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.

[ScarlettDarling]

We're watching them tonight!!

He seems ok about it all, I'm dreading it but not letting on.

I'll update tomorrow!

[ScarlettDarling]

Oh my goodness, what a traumatic day, I feel wrung out. Ds got his blocks in at lunchtime and burst into tears as soon as we left the orthodontist. We couldn't understand a word he said at first, but that has improved somewhat, although still not at all clear. He's been in a lot of pain. His whole jaw is aching and he has 2 v tender spots where the cribs are digging into his gums. Wrapping wax round the crib wires have helped a bit with that, as well as a dose of calpol and a dose of nurofen.

I feel so sad for him. He looks so down and is clearly in a lot of pain. He managed soup and ice cream at lunch time with them in, but nearly choked on fish pie at teatime. I caved and let him take them out which put a smile on his face! He couldn't wait to go to swimming tonight as he gets to take them out for that too!

Please reassure me that it'll be ok. The drooling was horrific for the first couple of hours. He was producing too much saliva to even swallow and had to keep spitting it into a tissue, but that has calmed down a bit. I have decided that I'm not going to force him to eat in them. We'll let him (hopefully!) get used to them and when they aren't painful any more, tackle the eating then.

Aaaaargh! Hand hold and reassurance needed!!

[ScarlettDarling]

Keep looking at the plaster cast of his teeth to remind myself why we're putting him through this. When he's got his blocks in, his profile and jaw line looks so much better. Surely it'll be worth it?

[ScarlettDarling]

Asleep for the last 10 minutes, hope he has a few good hours at least!

[vjg13]

Oh no, sorry to hear he was so upset. The drooling was much better on the second day for my daughter and speech improved over the next few. 'S' sound is lispy but not so much as it was and she can only eat very soft food wearing them. I think removing them to eat is fair enough and then try to build up to it, that's my plan anyway! Fingers crossed for you for tomorrow, is he going to school?

[madmother1]

I felt awful the first night my DD got her braces at 15. They are normal braces. But things have settled down now and in 6 weeks her teeth are already looking straighter. Stick with that thought that he will have beautiful teeth by the end of it.

[ScarlettDarling]

Well, he seems to have slept all night, I'm just hoping the bloody blocks have stayed in! I feel so wobbly and sad this morning-ridiculous I know- and hardly slept a wink. I have anxiety issues and this has definitely caused a flare up for me. So I'm going to hoik up my big girl pants and paste on a smile before he gets up.

Told him last night he can stay off school if he needs to, ( before yesterday afternoon he hadn't had any time off in 3 years,) but he said he wanted to go in to distract himself. I'm wondering if it might be because he's got PE and an after school sports club where he'll be allowed to take the ghastly things off!!

Hey ho, another day.

[vjg13]

Sorry to hear you had a bad night, it is really encouraging that your son slept well though and wants to go into school. It will definitely take his mind of it and help him adjust.

[HesMyLobster]

It will get better, I promise! It's brilliant that he slept well.
I can't recommend highly enough reading and singing out loud to get speech back as quickly as possible.

Also, eating proper food with them in makes them so much more effective, and can seriously reduce the overall time they have to wear them for (nearly halved for my DD) so its really worth persevering with eating.

I hope he has a good day today - good on him for going to school.

[SugarPlumTree]

Hang in there Scarlett. The first few days were a nightmare with DD but it soon improved. She had train tracks after so treatment did go on a fair while but the other day a friend said out of all the children locally who had various braces, DD's were without doubt the most impressive improvement and how lovely they are now. She's right, they do look good and I would never have thought they could be like that.

[ScarlettDarling]

Thanks so much for the reassurances, they really help. He's had an ok day at school, was in real pain before lunchtime but he had a couple of nurofen meltlets and then got to take it out for PE, so that helped. He said no one took much notice of it, certainly no nasty comments, phew.

He's aching again now but isn't due any calpol or nurofen so we're trying distraction techniques. Aargh!!

[ScarlettDarling]

Still having a bit of a nightmare. Aching jaw and lots of ulcers and sore patches. The wax definitely helps a bit with those but his whole mouth and jaw is sore.

[vjg13]

Is he still taking pain killers? superdrug have some good own brand mouth ulcer pastilles and treatment for sore gums. It will improve this week, I promise!

[ScarlettDarling]

Thanks vjg , had a bit of a breakthrough today...haven't needed any painkillers do far! He says the pain is about a 2 or 3 out of 10 today...lots better than it has been.

