Hello, newbie here. Help needed please!

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#1 Post by **Bluebell** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 4:22 pm

Hi, I've just had braces fitted, and it's far worse than I expected! The problem is that I've got metal pin type things stuck to the back of my two front teeth, I wasn't expecting this and it's horrible. My lower teeth are supposed to sit infront of these pin things to bring my jaw forward I think. But it's almost impossible to chew with these in my mouth. Does anyone else have this, is it usual, and do you get used to it? I'm seriously thinking of having them taken off. Any advice very much welcome.

#2 Post by **Bluebell** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 10:04 am

I'm not sure I can tolerate having these 'bite turbo' thingies! Do you know if they are easy to remove once they're stuck on? I guess they're there for a reason, but if it's just to speed things up a bit, I'd rather go slow and at least be able to eat!

Thanks so much for the info.

Bluebell

#3 Post by **pearlywhites** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 2:31 pm

Bluebell, you poor thing! I had my braces fitted yesterday, although have nothing behind my teeth. My teeth are hurting now and the braces feel horribly huge, but it sounds worse for you at the moment. I really hope you feel better soon and are able to eat. Try to hang in there as I'm sure you're mouth is just trying to get used to all the new things in there. Good luck and take it easy.

#4 Post by **Lisa65** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 3:14 pm

Bite turbos are usually used when there is an excessive overbite (your top teeth almost or completely covering the bottom teeth when you bite down). Using the turbos allows the molars to extrude (come out of the gums) allowing a more normal overbite to develop at the front.

There are a couple of other methods of doing the same thing. One is placing blobs of cement on your molars with the same aim of stopping the front teeth from biting down too far, or a bite plate which sits in the roof of the mouth and again stops you biting down too far. Without any form of bite opening device you can end up biting off your bottom brackets or chipping your top teeth on them, so that's why the turbos are there.

A deep bite will usually open up quite quickly once there is space for the molars to extrude. Within a few weeks you'll hopefully find that your back teeth are touching together better and there is not so much pressure on the turbos when you bite down. In the meantime, especially for these first few days while it's all so new and strange, opt for softer foods like pasta which don't need too much chewing (some chewing is beneficial for the teeth and gums though, so don't start liquidising your food lol)

Hopefully within a week or two you'll have adjusted to the braces and turbos and it won't seem so difficult. It can be a bit much to start with.

#5 Post by **markybwoy** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 4:06 pm

Hi there!

I know how you are feeling, even though I don't have bite turbos myself I do understand how you are feeling. I was so sore and couldn't chew at all for 4 days. I also had a bit of an embarrassing lisp that my friends teased me mercillessly about! My advice is to give it 4 or 5 days and if it hasn't improved any, go back to your ortho and ask for advice and explain that there hasn't been any improvement. There are things they can do like molar buildups but hopefully this won't be necessary and in 4 or 5 days you'll start to see improvement.

After 4 days I saw a bit of improvement and within 10 days I was eating and talking normally.

Try and stay positive and seek out advice from fellow turboers on here, there's some superb support available. Everyone seems to say it and it gets a bit boring hearing it over and over, but its true... "it will be worth it in the end".

Cheers