Cannot bite down - wasn't prepared.

[JER1110]

OK, so I'm an adult with braces, just got them put on yesterday. I found you all and I have a feeling this will be extremely helpful. So here's my issue: I had to have those little "bite stops" or whatever they're called - it's the cement things on the back bottom molars that prevent you from biting down. OK, so since then, I can only eat anything that's liquid. I can't chew anything, even if it's soft. I didn't know this was going to take place or I could have prepared. My next appt. isn't for 5 weeks away and I've already talked to ortho about it. They've told me it just "takes some getting used to" and that as far as eating, "you have to get creative". OK, I guess I just wish I could have been forewarned about the need to be on a liquid diet for however many weeks. Has anyone else dealt with this and does it get better?? I need encouragement. Thanks

[Stephanie]

hi there.. it's only been a day.. trust me it will get easier in a few more days and the pain will be gone... Your teeth are forced to move for the first time in years, so that is expected.

Hang in there and start your blog on this site... it will help us help you

Good luck and congrats on getting braces...

[JER1110]

Thanks Stephanie, I appreciate the support. But actually, it's not due to pain. I'm physically unable to bite down because of the cement bumps on my back molars (supposedly designed to keep me from biting my brackets off). But it makes eating anything solid impossible. At this point, if it can't be sucked thru a straw, it's a no go. I did not know this would be the case or I might have waited till after Thanksgiving! We're hosting Thanksgiving at our home this year and I'm searching for pumpkin soup recipes - haha. But if you or anyone else have survived this, please let me know!

[mikeg]

drop in at your ortho with or without an appointment and make sure you get looked at.... if you can't eat.. that is an issue....

[JER1110]

Thanks Mike. I made an appointment for 7:30 in the morning. I wasn't sure if this was supposed to be normal or not. I'm eating, but it's mostly stuff out of a blender which will get old really fast! Ha! Thanks for the support. Congrats on accomplishing your braces earlier in life!!

[Sunny]

Hi and welcome JER!

Molar buildup does take a bit of getting used to ... but you will adjust. You'll find you can chew ... you use the molar buildup and whatever teeth they come into contact with ... usually another pair of molars. Eventually you'll become so good at eating with the buildup, you'll wonder how you ate before.

Cut your food into small pieces and keep practising ways to chew ... the more you practise the easier it should get.

Good luck!

[shortie27]

hi, iv had my braces on 1 week 1 day and im still not eating solid food yet still on the soup, mashed potato - soft stuff as its too painful to bite down.

[Candymomof3]

My bite has changed so many times since starting treatment..there were a lot of frustrating times where my molars would touch only the tips of each other and where the top teeth were hitting lower brackets...I spent the first few months with my jaw just having to hang...it had no where to really sit...it was very wierd and I think only people who wear braces have any idea about what I'm talking about. Now I am at the point where my teeth sit okay on my bottom..but really, that can change at any point til it gets where it needs to be!

[Zebstriped]

I've felt the same way, I'm at 10 days in and my back molars do not touch at all due to a retainer I'm wearing on the top.

I can finally chew a little bit with my front teeth, but everything is in teeny tiny bite sizes!

[Sunny]

Great that you're starting to chew with your front teeth. Keep cutting your food into small pieces ... and remember that chewing is good ... a is eating!

[Chopin]

OK, so I'm an adult with braces, just got them put on yesterday. I found you all and I have a feeling this will be extremely helpful. So here's my issue: I had to have those little "bite stops" or whatever they're called - it's the cement things on the back bottom molars that prevent you from biting down. OK, so since then, I can only eat anything that's liquid. I can't chew anything, even if it's soft. I didn't know this was going to take place or I could have prepared. My next appt. isn't for 5 weeks away and I've already talked to ortho about it. They've told me it just "takes some getting used to" and that as far as eating, "you have to get creative". OK, I guess I just wish I could have been forewarned about the need to be on a liquid diet for however many weeks. Has anyone else dealt with this and does it get better?? I need encouragement. Thanks

I just got braces today. I am also am adult with braces who also had " bite stops" put on the back of my upper teeth. I was told that this was so that I did not bite down on the lower brackets and now I cannot get any teeth to meet and am calling my orthodontist to discuss.

Did you get any relief from your situation????? What did you do???????