His tongue is ulcered and sore where the hard ridge of the plastic palate rubs on it, but salt mouth rinses have helped a bit. I'll try some mouth ulcer pastilles, good idea as he hates bonjela. No chance of eating with them in at min but even with taking them out for meals and snacks he's doing about 22 hours a day which I don't think is bad at this early stage.

How's your daughter doing with them?

[vjg13]

She's doing really well. She is eating some meals with them in but not all, depending on what she's having and taking them out for lunch at school. She has a sore spot too where the bottom one has compressed her gum.

I do think her teeth seem to align better already at the back but that could be wishful thinking!

[ScarlettDarling]

Glad she's getting on well. Have you tried the brace wax wrapped round the wire that's compressing her gum? That's worked well in a couple of tender spots for ds.

When my ds wears his brace, his front teeth don't look at all 'goofy'. With his jaw aligned, his teeth actually look straight! Gives me hope that these horrid things will be worth all the angst!

[ScarlettDarling]

Well, I think we've turned a corner!

Yesterday and today I have my happy son back. He's loud and bouncy again instead of down in the dumps, what a relief!

The pain is practically gone, down to 0.5 out of 10 according to my very specific ds! And the sore patches and ulcers are better too.

He's still taking them out to eat, although has managed stuff like tuna sandwiches and bananas with them in. So we're going to now start working on that.

How's your dd getting on vjg ? And anyone else who is going through the hell of twin blocks?!

[vjg13]

Great news. Really pleased for you. My daughter is doing well, very good about cleaning them and using the key!

She is trying to eat more with them in, manages breakfast and soft food like pasta ok. Ate toast today for the first time with them in this morning.When does your son have his next appointment Scarlett? My daughter's is at the end of April.

[ScarlettDarling]

My son's appointment is May 12th, would be great if theres some progress by then.

We don't have a key...wonder why?

So glad your daughter is still doing well. Maybe it'll be ok after all

[vjg13]

The key turns a tiny screw in the top one, it must alter it very slightly each time and she has do it twice a week.

It is amazing how well kids can adjust to wearing these braces. I had a removable top brace only and was a bit of a drama queen about it!

[Mumtofour39]

Hi all. Glad the twin blocks are settling down for everyone. My son only had the key for first 8 weeks, then we was told not to use it anymore. I couldn't believe the gap it created between his front teeth and how fast it was created. We had an unexpected visit to ortho yesterday as my sons bottom piece has become so loose and didn't fit anymore. It was altered for him and whilst there asked about progress. He had them fitted 16/12/15 (over jet of 5mm) on the 9/3/16 it's reduced by 4mm. He gets fixed braces 31/3/16.
I was looking back at some photos before the twin blocks and can definitely see the difference now in his profile and the slightly 'goofy' front teeth has gone.
My son is still getting the odd ulcer and still has a pressure sore spot from the bottom brace. good luck everyone with the journey x

[ScarlettDarling]

Mumtofour that's great news, bet you're thrilled. Your son must be over the moon!

My ds is doing really well. One week on and he's so much more positive about them. He ate his first full meal in them today which was brilliant. Some foods are still a struggle though, anything which goes 'mushy' seems to stick to the top palate and drag it out as he eats. He had to take them out for pancakes at breakfast time as the top part kept getting dragged out. I'm wondering if it's a bit too loose and may need adjusting? We'll wait and see for a while though, it could just be he needs to adjust his eating technique!

Let us know how he gets on with the fixed braces.

[Mumtofour39]

Thankyou scarlettDarling, we are really pleased with the progress. Will definitely let you know how the fixed braces go!. Your ds sounds like he's doing really well, I think if they eat with them in the braces do become loose after a while. My ds has had his adjusted twice since January. Good luck with the rest of the twin block journey x

[vjg13]

That is so encouraging to hear Mumtofour, as a twin block newbie! How long did the orthodontist initially say he would have his twin blocks for?

My FIL was round last night and saying how awful my daughter's is , which really doesn't help. Just hope she missed it because she was out of the room.

[Mumtofour39]

Hi Vjg13 initially we was told between 6-9 months with the Twinblocks. His overjet was 5mm so not too bad,but as he's wore it 24/7 its cut the time down. Keep going Hun,I pre warned all family and friends not to say anything negative. Keep strong and it will soon be over for her. Sounds like she's doing really well. X