Re: Braces are now on - OUCH!!!- To Fran

[Guest guest]

Hi Fran,

Congrats on getting your braces on- one big step out of the way. Oh

boy, I know how painful they can be! And, it sounds like you are

having a particularly hard time of it due to the situation with your

mouth. It sort of highlights how worth going through this whole thing

will be, because it highlights how not quite right everything is now.

(That's how I felt anyway!) I hope by the time you read this

message, you are feeling better, more adjusted to things, and most

importantly that the pain subsides. At least you have the motivation

to get through this on your side... that really helps. I'm not sure

what suggestions to give you. I think your mouth will adapt including

your tongue- not only to the abraisiveness, but also to less room in

your mouth because of the braces, and then to the chewing. Maybe it

won't adapt perfectly, and there is a reason why you're getting the

surgery too. I had all kinds of good times trying to figure out

eating stuff. Half the time, I just chewed on what I could as best I

could and then gulped and swallowed it down half chewed, maybe barely

chewed and all... I just let my stomach do the work. Let us know how

you are doing!!

Katja

> Hi Everyone,

> Well, I did get my braces on Thursday. I know I have seen many of

> you getting your braces on, still I really did not understand how

> much they HURT!!! Part of my problem with them may be that since I

> have a really really deep bite, they had to put a small " ledge " (my

> OD called it something else, but I can't remember the name right

> now) behind my two front teeth that stop my bite from going beyond

> the point where they would sheer off the braces brackets if my bite

> went too deep. The result is that the only place my teeth even

come

> close to touching is on that very itty bitty ledge. So forget

> eating! I have a new understanding of the difficulties that people

> with open bites experience all the time. It is awful! I can't eat

> anything that has more than the consistency of mush. My tongue,

> which has been always before been a prisoner in my mouth that is

too

> small and with too deep a bite, has no clue how to mobilize food in

> my mouth. I come fairly close on the right back molars, but I

still

> can't even " chew " boiled veggies small enough to swallow. I am

> having to chop up spagetti!!

>

> My teeth are sore, which I was expecting, and the insides of my

> cheeks, where there are little poles in addition to the brackets,

> are raw - I also expected that. But my tongue, which is already

> pushed back into my throat due to the insufficiency of my lower

jaw,

> is now even further back due to the ledge behind my two front

> teeth. And it hurts! What little movement it has is compomised by

> that ledge. It is raw too. I grind my teeth on that ledge, and

> that hurts!!

>

> Anyway, sorry to rant here about it, but while I thought I was

> prepared for the braces and getting used to them, I really wasn't

> prepared for this!! I am not eating, just so I can avoid the pain

> of using the brush to clean them out. My mouth is so small, and

> pulling my already sore cheek back and trying to fit the brush

> inbetween the wires is killing me.

>

> Do you have any suggestions? Have you had this before? Please

> share with me how you coped with it. I know some of it will get

> better as my tissue becomes toughened, but the chewing and

inability

> to move the food bolus is going to be something I have to deal with

> eventually. Can you help?

> Hugs,

> Fran

[Guest guest]

Hi Katja,

You are so right!! A few days later and exactly what you said here

is just what happened to me. I actually ate some real food today -

well semi solid food have chewed! lol But it was wonderful! And

while I am still sore, it is much better. No wax today yet! That

is the best so far! Thanks for your words of encouragement!

Hugs,

Fran

> > Hi Everyone,

> > Well, I did get my braces on Thursday. I know I have seen many

of

> > you getting your braces on, still I really did not understand

how

> > much they HURT!!! Part of my problem with them may be that

since I

> > have a really really deep bite, they had to put a small " ledge "

(my

> > OD called it something else, but I can't remember the name right

> > now) behind my two front teeth that stop my bite from going

beyond

> > the point where they would sheer off the braces brackets if my

bite

> > went too deep. The result is that the only place my teeth even

> come

> > close to touching is on that very itty bitty ledge. So forget

> > eating! I have a new understanding of the difficulties that

people

> > with open bites experience all the time. It is awful! I can't

eat

> > anything that has more than the consistency of mush. My tongue,

> > which has been always before been a prisoner in my mouth that is

> too

> > small and with too deep a bite, has no clue how to mobilize food

in

> > my mouth. I come fairly close on the right back molars, but I

> still

> > can't even " chew " boiled veggies small enough to swallow. I am

> > having to chop up spagetti!!

> >

> > My teeth are sore, which I was expecting, and the insides of my

> > cheeks, where there are little poles in addition to the

brackets,

> > are raw - I also expected that. But my tongue, which is already

> > pushed back into my throat due to the insufficiency of my lower

> jaw,

> > is now even further back due to the ledge behind my two front

> > teeth. And it hurts! What little movement it has is compomised

by

> > that ledge. It is raw too. I grind my teeth on that ledge, and

> > that hurts!!

> >

> > Anyway, sorry to rant here about it, but while I thought I was

> > prepared for the braces and getting used to them, I really

wasn't

> > prepared for this!! I am not eating, just so I can avoid the

pain

> > of using the brush to clean them out. My mouth is so small, and

> > pulling my already sore cheek back and trying to fit the brush

> > inbetween the wires is killing me.

> >

> > Do you have any suggestions? Have you had this before? Please

> > share with me how you coped with it. I know some of it will get

> > better as my tissue becomes toughened, but the chewing and

> inability

> > to move the food bolus is going to be something I have to deal

with

> > eventually. Can you help?

> > Hugs,

> > Fran