Twin block braces- should we persevere?

[Luckye]

Help I am really worried that my dd is going through hell with twin blocks and that it's maybe not necessary. Are twin blocks used purely as a cosmetic treatment to improve profile? My dentist referred us to nhs as she has overbite of 10mm but her profile looked ok before the twin blocks were in place. I'm just worried that we've put her through an ordeal purely for a minor cosmetic improvement. My main concern is that she will loose confidence as her speech is so impaired - it is only day 3 so I am hoping it gets better. Is there a medical reason for jaw to be aligned. Her overbite up til now has not caused her any problems. Any advice please. Also how long will she need to wear the twin block? Dentist has been very vague on this point. My dd is coping with her brace quite well considering she can't eat, sleep or talk well but I don't think either of us will cope if it goes on for too long!

[MrsMorton]

10mm is a heck of an overjet. I'm a dentist and not an orthodontist but AFAIK this is most successfully treated before growth is completed. Once she's finished growing the only option will be surgery if she decides she wants it done.

[MrsMorton]

How she copes with it will get better very quickly by the way.

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

My overjet as an adult does cause me problems with injury to my palate, difficulty in biting things with my front teeth etc. As an adult I was told that I would need jaw surgery (with the jaws wiring together after for 6 weeks) to sort it out. I said no thank you, even with the issues. My dentist is surprised I've not got tmj.

dd had twin blocks for 6 months followed by train tracks. Yes it was difficult at first and I nearly backed out as I hated what they did to her. But now she has beautiful aligned teeth, no bite problems and her teeth are much less prone to being damaged by knocks and falls than mine. When I look at them I think - wow, lucky girl!

It seems brutal, but we found it totally worth it.

[Mmmnotsure]

My teenage dc has had twin blocks for six months now, more to go. Afaik they are not available on the nhs unless deemed necessary - they are pretty expensive.

It hasn't been easy here, but we have learned quite a bit about them and about coping with them. Ds has done amazingly well, I think, and chooses to keep them in for everything (except sports which need a mouthguard, of course).

Do pm me if you'd like to.

[dingit]

The first week is very hard. She will get used to it, just dish outlets of tlc. My dd had an overbite of 7mm and had block brace for 9 months. She then had tram tracks for 14 mths that came off in March! Good luck, and tell her it is worth it!

[dingit]

• out lots not outlets!

[Tiny12]

It will get easier, my son had them also then wired braces and it is worth it in long run. After about a week or so she should be fine.

[WynkenBlynkenandNod]

I remember looking at DH on day 3 of DD's and saying with a definite hysteria that he couldn't go and stay with his mate for the weekend and leave me with her. Day 3 was the day the flipping things vanished over night and I was patting down Big Ted.

It does get much easier after a week or so. My DD is onto fixed braces now and there is a huge difference in her teeth. She used to have an 11mm overbite and I woukd always worry she'd fall and have a disaster. We were able to see the difference pretty quickly with the Twin Blocks.

[Luckye]

Thank you all so much for your kind words, advice, info and encouragement. Its good to know things will get better. Thinking now that it is necessary and that we do need to keep going. Day 4 is a bit better than day 3.

[MrsMorton]

And day 7 will be a breeze, it really is so so so worth it at this stage. Your DD will have a beautiful smile with a massively reduced risk of breaking her two front teeth and this will be chalked up to experience. Well done for persevering!

[Luckye]

Thank you mrsmorton your advice is really appreciated. Feeling a lot more positive about it today.

[bubbles1231]

Reading this with interest as we are waiting to see orthodontist as DS has 11mm overjet. He was seen last month but unfortunately has too many milk teeth yet. we've been advised to wait another 6 months.
NHS in Scotland will now only fund functional braces and not cosmetic ones.

[Luckye]

Hi, you were so right mrs Morton! Now on day 12 and dd coping brilliantly. She is managing to keep brace in all the time now (apart from for brushing her teeth). She's eating and sleeping fine. She's also back to her old chatterbox self which is such a relief. Her jaw has already moved. I took her to our dentist yesterday who told me that we have been really lucky to get this treatment as its not commonly done now due to nhs shortages. So thank you for all your support as I think that last week we could easily have given up. Hope this reassures you bubbles 1231.

[catslave]

It is worth persevering with. I had an overbite and eventually, aged 27, my front teeth were rubbing on the gum line of my lower teeth. I got numerous infections and was eventually taken on by an orthodontic teaching hospital who wanted some adult patients for the students to practice on.

