Twin Block Braces - Any Advice?

[Shar0769]

Hi
First post to Mumsnet, so please bear with me

Just arrived back from Orthodontist with ds (10) who has had twin block braces fitted to correct his overbite and adjust his jaw. I can honestly say I feel sick/upset, he looks like he's shoved a sock in his mouth; can't speak, can't smile. Im dreading to think how he's going to cope at school.

If anyone has any advice/experience on these braces it would be great. Anything to ease my worries.

Thanks.

[Mumtofour39]

Hello. First post on here but just wanted to post about twin blocks after reading this thread. My son (12) had removable blocks fitted 8 weeks ago.... We was so shocked and not prepared at all by the orthodontist! First few days was awful,he actually couldn't speak with them in or eat. He's coped much better than I could of ever imagined, luckily we had the Xmas two weeks off school for him to get used to them. After the first week they was fine,speech improved and no pain other than the odd ulcer. After the first week he was eating with them in and wearing them 24/7, he had to key it open once a week. Just had the first follow up appointment and he only has to wear them till the end of March when he has the 'train track' fixed braces fitted. His over jet was 5mm. The best advice I could give is don't give up! That first week I wanted to bin the things for him, lots of fluids and soft foods to start with, lip balm as lips get dry at first, bonjela and dental wax to help with any ulcers.I promised him a big present if he stuck it till the end which I think helped a lot
They looks shocking at first but the face soon settles around them and within a week didn't notice them. Hope that's helped a bit x

[ScarlettDarling]

mumtofour that's helped a lot, really reassuring.

Thank you

[Mumtofour39]

Your welcome as awful as it sounds I think you have to be rather tough about them. My Son would say at first 'can I take them out on Christmas day' or ' can I not have them in as its my Birthday' but as hard a it's been I've said 'no keep them in' all the time which in the long run has cut his treatment time down. At first they said 9 months now it will be more like 4 months, I feel lucky this treatment is available on the NHS so was insistent he wore them as instructed. I'm currently paying nearly £2000 for my 14 year old Daughters braces as she just missed the criteria to qualify. To the lady who asked about going back in school the same day they are fitted, from my experience I know my Son couldn't of done that he was in a bit of a state with the drooling. Good luck and hope all goes smoothly

[Anon456]

Hi. I was reading through some of the concerns and or questions and i would like to say your ds will be fine. In the beginning they will swallow alot, find it hard to talk ,experience pain in the jaw area where the muscles are but i asure you this is all in the first three days normally. If you want to help your ds get over the worst quickly then heres a few tips

1. While talking to them in the first few days keep the questions short and simple to answer until they can get used to hearing there voice/ talking.
   
2. Stay positive. Dont be afraid to tell them that you see no difference in the way they look (because trust me I myself went through it and this was my deapist worry.)
   
3. Remind them of what the outcome will be; Beautiful staight teeth.
   

Hope these few tips help 😀

[Snog]

My dd definitely looked different in twin blocks is the truth though, and not in a good way. You can't smile wearing them either.
Loads of kids put them in their pockets all day at school and so the treatment fails. In an ideal world I would start treatment on the first day of the summer holidays.

They are incredibly effective and changed my dd's profile quite dramatically over a short time period, she definitely has no regrets now, a few years on, has a beautiful profile and smile and wears her retainers religiously,
Which you need to do after treatment finishes on an ongoing basis,

I think the age when you start makes a difference as younger is harder - my dd was almost 12. Also if you are the only one in the school with them it's a whole lot worse. It is true to say that my dd got used to hers quickly, within a week. Much faster than I did as in all honesty it upset me to look at her in them - it made her chin jut forward and look like she had put her tongue between her bottom teeth and her lip as if she was constantly making the "durr" face.

Sorry to tell it like it is but dd and I were wholly unprepared which made things much worse than if we had known more when she got hers fitted.

[PooFlower]

Hi, my daughter is 11 and had twin blocks fitted at the end of December.
After two weeks she thought she had lost the bottom piece at school and we had to pay around £68 for a replacement. She was refitted on Jan 4th.
She later found the missing part it must have fallen out while she was asleep. (We kept this as a spare)
After two weeks the new brace snapped on the metal w part that fits over the bottom front two teeth. I told her to wear the brace that she had originally. The other brace has now broken in the same place.
It doesn't seem fit for purpose. It is very small and keeps coming out.
Does anyone have experience of this. I can't afford to pay another £68 to have then fixed. She is an NHS patient and they were clear when she got them that breakages and replacements were charged at £68.

[PooFlower]

Just to update, I rang the Orthodontist this morning and they said there is no charge if the braces can be fixed. They only charge if a part is lost.

My daughters bottom piece is quite small and fits only over the bottom front teeth, whereas the top piece is much larger and sturdier with a pallet. Is this typical? I am going to ask if there is anything better because I can't cope with this happening every few weeks. However last time they said this is all that is available.

[BigusBumus]

Hi PooFlower, my sons bottom brace is a U-shape that fits over ALL his bottom teeth, rather than just the front ones. Seems odd that your daughters is so small.

My son has broken his top plate twice now (Grrrrrr). Once it could be mended at no charge and once he totally snapped it in half, by not using the box when he took it out for lunch, dumped his blazer on the floor and someone stepped on it. :-/ We ad to pay the £68 that time (I made him pay £30 towards it).

