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.

Hi, im so pleased I've found this post. My son (10) had his braces put on yesterday and neither of us are copying well. I can't stop crying knowing how upset he is. I seem to have lost my happy, smiley little boy.

I am so worried about him going back to school on Tuesday and whether the kids will tease him because he can't talk, smile or laugh, but mainly it's breaking my heart just seeing him so unhappy. Is there anything I can do to help him get used to them or be less uncomfortable? Xx

Hi joanna I completely know how you're feeling...when my son first got his, I was heart broken. We both cried and he was so very down for a few days. But...it improved incredibly quickly. Within a couple of days, the pain and speech were fine. He was used to it within a week and now eats everything with it in. Best of all, his teeth look absolutely amazing! At his 10 week check, his 10 mm overjet had decreased by 6 mm and in the few weeks since then, I can tell it's improved even further.

His teeth really look pretty perfect to me now, and if you scroll up a bit you'll see a pic of the plaster cast of his teeth which I posted at the beginning of the twin blocks journey (only 12/13 weeks ago!!) which shows just how far he's come! He now has a key to expand the plastic palate to help his back teeth to meet as they shifted as his jaw aligned, but honestly, we are beyond thrilled with the results already!

Please encourage your son to persevere. If it's still hurting in a few days then go back to the ortho and they'll adjust it. My best piece of advice is to wear it as much as possible and he really will adjust to it super quickly. Keep your chin up. I know how sad you're feeling and it's horrible, but this time next week I promise that things will be very different.

Thank you for your reply. We have made it through the weekend!! Thankfully he has a inset day tomorrow, so an extra day to learn to speak! I'm really worried about him going to school though:-(

My sons overbite is very similar 11mm, but I've never thought about it being a lower jaw issue, just thought his top teeth needed to be pushed back, so this has taken me by surprise and how it forces his chin out, he looks very strange:-( is the position of the chin/jaw with the braces in where they will end up?? I have attached a before and after photo and his face looks so different (I prefer the before) so I'm really hoping he isn't going to be left looking as he does with the brace in?!

In fairness he has coped so well and has worn it pretty much all the time except eating and we tie this in to teeth cleaning, so it minimises the amount of times it's taken in and out. We've also made a count down calendar, with milestones! The first one was Saturday so he got a surprise trip out, I figured he needed something to work towards and look forward to!!

This has been one of the hardest moments of parenting to date, but I have stopped crying now!!!

I'm really pleased your sons brace has worked so well, I shall stroll back and have a look for the photos. What are the next stages for your son or is that it now??

Thank you again for the reply xxx

Don't be worried about him going to school. Hardly anybody even commented on my son's brace, and those who did certainly weren't mean. It's a five minute wonder anyway, kids are so accepting of braces these days.

I too was surprised when the orthodontist explained that this brace worked by encouraging the lower jaw to move forwards. I'd never heard of twin blocks and had just assumed ds would get a fixed brace to move his top front teeth back. I think the finished result is a toned down version of what they look like with the blocks in...a stronger jawline but without that 'full mouth' look!

My son isn't finished yet, he's only 12 weeks in and doesn't have another appointment for about 10 weeks. His teeth are improving so quickly that I'm starting to worry that they'll be over corrected by then. He now has a key to turn once weekly to expand the upper palate of the brave to expand his upper jaw. This should help his back teeth to meet properly again, as the rapid movement of his jaw has meant that his teeth don't meet properly.

Good luck to you and your son. I totally understand how you're feeling. I remember saying to my Dh in the first week that it had been my most testing week of parenting. It feels a bit silly now because we are so used to them. Let us know how your son gets on at school.

Hi, I have just found this site and have been reading through some of the posts.
My daughter has just been fitted with twin block braces the other day.
I too have been a bit shocked at the mouth full of plastic.
She has been very tearful as it is affecting her speech, and is painful. Had to give her analgesia last night 😕
I feel so upset for her but keep telling her it will be worth it, but can't bear her being upset and not wanting to talk.
She is struggling to drink with it in, let alone eat! I know it's early days but it seems like she will never cope. Feel so bad for putting her through this. X

