To Fran

[Guest guest]

Hi Fran,

I'm so glad to hear that you are feeling better already! And your

spirits sound good too. That is wonderful! Keep us posted on how you

are doing and adjusting! I'm happy for you! 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