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Original poster

Twin Block Braces - Any Advice?

440 replies

Shar0769 · 25/01/2012 14:28

Hi
First post to Mumsnet, so please bear with me Confused

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. Shock

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

Thanks.

OP posts:
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23
ChameleonCircuit · 25/03/2016 20:39

Thanks for thinking of her, Scarlett. She's not done too badly today, still taking them out to eat, but she's managed without pain relief. She's just having supper, then it's teeth brushed, and blocks back in. I've told her to have some calpol before bed, as a just in case measure, in the hope she can keep them in all night without waking. Fingers crossed!

ScarlettDarling · 25/03/2016 21:21

She's doing really well. My son had pain relief for 3 or 4 days! Good idea to give Calpol before bed, hope she sleeps well.

ChameleonCircuit · 26/03/2016 08:11

FIRST ALL NIGHTER!!!!!!! [runs round room with shirt over head>

Can you tell I'm proud of her?! Grin

ScarlettDarling · 26/03/2016 08:20

Haha...I know exactly how you feel!

When ds ate his first meal with them in I was so proud you'd think he'd won an Olympic gold or something!

Well done your dd!

ScarlettDarling · 30/03/2016 13:04

How's everyone getting on with their blocks?

Ds's sore patch is lots better...he still has the large white sore but it doesn't hurt him anymore so we're ok with that!

ChameleonCircuit · 30/03/2016 14:20

Hi Scarlett. Glad your DS's sore isn't painful anymore. It makes a big difference, being pain free. We did the first expansion on Sunday as advised by the orthodontist. She spent Sunday afternoon in a grump, but has adjusted really well after that. She's sleeping ok with them in, but has yet to eat with them in. She has noticed that her jaw is already changing, though. Her back teeth don't meet like they did, and she can no longer fit her finger between her top and bottom set (over jet has decreased dramatically already)

Is the white patch on your DS's mouth something that might be helped by orthodontic wax or that Iglu stuff?

ScarlettDarling · 30/03/2016 21:34

Hi Chameleon...the wax didn't help with this sore. It's the plastic of the bottom brace which is rubbing and we can't get the wax to stick to it. It's not hurting anymore though so we're assuming the skin must have toughened up!

So glad your dd is pain free now and coping well. It's amazing that you can see progress so soon, what a great motivation to carry on.

My ds doesn't have to do adjustments or expansions on his brace...don't know if he'll have to at a later date. We don't see the ortho til mid May so we'll ask then.

Mumtofour39 · 01/04/2016 10:38

Hi all, glad everyone's ds/dd are coping well with the twin blocks. Yesterday my ds had his fixed braces fitted and the twin blocks went in the binGrin. He's woke up with toothache today but coping ok so far. must admit I'm nervous about the fixed now, he plays football and often ends up on the ground. I've ordered a mouth guard for him to wear in PE. Think he's going to find the eating rules tough for a while though. Good luck everyone with the rest of the twin block journey x

ScarlettDarling · 01/04/2016 12:41

Good luck mumtofour ! Bet your ds was pleased to bin the blocks! Have the blocks made a real difference to your son's profile/jawline? My ds's face shape is so much better when he has his blocks in...I'm really hoping that's what the end result will look like.

Mumtofour39 · 01/04/2016 13:25

Hi Scarlett thanks so much! Yes looking back at old photos i can definitely see a change. The slight goofiness has now gone,it's made him look really grown up to be honest! I'm just glad his front teeth now have less risk of trauma,he had already banged his mouth and chipped one of his front teeth slightly on holiday last year.
Best of luck Hun, all be over before you know it. X

vjg13 · 01/04/2016 13:59

Getting rid of the twin blocks must have been fantastic mumtofour! My daughter is only 1 month in, so a way to go yet. How long will your son have the train tracks? And what are the eating rules?

