A rant about comments regarding not chewing

Message

#1 Post by **Tovin** » Mon May 31, 2010 10:11 pm

I know you guys will understand this, and I just need to get it off my chest!

My co-workers felt it was helpful to explain that I would be eating normal foods after a few days of being braced, but that chewing would certainly need to be re-learned.

However, they don't realize that I have no teeth that actually touch, so my "chewing" is limited to my tongue and the roof of my mouth (Doc said as long as I do okay, there will be no bite turbos!). I explained it a few times, but they think I'm mis-informed. So be it.

However, I'm getting a pendulum appliance at the end of July, after the spacers are put in, and I'm (to me, understandably) nervous regarding not being able to use the roof of my mouth to get the food where I want it!

They feel I'm overreacting (perhaps I am, that is allowed sometimes!) and don't understand that I'll be just fine and eating normal foods my entire time in braces.

They feel my stocking up on ensure and protein drinks for the first few days of the pendulum installation is complete and utter drama on my part. So I've basically stopped discussing it with any of them, because it just makes me angry.

Have you guys had a situation where someone thought they knew all about what you were going through but just didn't get where you were coming from?

I'm not the only one here, right?!

#2 Post by **tdawg7669** » Mon May 31, 2010 11:15 pm

What do you mean you have no teeth that touch? Braces by themselves woudnt cause that.

Are you referring to an openbite? If you are than you have had that for some time now and eating wouldnt be different than from before.

#3 Post by **UGHBRACES** » Tue Jun 01, 2010 3:17 am

How did you chew before you got braces?
Why can't you chew that same way now?

#4 Post by **Tovin** » Tue Jun 01, 2010 6:24 am

againbrace,

That's correct. My left side uppers hit against my lower brackets before hitting teeth, and because of this, my right side teeth don't touch at all.

Normally before braces I mostly chewed on one side or the other, because I hadn't taken care of needed dental work - so whichever side didn't hurt, I chewed on!

Now with the crowns and such, I chew okay, but have a very uneven bite even without the braces.

I'll talk to my Ortho about the molar buildup!

Thank you guys for your support!

#5 Post by b » Tue Jun 01, 2010 7:59 am

When I first started treatment my upper teeth were hitting the bottom brackets and I had an appliance as well so I couldnt use the roof of my mouth. I came close to breaking off those brackets a few times so I got molar buildups. (You can see them in my story)
They are really awkward feeling at first, but its great being able to bite all the way down.

#6 Post by **hal2me** » Tue Jun 01, 2010 8:19 am

Hi Tovin,

You are not over-reacting. When I first got my braces, none of my teeth touched due to biting a bracket. It was very hard to eat. Like you, I did the whole "tongue-roof chew". I don't blame you for feeling anxious. Thankfully, my bite began to feel better after a few weeks.

You are not alone!

Best of luck to you!!

#7 Post by **Snowglobe32** » Tue Jun 01, 2010 9:25 am

Apparently, I had no bite whatsoever for...well, forever! My dentist said to me one day at a checkup, "Do you realize you have no bite?" Puzzled, I said, "Huh"... Then it came to my attention that none of my teeth touched at all. There was a noticeable space between arches. No joke. He wanted to know how I was able to eat. I told him I never had an issue eating. So, this is why I have braces. Because my teeth never touched and I never had a problem with it. I also have a crossbite...whatever that means. (I don't get this whole bite thing at all!) How can I have no bite but then a cross bite?

9 months later, my teeth are starting to touch. I never had a problem chewing anything. I have only had wires but he hinted that elastics are in my future.

I would ask those friends of your where their ortho office is so you can make an appointment the next time you want their opinion.

Then when they take offense, just don't give them anymore "updates."

#8 Post by **psych braces** » Tue Jun 01, 2010 9:36 am

Hi Tovin,
I have the bracket against bracket effect as well. My teeth don't touch so I move the food around alot and "press it a bit". I swallow alot of food practically whole and I know that can't be good for your digestive system. A few minutes ago I passed on a plate of fruit and was given a hard time by co-workers. Now I'm picking pineapples out of my braces and wished I had just ignored them and walked away. BTW, pineapple in your brackets sounds harmless...but it's really a pass in the butt!

Ignore them...you have our support!

#9 Post by **psych braces** » Tue Jun 01, 2010 9:37 am

yeah, I meant to say that pineapple is a "pain" in the butt! (In other words I discovered that its one of those things not worth eating due to the aggrevation of having to get it unstuck from your brackets).