[Sunny]

Choplin the reason for 'molar buildup' or 'bite stops', is so that you don't bite down and damage your teeth on your lower brackets, or risk biting your brackets off. The stops help your bite to open and therefore your teeth can move more easily, coz they're not being held back by your bite.

You will adjust ... you've just got to give yourself time.

There are many soft food options, plus harder food can be cut into small pieces ... all these things make eating a load easierl

[Chopin]

Even with no teeth coming near to meeting? My molars are almost 1/4" from meeting with the bite stops in place. Would all metal braces be a better alternative? They look thinner than the ceramic and might be less fragile.

[Sunny]

The type of bracket makes not difference Chopin and metal is not thiner or less fragile. If you're going to need molar buildup or stops ... you'll need them no matter which bracket your ortho uses.

Keep trying to eat ... it will become possible ... but it will take practise and a little time. Then when your bite is good, the stops will be removed ... which will be a time you'll celebrate, although for many of our patients, by then they're mostly forgotten about the stops.

[Chopin]

Thanks Sunny... I will keep the faith and look forward to eating again.

[me170]

Dear Chopin and Jer1110:

I just got ceramic braces on my upper and lower teeth yesterday, and they built up points on two lower molars (2nd from back left and 2nd from back right) so that I do not bite down on the brackets. I am incredibly frustrated by the fact that the only places my teeth meet is at those two little points, making chewing impossible.

Did either of you find you could chew over time? I can't imagine being able to chew when no surfaces big enough to grind can meet. My orthodontist said he will probably be able to reduce the buildup in 5 weeks. In the meantime, I can't imagine ever being able to eat anything that I can't mush with my tongue and the roof of my mouth. How long did or have you gone without being able to chew/grind food?

I am feeling a bit desperate and any advice would be most appreciated!

[Sunny]

Me170 keep trying to chew where the buildup meets ... this will be the best place until your bite opens and the buildup gets reduced/removed.

Mashing soft food on the roof of your mouth is ok, but after a while you'll want more ... so keep practising at chewing. It does take a little while to adjust ... but you will with practise.

[Chopin]

Well, I have had my braces for a week now. They are also on the lower and upper. I have an overbite and was told that they needed to create "Space"between my upper & lower molars so that these teeth could shift and stand upright. This meant that they needed to put in what they called a "turbo block" which are two small wedges that were bonded to the back of my two front teeth.

This makes it next to impossible to chew anything until these molars rotate and get some closure between them.

Eating the first couple of days was impossible.. I am now getting the hang of soups with small vegetables, mashed potatoes, fish that is tender, etc that does not really need to be chewed. There cannot be any buildup on my molars as this defeats the purpose of creating the space... Anyway, it had gotten easier and the end will be worth the means.

[me170]

Thanks Sunny and Chopin! It is hard to imagine I will find a way to eat, but your encouragement gives me a lift. I do wish my orthodontist had mentioned this might happen prior to putting the braces on.

:

me170

[Brace Face]

Hi Everyone,

This reply may a bit late and hopefully you are managing to eat something now! I just wanted to let you know that I have 'bite stops' on my lower molars too and they are still there 8 months later. I still can't chew properly but it doesn't stop me eating anything, you just need to get used to how it works for you. I find as long as you eat things that are 'bitesize' and chew in the normal way it really isn't that bad. Admittedly I have got used to swallowing larger chunks of food (and I was someone who chewed things into tiny pieces) but, other than that, I am completely used to it.

I was shocked when I first saw mine, my orthodontist hadn't told me I would need them either. He also said they would wear down on there own eventually but they seem rock solid to me and, if they haven't worn down at all after 8 months I don't believe they will.

Have an elastic band across the front of my mouth now so the bite stops feel like the least of my worries. I feel ridiculous!!!

Good luck

[patchouliii]

I have the SAME "bumps" or "razors" on my 2nd upper molars. And they felt ridiculous!! STILL do, BUT, I went in the next day and asked my Ortho to shave them down as much as possible and he did. I feel so much better, but it's still a process "learning" how to eat. I can't chew all the way, so sometimes I just swallow rice and foods like that.
My Ortho said that it depends on my bite progress. He said he's shaved them down in 4 months for some, others more than a year so....
I hope we all get through this soon.