This is the place to post general questions and comments about all areas of orthodontic treatment. Before you post a question, use the forum's SEARCH tool to see if your question has already been answered!
New Members: YOU MUST MAKE A POST WITHIN 24 HOURS OF REGISTERING OR YOUR ACCOUNT WILL BE DELETED. In other words, don't sign up unless you plan to actively participate in the message board immediately. This is necessary to keep out spammers and lurkers with bad intentions. Of course, you can read most forums on the board without registering.
DO NOT POST FULL-FACE PHOTOS or personal contact information on this website. We have had problems with people re-posting members' photos on fetish websites. Please only post photos of your teeth, not your whole face. Keep your email and your personal information private. Thank you.
i am 35 years old and have had my braces since november 22nd, just over 4 weeks. during that time my chewing difficulty has INCREASED on my right side and it is becoming more difficult to eat solid, real food. my orthodontist has not heard of this happening before and has consulted some of his colleagues and they are not familiar with this either. we have postponed my tooth extraction that was for today, i have to have 3 teeth removed, due to this. my orhto is afraid that if the pain and discomfort does not become bearable and i decide to have them removed i will have 3 gaps in my mouth and no braces to move my teeth.
has anyone heard of anyone having a similar problem or have had it themselves? i am chewing gum a couple of times a day for about a half an hour in hopes of strengthening my bite.
anything that anyone can pass on would be so very appreciated. i just want to rip these things out!!!
I'm afraid I can't identify with your unfortunate circumstance and I do hope that this discomfort doesn't last too long. Perhaps it's too tight to begin with or something?
Just to let you know also that you have posted this in the questions, comments and bug reports section whereas it should be put in the main forum for more people to see it.
Good luck and hang in there!
Braced: 22nd April 2005
Type of brace: Damon 3 uppers and lowers
Estimated brace time: 18 months - now extended to approx 22 months
*Latest - now I have no idea how long it will be!*
Trisha, it sounds like maybe a nerve issue? You could see about getting a consult with a neurologist.. There is a nerve that branches 3 ways: to your forhead, cheek and lower jaw (the trigeminal nerve). Maybe you've pinched it, or tweaked it somehow...just a thought. If your ortho can't help, that might be a different avenue to try.
Is it more of a chewing problem: hurts to open and close your jaw so it's hard to break down food to swallow safely
or a swallowing problem: hard to move food around your mouth with your tongue, and/or move the food to the back of your mouth to swallow, and/or move food down your throat?
Knowing the answers to those questions may be a start in helping the doctor try to decipher your source of trouble...I hope you get this figured out soon and that your pain goes away
thank you for responding. i don't think it is back far enough. i have already had all of my wisdom teeth out, if that means anything. it is on my right side, which my right side molars come together before my left, and the second to last molar, that has the bracket on it sits a bit higher than the last molar. when i bite down on anything it is a shooting pain down into my jaw. i can chew only on my left side. i was able to eat an hamburger patty tonight so i am a bit encouraged. when i was "consulting" with orthodontists prior to i was told that i have an over bite as well as a cross bite. one reason why i could not do invisialigns.
again thank you to anyone who can give me any information and thank you to those who have already resonded. i hope that this more detailed information helps.
I also have been having some chewing pain lately! My bottom teeth are very sore even though I am between adjustments. Sometimes I get serious shooting pains in my jaw! I think it might be because of my seriously wacky bite! I haven't talked to my ortho about it yet and I'm not sure I will since I am doing better lately!
Good luck and I hope the pain goes away soon!
-Hannah
Top braces: 4/28/04
Bottom braces: 11/16/05
Next Adjustment 1/11/06
thank you for responding. sounds like you may be having a bit of the same pain i am maybe. i hope it gets better for you too. we will just have to wait and see.
