Metal Mouth Message Board

Have y'all noticed that after being braced, you start clenching or grinding your teeth at night. I have caught myself clenching my jaw during the day and when I wake up in the morning.

Yes I find myself clenching my teeth at night too. It has gotten better, the first few months were the worse.

Yes I find myself clenching my teeth at night too. It has gotten better, the first few months were the worse.

I just made a post about this. I have the same problem and my ortho just told me that the grinding has to do with the movement of your teeth and will continue until until the braces are removed and your tetth have "settled" into their new positions. My grinding is so bad that it wakes me from my sleep.

I am with the rest of you!

I've noticed this too.... which is why im really glad I wax up properly @ night. I suppose it will go away once my mouth relaxes with the idea of having something 'foreign' in it

I have noticed some of that. Glad to hear I'm not alone.

I was a clencher before braces (I do it because of stress and in my sleep) so some days my jaw is SO sore

I mentioned it to my ortho at my last appointment and he said it should get better as my teeth move around but if it gets worse/doesnt improve I'll have to have a night guard thingy...

I clenched my teeth for about the first 10 days. I also called my ortho and was told basically the same things as everyone else that it is the teeth moving. What's funny is I only have my upper metal braces on. I won't have the bottoms on until March 7, so I will go through everything again.

I am a grinder and a clencher.

My solution came as follows: I use a generic night guard provided by my Orthodontist that is called a "total guard" If any one is interested I can let you know....

I then had the problem of it falling out all night as it just sits there and is not molded to the arch. No problem, Ortho assitant suggested a chin strap. Kind of like a headgear cap with a chin attachement.

Let's just say I vetoed that one.

Then I started searching around, if you go to eBay or an online or even brick and mortar store that sells cpap equipment (for sleep apnea) you can get a fairly comfortable chin strap that is made of a soft sponge material. Yeah, you look a little silly, but only your spouse will know!

It works. I sleep better, AND it keeps me from snoring to boot! (I snore a little, not too bad.) It did take a night or two to get used to, but now it's like I don't know it is there.

-Pat

Yes! I wake up every so often during the night and my jaw is clenched so tight... I worry about it slowing my progress down...

You know, I was never aware of grinding my teeth at night, until my dentist gave me a hard plastic nightguard that I chewed six holes through. Since I've gotten my braces on I catch myself clenching if I'm really concentrating on something or when I'm waking up. I'm hoping a lot will be resolved with my bite being corrected thru jaw surgery sometime this year.
~Joanne

I went through two night guards in three years. But then that's mostly why I am in braces.....Hopefully I can learn not to clench once these puppies are off!

At least I won't be breaking all of my molars. Crowns get pricey.