Mumtofour39 · 01/04/2016 15:35

Hi vjg13 Thankyou! It will soon fly for your dd. My ds will have the fixed braces in for 12-18 mth. There's lots of foods he can't eat like hard bread,sweets chewing gum, mints,ice, apples, things like hard meat. To be honest I'm terrified of him snapping the brackets off! My dd has had fixed braces on since December but she's really on the ball with things,my ds is a bit of a dream and needs constant reminders! X

ScarlettDarling · 04/04/2016 21:13

Aargh! Ds has broken a wire on the front of the bottom brace. He can still wear it but I'm going to have to ring the orthodontist first thing about getting it fixed.

Does anyone know if these small repairs are usually done 'in house' or if it will have to be sent away? He's already panicking about not being able to wear it for weeks while it's being repaired and losing all the progress he's made!

vjg13 · 06/04/2016 06:44

Oh no! Did they fix it for him?

ScarlettDarling · 06/04/2016 09:09

Yes they did, they just snipped the whole front wire off and tightened the back clips, it's fine.

How's your dd getting on?

vjg13 · 06/04/2016 09:35

That's a relief. My daughter is doing fine, still doesn't really wear it to eat though which will probably mean she has it longer.

She has her first check up at the end of the month so fingers crossed they see a good difference.

ScarlettDarling · 08/04/2016 09:54

Yes it was a relief. The brace actually fits much better now the back clips have been tightened. He says it feels much more secure and it's easier to eat. He eats nearly everything with it in now, apart from chocolate! He says that chocolate just gets clogged up behind the plastic bits and he can't even taste it. So he takes it out for Easter eggs!

ScarlettDarling · 08/04/2016 09:55

Let us know how your daughter gets on at her check up. My son isn't being seen until mid May. Can you see a difference?

vjg13 · 08/04/2016 11:41

I will, not sure if I can see a difference, her profile looks slightly changed but her teeth don't bite together properly on one side at the back and that is the same in my non dental opinion Confused. She has an ankylosed tooth at the back (stuck to the bone) so that is part of the problem and she sees the consultant about that in a few weeks too.

ScarlettDarling · 08/04/2016 12:21

It's really early days I suppose. I love the way my son looks with the braces in, I'm really hoping that the finished result will be like that!

Good look with your dd's appointments.

vjg13 · 27/04/2016 12:25

ScarlettDarling My daughter saw a consultant dentist and consultant orthodontist this week about her ankylosed tooth and their consensus was to leave it in, big relief since it would have been a surgical extraction under general anaesthetic.

She was seen at the orthodontist today and the twin blocks are working well, her over jet has reduced by 4mm, the technician said she was half way there. They tightened the lower one and the top a little. Back there in 10 weeks, mid July Smile.

ScarlettDarling · 30/04/2016 22:41

vjg I've just seen your post, what great news! You must be so relieved to not have to worry about your dd having that extraction.

4 mm progress in a couple of months sounds like amazing progress, bet you were both thrilled! Can you see a big difference in her teeth/profile? How lovely to be told that she's half way there!

My son has his appointment on 12th may, really hope he's made such good progress as your daughter. I'll let you know!

vjg13 · 01/05/2016 15:05

Thank you, we are really pleased. Hope you get on well at your son's appointment too.

ScarlettDarling · 12/05/2016 19:02

vjg13 Hi, if you're still around!

My son had his appointment today and in 10 weeks his overjet has reduced by 6 mm! We're thrilled. He now has a key to turn once a week to expand the palate to get his back teeth to meet again.

Our next appointment isn't until mid August. I'm a bit worried that's too long and his teeth will be over corrected by then!

Hope your dd is still getting on well?

vjg13 · 13/05/2016 17:47

Fabulous news, that is a really great improvement! My daughter has to use her key twice a week but that's been from the start.

I know exactly what you mean about over correction worries, we couldn't go the week they wanted to the next appointment and so it is a week or so later and it crossed my mind!

My daughter is doing well still.