#10 Post by **rolo** » Tue Jun 01, 2010 1:12 pm

I got protein shakes, after an extraction and another time when I had an allergy to nickle in an archwire and a mouth full of ulcers / canker sores. Do whatever you need to do, everyone's experiences are different.

#11 Post by **ashesgap** » Tue Jun 01, 2010 2:07 pm

psych braces wrote:Hi Tovin,
I have the bracket against bracket effect as well. My teeth don't touch so I move the food around alot and "press it a bit". I swallow alot of food practically whole and I know that can't be good for your digestive system. A few minutes ago I passed on a plate of fruit and was given a hard time by co-workers. Now I'm picking pineapples out of my braces and wished I had just ignored them and walked away. BTW, pineapple in your brackets sounds harmless...but it's really a pass in the butt!

Ignore them...you have our support!

I wouldn't eat pineapple in public, ever. No matter what anyone said, cause it does wrap around everything. But just so you know, the waterpik or redibreeze gets it all off very quickly. So i do eat pinapple and salad at home. Everyone should really invest in some sort of water cleaner, cause they are awesome.
I had a top tooth hitting a bottom bracket for the first month and a half, so i know how it is not being able to chew all the way. If people haven't had braces or similar issues, they have no idea. Protein drinks, yogurt, oatmeal, and mashed potatos are the best things that come to mind for you.

#12 Post by **alimommy1** » Tue Jun 01, 2010 2:34 pm

We all do what we have to lol. I remember having times when my bite was uncomfortable, not that nothing touched but when it did it didn't mesh right so it was easier to eat things that didn't need much chewing. When I had my wisdoms out and then my other extractions before braces, my ORAL SURGEON'S office gave me ensure and other things because he knew I wouldn't be able to eat. I still lost about 3 lbs after the extractions lol. I was fortunate not to have an appliance on the roof of my mouth but I have an extra tooth up there that the surgeon tried to get out, so I had to wait while the roof of my mouth healed on top of the extractions, and that was no fun.

#13 Post by **Jay04** » Sat Jun 05, 2010 7:19 am

None of my teeth touch anymore as I have a removable brace in. When I take it out, mp top teeth hit the lower brackets in a major way so I can't eat without the removable brace in anymore.

The first few days were the worst as you have no clue how to chew when none of your teeth touch. I'm still confused how I manage to eat actually!

I think I just live off foods I can swallow whole, or that I can mash against the roof of my mouth with my tongue. If the food is big enough, I can chew it a bit with my back teeth, but I think I always crush it with my tongue afterwards.

My orthodontist said to me that even though none of my teeth meet, I would still be able to eat. I thought she was crazy and delusional as how could someone possibly eat when none of their teeth meet. I'm on day 4 of my braces now, and I have to say it is definately getting easier. Hang in there, I think it's all about learning how to eat in a different way. It's extremely annoying and frustrating at first, but hopefully you'll be able to get back to a semi-normal diet soon. Good luck.

I think I need some luck too...I'm going to attempt a veggie burger today - It's gonna be messy. It'll be like climbing mount everest in terms of the most difficult thing i've attempted to eat so far...but hopefully I can achieve it!

Goooo meeeee....GO...GO...GO!

#14 Post by **Takako** » Sun Jun 06, 2010 11:05 am

I've lived for so long pulling my jaw backwards to get my teeth to touch that it's not unnatural for me to do so in braces. I'll be glad when I don't have to do that though, because I can feel that it's an unnatural bite; after swinging my jaw downwards and forwards, I feel a tiny slipping sensation, and rocking my jaw back and forth is eerie. It's always been like that but I never knew it was because I was forcing my jaw back too far to close my mouth.

I hope your bite improves!!

#15 Post by **jensceana73** » Sun Jun 20, 2010 10:33 pm

Yep...I had the same problem up till about 3 weeks ago with my teeth not touching either. Made for a real pain in the butt area....if you know what I mean. My back teeth did not touch AT ALL....and they had put bumpers on 2 of my lower teeth so they wouldn't "crash" into each other, which made it so that my front teeth basically didn't touch either. Real nice trying to eat. I kept saying, "it feels like I basically have NO teeth when I try to eat, like I'm an old 99 year old gumming my food to death" so to speak. (Cause I had to use my tongue and roof of my mouth) Anyway I am just now starting to be able to chew much better....much harder things...but that's because things have shifted...my teeth set differently now, so at my last adjustment, I no longer needed the bumpers....NICE!!!!! Rock on!!! Good Luck!! It'll get better....if not, enjoy your liquid diet!!