[LIZS]

Ds bottom part was a u shape which fitted over front 4 with 2 clips around the first molars on either side. The top part had a flat palette that could be widened by the turn of a screw.

[vjg13]

My daughter had her braces fitted today. The block on one side of the top is much bigger than that on the other which looks a bit odd when she opens her mouth. She has been off today but going in tomorrow. Doing well, she had watched loads of the you tube videos which helped her know exactly what to expect.

[ScarlettDarling]

Good luck to your dd .my ds is getting his fitted next thurs...I bet your dd will be totally used to hers by then. Please do update on how she gets on with it over the next few days, I'd be really interested.

[BigusBumus]

Actually getting them to watch other teens on YouTube going through the same thing is a really good idea... x

[Mumtofour39]

Hi all, we are on countdown now till my son gets rid of the twin blocks (few weeks left) then on to the fixed braces...his teeth are now very gappy due to the twin blocks. hope everyone's DS/DD gets on ok with theirs. I think YouTube vids are really good as well.I watched them for tips and experiences.I dreaded my son loosing his at school,we agreed he just leave them in to eat,he now takes them out to eat his tea as the bottom parts become so loose it started rubbing and causing ulcers. pooflower that bottom piece sounds like my sons, his is very small in comparison.ive attached a pic x

[ScarlettDarling]

I've watched the YouTube vids and I've found them v reassuring. Ds is showing no interest in watching them. Think he's in denial that these braces are happening...but they are!

I'll broach the vids again this weekend.

[vjg13]

My daughter has headed off to school, fingers crossed for her! Her speech is better but a bit unclear and lispy as expected. Kept her topped up on pain killers so hopefully just a little bit uncomfortable with it. She slept not too badly but woke at 4:30 for paracetamol in a bit of pain.

We bought 3 of the boxes so she has one with her to put the braces in at lunchtime. She managed some soft stuff with it in but is going to take it out to eat until she is managing better and probably each time at school. Was told it is better to wear it if possible whilst eating. She was dribbling a lot and making a slurping sound yesterday but am hoping won't do that at school! Sugar free mints helped a bit.

She has a key and has to turn it twice a week on the top.

[ThatsNotMyRabbit]

Oh it's a shock isn't it? We're just coming up to the end if the twin blocks and about to start with fixed braces.

I never thought DS1 would cope with the twin blocks. They seem like such a mouthful don't they?? He sounded like the elephant man for a couple of days but it's amazing how quickly they adjust. He also salivated a lot for a week or so.
He took a while to be able to eat properly but not too long.
Like a pp said he had no teasing.
It'll be fine, you'll be amazed how quickly everyone gets used to it x

[HesMyLobster]

Just saw this thread and had to post with our experience!
My dd had twin blocks at 14 (mortifying!) I cried when we got home from the ortho, I had no idea how full on they'd be! Luckily dd had prepared herself a lot more than me - she had watched the YouTube videos which is a great tip for preparing.
Hers were fitted in the afternoon so she didn't go back to school, she did have an awards ceremony that evening for her hobby and was determined to go still. She spent 2 hours reading aloud and singing, and by the time we had to go she could talk almost normally without drooling. I have been so proud of her determination - she literally kept it in 24/7, only took it out to clean and brush her teeth.
We were originally told it would be 9-10 months but the results were incredible and had gone from 10mm jet to 2mm in about 3 months!
She had it taken out after 5 months and then had a fixed 'train track' brace fitted, which has been a walk in the park in comparison.
She will have the train tracks removed next week! She's had them in for 9 months.
We're expecting a retainer for the foreseeable future, but it has been so so worth it! Her teeth look amazing, and the blocks changed her whole profile.
I just can't wait for her to see her beautiful new smile next week!

[vjg13]

It's really encouraging to hear the fantastic success stories. Especially those where it has worked more quickly than estimated. I will really try to get my daughter eating in hers full time, as I have read somewhere on the Internet (true?) that one meal with them in equates to 24hours wear.

Will the retainer just be for over night Lobster?

[HesMyLobster]

The ortho told dd that it was eating in it that sped the process up so much.
She started on soft foods but by the end of the first week she was literally eating steak with it in, so it is do able and worth persevering!
The only thing she really couldn't manage were things like baguettes because her front teeth just couldn't meet to 'take a bite' but she ate pretty much anything and everything else.
Dd is hoping the retainer will just be at night but won't know for sure until the appointment next week.

Good Luck to all of you and your dcs- I promise it won't be as bad as it first seems, and is so so worth it!

[ScarlettDarling]

Okay everybody, please get ready to hold my hand! Ds is getting his twin blocks tomorrow, dreading it.

So, we've got soft meals planned for the next week, (fish pie, corned beef hash etc etc.) I've got bonjela, nurofen and calpol for any pain. Vaseline for dry lips. Am I forgetting anything?

[vjg13]

Sugar free mints for the drooling!

[vjg13]

My daughter is doing really well with hers, but still takes it out to eat most meals. She will eat soft things like rice pudding with it in so hopefully in time.

[ScarlettDarling]

Right vjg will pick them up!

How is your daughter getting on?

[ScarlettDarling]

Ha, cross post!
Glad she's doing well. Wish it was this time next week and we had the first week over!

[vjg13]

Really just the first 2 or 3 days. My daughter had to read out in class on Friday (got it on Wed) and felt ok about it. Did you get him to watch any of the YouTube videos?