I had to have 4 years of braces as once you stop growing it is hardeer to realign teeth, and then my lower jaw was broken and moved forward - otherwise my lower teeth would have become infected and fallen out.

So, do it while they are growing! Much faster and less serious...

[JulieB71]

My daughter has just had twin block braces fitted yesterday. I really did not know much about them or how to help her with them before now. I must say, I am so glad I found this site as all the comments/questions/advice have greatly helped me understand more and have provided me with the reassurance that things will get better! We are only on day 2 and have a long way to go, her mouth aches, she can't eat, can't talk and can't sleep properly with these braces in! When should she be able to do these functions normally with the braces? Appreciate any help/advice.

[magso]

Ds is due to have twin blocks for his 14mm overbite. He is 13 and his top teeth catch his lip and bottom teeth his inner top gum which annoys him. I am quite worried as he has autism with learning disability and getting him to brush his teeth has taken years (as opposed to me cleaning them).
Do they come out easily? I know ds will likely struggle to tolerate any lack of function and will likely pull them out if he can!
The specialist said it would take about 9 months with twin blocks and then progress to train tracks once the overjet is reduced.

[Lancelottie]

Magso, DS has Asperger's and had one hell of an overjet (around 15 mm before treatment). he was biting into his top palate and hadn't realised that the pain was not normal.

Rather than twin blocks, in the end he had an upper plate only -- I think they called it a 'Hawley with inclined bite plane'. It's done a remarkable job of correcting his face shape, though his teeth are still rather engagingly wonky.

He's since tried the twin blocks and managed them for, ooh, about an hour total. Yes, they come out easily, sorry!

Have you managed the hurdle that is taking the dental impressions in the first place? Now that one took us over 18 months of appointments (largely because the only SEN dentist willing to put her fingers at risk only worked two days a week).

[Lancelottie]

I'm just calculating here -- I think DS's device has been in use for about 15 months now, so not as quick as the twin blocks would have been, but we're getting there.

Which reminds me that actually he's broken the bloody thing (took it out, dropped it, leaned over and knocked a chair onto it) and I need to phone up yet again for another appointment.

[magso]

Thanks Lancelotte I am worried about the impression taking also, so we may not get as far as a twin blocks. It took us about six appointments (with sedation) to get a tooth removed (due to overcrowding and teeth not erupting through lack of space). The orthodontist is at a further hospital (no NO2) but the dental care is at the local hospital. Was the Hawley available through the NHS? Lack of function will upset ds far more than pain.
Hope your sons treatment is successful.

[Lancelottie]

Yes, it's all been NHS.

God, I sympathise. DS's level of understanding is high but his reaction to people messing with him is pretty extreme.

[Turbo2003]

Hi sorry first post here! My 13 yr old daughter has just had these fitted today and aside from some mild pain which we seem to be able to cure with ice cream and ibuprofen she is doing fine so I am now worried, does the pain get worse? We have a day out planned in 2 days time that I was hoping she would be back to normal for but after reading your comments I am starting to worry!!

[RummidgeGeneral]

Hi I am RummidgeGenral's daughter I got Twin block braces. I'm glad to say the pain doesn't get any worse ( Although they can hurt a little more when you take them out to clean in the morning. First Two weeks are tough but try to grin and bear it because it's worth it. The fourth week is when you really start to get used to wearing them and talking with them in. The brace made such a difference to my teeth though in a surprisingly short space of time. DON'T GIVE UP! The NHS only fund for them once and if you loose this chance you may have to pay Two grand to have them done when you're older. Now I've had them now for about a year and now I only have to wear them at night. I barely notice them now. I hope this has been useful. :)

[Daisybelleblue]

Going through hell with son whose refusing to wear blocks :-(

[selpats]

How old is he?

Could you suggest that he reads this thread?

[haggisaggis]

Daisy - my ds has been wearing twin blocks for about 4 months now - he's 13. They have made such a difference to his confidence. Is there anyone at his school who wears them? My ds found someone in one of his classes he could chat to which helped him find out the pros and cons so he was prepared when he got them. It takes around 1 -2 weeks of perseverance for them to become comfortable and for eating to be ok. I was really lucky - ds was so conscious of his overbite he would do anything to fix it and just persevered to get through the discomfort (my problem is getting him to take them out when an issue with the top brace caused sores and swelling).