6 Month braces

[Polar]

Hi Guys
I got my 6 month braces fitted last Thursday and Im struggling badly

They are clear brackets with cream wire and see through ligatures

I have bite guards and my teeth don't meet

Has anyone else has these bite guard things, I cant eat anythign bar slop and its really getting me down

Also, staining I cant have red wine, red coloured sauces or curry
What the hell should I do Im really really upset and sore

[Zoso]

Polar, all you can do is bear with it. Don't limit your diet to "slop" - as you get used to these braces (and chewing is the best way to do so) you will find that you can return to your normal diet. Restrictions around foods that will stain the ligatures are self-imposed, so only you can choose if it is important enough for you to avoid the staining, or more important to enjoy your full diet, but do know that most orthodontists change out those ligs at each appointment, so the staining is, in effect, temporary.

[Polar]

That is true and I am beginning to feel that I don't really care what color they are if only I can enjoy what Im eating
Have you ever have bite guards zoso?

[Sunny]

Polar the clear ligs will stain no matter what you eat ... unless it's all clear foods. Some foods will stain the ligs quicker than others, but if you want to have wine, curry and sauces with yellow and red food colourings ... either leave them to close to your adjustments, or eat them and don't worry about your ligs.

My advice is go for silver ligs ... they are discreet and although they still stain, it's a lot less obvious. Also pale colours like pink and blue look great with ceramic brackets and although they stain, the shades look heaps better than the stained clear ligs.

Hopefully as you get used to having braces, you'll find experimenting with colour is easier. Where I work, we offer teflon coated (white) wire ties for people with ceramics who don't want to wear coloured ligs. They don't stain and are easy to wear.

Keep trying to eat with your bite plate in ... I know it will seem impossible to begin with, but with perseverance it will happen. Make sure you have plenty of soft foods to supplement the other foods you try, just in case you're not ready for them yet.

If problems persist ... phone your ortho and ask for advice ... that's part of the job they do!

Good luck!

[Zoso]

Also pale colours like pink and blue look great with ceramic brackets and although they stain, the shades look heaps better than the stained clear ligs.

That's purely subjective. I found that pale coloured ties looked really very nasty when stained, as they frequently stained such as to have an uneven tone. Clear ties, on the other hand, did not look so bad, at least until they'd been removed from my mouth and dropped onto the tray during an adjustment. So I think it wiser to avoid absolutes in discussions like this.

[kay1991]

I have the exact same problem with the bite guards. I have 2 teeth that touch. I'm unable to chew food small enough to swallow without choking. I eat pasta (overly cooked), mashed potatoes, yogurt, pudding, etc. I told my dentist about the choking part with no avail. No one understands that you need to chew food to aid in digestion and not swallow food whole. I feel your pain... I too get quite depressed... I now have stomach problems when I am able to swallow some more 'hearty' foods if you will. I wish I knew about this prior to getting them... I feel I made a non-informed decision now.

[Brace Face]

Polar - I agree with Sunny, if it's getting you down that much you should eat what you like and don't worry about the ligs. Risk it nearer your next adjustment and you can decide for yourself if the staining bothers you enough to go for clear again or a different colour. I always have silver powerchains and they have never stained and look very subtle.

kay1991 - You need to cut up anything you normally eat into smaller pieces. That way you can chew on it to break it down a bit more without needing to actually bite into it fully. Noone ever died from braces malnutrition, it's an adjustment thing, you'll get used to it.

[kay1991]

Brace Face... I'm sorry to have misled you with my comments... I certainly do not believe I'm going to die of malnutrition... but it is certainly something I had no idea about prior to getting the braces on.
As for the bite guards... I am physically not capable of chewing anything into small enough pieces to swallow without choking. Everything I eat is cut up into the smallest peices... even pasta. I have to pay attention to whatever I choose to swallow whole--even cut into small pieces--that I do not choke. Only certain foods I'm capable of swallowing without choking. For example: take a simple salad w/dressing. Unable to chew a piece of lettuce due to none of my back teeth touching...therefore having to try to swallow whole. Try swallowing lettuce without it getting stuck and/or choking. If you have ever choked on something you'd understand, and choose not to attempt it again... its just not a matter of getting used to it.

[LMontro]

I have had a bottom brace on for 2 weeks now, and even though my dentist said that my bite would 'work itself out in a few days', I also can not bite down, and only one tooth on one side touches a bottom tooth when I bite down. I still have the same gap between my teeth when I bite down, however, I seem to have worked out how to eat most things without ending up swallowing food whole!

I also panicked when my orthodontist had put the braces on and I went to close my mouth for the first time, and thought 'whaaaaaaat!?' - however, I've stuck with them and like I say, after 2 weeks, even though my teeth are no closer together in touching, I have learnt how to chew differently.

Stick with it, and seriously, it will be fine.

Good luck.

[LMontro]

Only certain foods I'm capable of swallowing without choking. For example: take a simple salad w/dressing. Unable to chew a piece of lettuce due to none of my back teeth touching...therefore having to try to swallow whole. Try swallowing lettuce without it getting stuck and/or choking. If you have ever choked on something you'd understand, and choose not to attempt it again... its just not a matter of getting used to it.

Ah!!!! I feel your pain! I am exactly the same. This is one of the few things that I haven't quite managed to chew on yet and don't think I will be for the next 5 months! It's a shame because I live in a hot climate and always want to eat a nice salad, but lettuce is out of the question!

[Brace Face]

kay1991 - I do sympathise, I had my build ups for 10 months and I lost about 9lbs in the first month I wore braces. Lettuce is probably the worst too, it tangles around the wires and gets stuck in your throat, not good at all I remember grinding food for a while using the back two molars and somehow, over time, I found a way to manage it and eating became normal again (as normal as it gets with braces anyway). I'm sure you'll find your 'method' soon as it's miserable when you can't enjoy your food properly. Good luck.

[kay1991]

Thanks guys...
I've had them on for 5 months now.... I don't see myself getting used to not being able to chew anytime soon... I can understand if I had two teeth way in the back to learn to chew with but I don't... but hey... my situation doesn't prevent me from drinking a few Margaritas!!

[davo1]

Why is it that you need bite guards? I will be getting braces on pretty soon and im hoping I can avoid them. Obviously I can ask the ortho when I see him in a few days but im just wondering what your situation is.

[ksmoguy]

Bite guards are for people who have over/under bites to keep the teeth from hitting the brackets and damaging the teeth.

[kay1991]

davo1...
In my situation (I do not have a bite issue...) the bite guards are placed so that when I bite that my teeth (which are small to begin with...) nor other brackets hit any other brackets and break them off. It's a safeguard my dentist says since I live 5 hours away from him... But your dentist will explain why they will or will not be needed in your case... good luck!