of their vice presidents). And I'm going to be lisping and I'll sound like I flunked out of the third grade.

So apparently, there are the "Four Stages of Adults Wearing Braces", which are:

1. Swallowing one's pride, so you go to an office where most of the patients are kids.
2. The "What-did-I-do?" stage
3. Crying
4. Acceptance.

I think I'm solidly in Stage (2). I'll go ahead and schedule in Stage (3) sometime next week

This is getting pretty bad! My teeth are smashing into each other during a conversation, and even when I work out (I didn't know my jaw moved when I do that!). I'm worried I'll chip a tooth if I hit a pothole when I'm driving. I feel like I've been punched in the tooth - several times during the day. Out of desperation, I bought a mouth guard that I trimmed back, and I'm using that as a bite stick to keep my front teeth apart.

At this rate, I'll crack a tooth for sure.

And every time my teeth smash, I can't help but let a little profanity slip out. When I give that customer presentation, in front of all of those corporate vice presidents and technical experts, they're going to think I'm suffering from Tourette's syndrome

It's Sunday, but I'm desperate... I have to call my orthodontist today.

My teeth weren't that bad to begin with. I'm really thinking I should have just left "well enough alone."

I'm only on day four, and my teeth have been hitting each other in different ways since day one... Does this mean they are moving well? I have to chew VERY slowly, and only already soft things or it it too painful. Also talking differently because of the collisions...

I already look too young to be a business manager, the braces and lisping are not helping matters...

Well, I just talked to the orthodontist. After I placed my call to the office answering service, my 15 year old daughter gave me her insights. When the orthodontist called me back, she said EXACTLY what my daughter said.

Yes, teeth collisions are common, and it's a good sign that your teeth are moving (good?). I noticed that only my top teeth are in pain after a collision, which they (orthodontist and daughter) said was because those are the ones moving (I only have the top braces on).

They said take over the counter meds (Advil) to contend with the pain. I said I was worried that I would crack a tooth, but she said she had never heard of that happening before. I also asked if I was at risk of damaging the roots of my big front tooth, but she said no.

My daughter's advice was, you just have to learn to be careful when speaking, until the teeth are moved around enough that the collisions don't happen. She said speaking slowly helps, so I'll have to attempt to do that in a way that makes me sound wise and erudite, rather than like someone who test-driving a new mouth.

They said I could ask to be examined today (Sunday), but there would be a fee, and there isn't anything they can really do anyway.

So... I'm just going to have to figure out how I'm going to get past the big presentation on Tuesday, without spinning into a stream of profanity that would get my mouth washed out with soap by a corporate vice president.

Junsui, I think I can say quite literally, - I feel you're pain! And yes, I can relate to the lisping. I was able to eat a bit better by day 7, and my daughter tells me that day 3 is the worst. Keep me posted on how things go with you!

shekhinak

glad to hear that you are moving in a right direction, at least in my opinion! For now, you just have to learn how to live with it. If it bothers you too much, soft OTC mouth guards seem to be a reasonable temporary solution. They are soft and loose enough to not impede on the movement, and yet they are efficient in keeping the teeth apart. Don't overdo on them though, as it may cause an open bite.

Are you getting your lower braces in the future? If yes, wait to complain until you get them LOL As others have said, the pain is much more intense with the lower teeth. It's been over 2 weeks and my lower front teeth are still in pain. But it does get better

Archwired28,

Thanks, I do appreciate the insights! It never dawned on me that a mouth guard could cause a problem, but now that you mention it, it makes sense.

I had to give a dry run for my presentation today, and I only had two collisions in an hour of speaking. I was able to keep from exploding into a stream of colorful profanity in front of the program manager, so that's progress. I'll load up on Advil before I have to go up on stage. I've given many talks before, and in front of hundreds of people, so I generally have no problem with stage fright. For the first time in years, I'm a nervous wreck about getting up before an audience.

Yes, the lower braces are coming, and those are the teeth that are the most messed up. The only problem I really had with the top is a gap between my front teeth, and two were out of alignment in the back. So the lower ones hurt more? Sigh... I'll have to cross that bridge when I get to it...

I can't say enough good things about the staff at the orthodontist office. After they "talked me off the ledge" yesterday afternoon, they went ahead and blocked off time for me today if I wanted to come in to be examined. And they set the time aside at the end of the day, so I could come in after work if I needed. I told them that they had put my mind at ease the day before, so I wouldn't need to come in. They said, "We don't want you to ever feel uncomfortable about calling us. If you have a problem, we'll be there for you." How nice is that?

Again, I really value your posts. It really helps to hear what others have been experiencing, and to get a "heads up" for what may be coming

shekhinak

yes, lowers are worse - at least in my experience. Especially the front lowers, still cannot bite on them, and they also shake visibly since braced. Me too have the main problem with the lowers, they do need a lot of movement. Not sure if that contributes. But I am sure that sooner or later that will go away, as that is how it was with my upper teeth. It felt very unnatural, painful and uncomfortable during the first 3 weeks, but now I don't even know the top braces are there. I wish your speech improves and you feel better very soon!

Archwired28

Thanks, I do appreciate it.

I gave that big customer presentation this morning, and I survived! I took a LOT of Advil before hand, and I'm sure my Blood-Advil-Content was off the charts. I spoke for an hour and I had a total of 4 teeth collisions while I was up there. No one seemed to notice, and the teeth smashing didn't hurt, so I didn't spin off into any streams of profanity.

The teeth collisions still happen rather frequently, but they don't hurt anymore. Now they're just more startling than anything, but I can live with that. I guess when the collisions first started to happen, it hurt pretty badly because my teeth were so sore to begin with. When it first started to happen, I felt like I was getting slugged in a kick boxing match .

Archwired28, I likewise hope you're feeling better soon! In about two months or less, I'll know exactly how you feel!

Now, the collisions seem to be getting much less frequent. I only had two today, and both occurred when I was eating something. And they were very mild.

Yeah, I think I can live through this whole braces thing.

My teeth did this constantly when I first got braces on, the pain of my front teeth were so bad my dentist wanted to root canal them but I waited, I found if I put wax along the bottom row it didn't hurt as bad although I talked a little funny.

After 6 months it only starts again after an adjustment and the time periods are shorter so I'm hoping it continues to diminish.

I'd like my front teeth to be functional again sometime in the near future.