Poor Bite

[JillD]

I always had a good bite before my braces. Now my bite is very poor. I am recently diagnosed with anemia, and my doctor told me to eat more red meat because it has iron that can be used by body best. So I am trying to eat more meat, but it is so hard with this poor bite because I cannot break meat with my teeth. I am not even a half way of my treatment, and I am sure it is just temporary (or so do I hope). Is anyone else frustrated with eating because of poor bite after one began to wear bracers?

[nikkibabie19]

Yes i am...My bite was normal (to me) before braces and now with them its all over the place.

One day it will be good the next i cant touch my molars together its crazy..

On those days i just stay way from meats altogether. until i feel that i can chew properly and not take whole day to have 3bites of chicken or beef.

[ArchWired28]

JillD
you will get used to it (I know I did ). I don't eat meat (vegetarian) but I do eat nuts, and caramel, and pickles and everything else (besides the whole apples). Cutting meat into the bite sized pieces should help. Also if iron is of concern, use iron supplements. Of course food is always a better source but you do what you have to do. Hope you feel better!

[BraceFace2o1o]

I know how frustrating it is to have a funky bite and not be able to chew properly. My bite clearly wasn't right prior to braces because of my overcrowding crooked teeth but I guess I just thought it was normal and didn't know any different. During braces my bite got worse and I could not chew properly, I knew it was part of the process and kept waiting for my ortho to start work on it but it did not happen! I am nearly 2 years in and still have a horrible bite and still unable to chew properly. I am now in the process of trying to get my ortho to fix this for me. I refuse to be left like this and refuse to have the braces removed until this problem is sorted. It's just a shame it wasn't picked up on before because time has been wasted.

With how my bite is I cannot chew lettuce or anything thin, like sliced onions, sliced tomato, sliced ham or bacon etc, so cutting into smaller pieces doesn't really help me. Oh and forget anything extra chewy. This will sound silly and extreme but being honest, most of the time I have to swallow my food hardly chewed and because of that I often nearly choke but I have kinda got used to it now but still hate it

[JillD]

Wow, Braceface's post gives me something to think about. I went to my ortho's office yesterday for adjustment, and the doctor asked me if everything was OK. I said yes, because I thought this poor bite of mine is natural and temporary during the treatment. I guess I should have said I have a biting problem. Next time when I see her and if my bite doesn't get better, I will tell her.

Yes, I choke on food, too, because I cannot break it properly and just try to swallow.

[Marigold]

I can so relate. I've been braced 1 year & 8 months and still can't chew on my back molars, nor chew anything that's thin. It's really affected my work and social life. I've been declining lunch & dinner events because it's so awkward to eat in front of other people. I was afraid to mention my concerns to my ortho because I didn't want to seem impatient or that I was questioning him. However, just yesterday I was in for an adjustment and decided to just tell him about it. He said my upper jaw is still not "there" yet but assured me that it's getting there. He was a bit surprised that my molars still aren't meeting. So this time he put me in a different band formation (canine to back molar) to speed things along. I'm REALLY sore today, but I'm glad I said something.

[ArchWired28]

Wow. Guys, thanks for sharing. I feel less pity for myself, because honestly, my bite does not feel as bad as you describe yours is. I can chew more or less comfortably, not ideal but livable. Or maybe I have just used to it?
Anyhow, I wish things get brighter for you. I feel your pain!

[JillD]

I can chew more or less comfortably, not ideal but livable. Or maybe I have just used to it?

This is what I am wondering about, too. I ate various food more comfortably last weekend, meat, chips, Japanese pickled ginger, all I had trouble with before. Did my bite get better in a week? Or did I just get used to it suddenly? I don't know. I am just glad that I can enjoy food better.