Now, with both arches on -

[WonkyToothBGone]

Hi all,

I posted about a month ago when I got my top arch on. Although the top arch hurt for a few days, they were pretty easy to get used to and soon they feel like more a part of you. This whole thing was going to be a breeze - or so I thought.

Enter, the bottom arch. Ugh!!!! So, the ortho put the bottom arch on just about a week ago. Now, I knew that the bottom arch wasnt going to be a picnic since i have crowding on the bottom. The little metal hook bits that jut down from the bottom brackets either touch my gumline or my cheek. There is no real relief from it. It also seems to create extra pressure on my jaw movement in the bottom from (not sure quite why, but it does). It definintely feels like a mouth prison now. I have mouth sores on the inside of my cheeks and while not in agony, I'm not a happy camper.

But despite the discomfort of the lower arch addition, I just was not at all prepared for the pure evilness of the things they called bite blocks. WHYYYYY!??? I can't close my mouth to bite or chew, and I cannot get my mouth into any comfortable resting position at all. I don't know if I was doing this before, but I wake up now in the middle of the night clenching my jaws together. The clenching puts so much pressure on the bite block fillings, so now those two teeth just ache all the time.

I'm hoping that it will ease up in a bit. But for now, I'm here - whining a little, and dreaming of the day when I can eat a sandwich again.

Until next time...I wish you all are having a better time than me.

PS -Would love to hear if any of you have had a similar experience with your bottom arch and/or bite blocks!

[Speck]

Braces AND bite-blocks--ugh. Orthodontic treatment is certainly no picnic.

Best of luck to you!

[cbraces678]

I had nearly the exact same experience with the bite blocks. It does get better though! You will be able to rest comfortably eventually and the teeth that hurt from the pressure will stop. I’d say it took a few days-couple weeks. Eating and everything becomes normal again. It all adjusts and then feels normal.

I hate to say it, but you’ll go through this again when they come off lol!! I was so relieved to get them off, but found it just as awkward as how I felt with them initially because I was so so used to them.

Good luck!

[WonkyToothBGone]

Thank you very much - Speck and cbraces678. I really appreciate your comments. Its good to know that it will get a bit better. I will just keep reminding myself that it is the end result that matters.

[desertd]

The hooks on my bottom braces really drove me nuts at first too. They would get caught in my lips and cheeks and hurt like crazy. That part got better though they still catch a ton of food it seems.

[r1r1r12000]

My bite blocks drove me nuts at first! I found myself clenching down on them when talking, they gave me a minor lisp, and of course chewing was impossible at first. Then, after about two weeks, my mouth magically got used to them. Even when the ortho added some material to make them taller later on, it was no problem. Hang in there!

[WonkyToothBGone]

Thank you for your comments r1r1r12000 and desertd ! I THINK I am getting a little bit more used to the bite blocks now...just a little haha. Oh, and those little hooks on the bottom - yes! They might as well be little fish hooks because the catch EVERYTHING! I have started using Colgate Peroxyl to make the inside of my cheeks (and side of my tongue) a little less sore. it seems to be helping ease the irritation anyway. IDK if anyone ended up with sore lips as well, but for anyone reading, Blistex relief cream has helped make my lips and corners of my mouth stop hurting.