Here is our experience of Twin blocks
They are bulky and hard to get used to.
We were told they are used to sort jaw position out and fixed braces then used to straighten teeth.
It is normal to make loads of saliva when they are first fitted this is because your body thinks you have food in your mouth and is trying to digest it.
The excess saliva can make the wearer feel nauseous.
The braces can also feel tight and make teeth and cheeks ache.
Initially speech can also be difficult as your tongue gets used to the braces being in the mouth.
It's best to keep the brace in if you can and just take out for cleaning.
Keeping it in at first helps your body get used to the brace and the unpleasant feelings of making too much spit and feeling sick soon passes. (24-48 hrs).
Taking the brace in and out, prolongs the unpleasant sensations.
Reading outloud, singing or just chatting as much as you can in the first 24 hours or so, also helps with speech and helps your tongue get used to the brace.
Face may look a bit strained and stretched at first. This soon sorts out as the jaw relaxes into the new brace position.
Some patients need pain relief, some don't. You know your own child and their discomfort levels.
Eating with the brace in helps the brace work, so everything apart from sticky foods which wreak braces, should be cut up into small squares and munched.
May be obvious but both braces have to be in the mouth at the same time.
The brace works best if the blocks are fitted together correctly and the lips closed, if the mouth is relaxed and hung open the brace isn't working.
Great brace works really well if worn correctly and makes a big difference to the jaw alignment.
My kids moaned for the first week but then said it was like new shoes you soon get used to them.
Good luck!

Hello, my son (11) has had twin blocks for 10 days. He has survived the jaw ache, dribble, and speech problems but now has a really sore mouth..the part underneath his tongue is really sore and looks ragged/torn and he has an ulcer in front of it. Is this 'normal' part of getting used to braces or should I be worried they are ill-fitting?

Hi frances my son had the same. His mouth did soon toughen up. Warm salt water mouth washes helped. As did dental wax over the metal cribs which dug in. Hope your dc is over the worst now?

Vjg don't know if you're still around but how is your daughter getting on? My son's teeth look beautiful, we are so thrilled. His smile is perfect! His back teeth don't meet together though so I think he'll need to carry on for a while yet. He hasn't been to the orthodontist since May. He goes next Thursday and I'm really interested to hear what they say! Hope you're getting on well?

Hi Sacarlett, my daughter's teeth sound similar, it all looks better but she still has an open bite at the back on one side. She was seen in July and is next back there in September. The top one is at the maximum and so she no longer has to turn the key, that finished at the start of July. She is keen to get rid of them though and move on to the train track type.

Good luck for Thursday!

Frances, my daughter found Superdrug mouth ulcer pastilles soothing when she had similar and it did clear up.

Hello and thanks for your comments, I sent orthodontist pics and he called my son back in straight away. He ended up shaving a huge amount of the plastic off the bottom brace and my son had immediate relief so I can only guess that they were not fitted correctly on first appt. All fine now, son loves them and for the first time smiles with teeth on show

Ah that's great Frances. The ortho took a lot off my son's on the first fitting appointment, said they always make them too bulky. Honestly, it's amazing how quickly they make a difference!

Hi vjg, do you think your daughter will definitely need fixed braces? Think my son is hoping he won't need them. His teeth look beautifully straight now but I don't know if he'll need fixed braces to help with the back teeth not meeting? Guess we'll have a better idea after his app next week. So glad your daughter is getting on well.

Scarlett, The orthodontist said at the start that it would be 3 stages, approximately 9 months with the twin blocks and then 18 months of fixed braces and then a retainer. Not very sure what the retainer wearing involves but that seems a long way off!

Glad you got it sorted out Frances and your son is doing well.

Well, after today's ortho appointment my son only has to wear his blocks at night! He has no overjet any more,( his teeth are 'tip to tip'), and by wearing the blocks less, his bite should settle and the back teeth should hopefully begin to meet again.

We are thrilled!

Going back in 12 weeks. If the back teeth aren't moving enough then they will discuss a fixed brace. Can't believe what a difference 6 months has made!

First time poster, hello! My DD went this morning, after two years of on and off 'I want it - wait no I don't!' Sigh! Kids.

She felt confident going but we've had the tears and tantrums already. Pain and lisp wise, it really does not seem to bother her. But her profile she detests and with school starting in a week exactly shes terrified of comments from peers. Her jaw almost looks as if it points out, and looks bulky and unnatural. Does this go away? If so how long until it does. I fear for her sanity since she get's very worried about these types of things. I'm afraid she'll simply take them out at school - which completely eliminates the purpose of them. Glad that the lisp and pain don't bother her - she's a trooper when it comes to pain at least and actually finds lisps weirdly cute. She had a lisp until age 7 anyway so I think it's old news now. Thanks a ton!

There is a 'script' that goes with twin block braces - it's the virtually same for every child ........
Step 1 - Day 1 in the dentist chair - TOTAL Shock - can believe how huge they are/They'll never fit in/child can't even shut her mouth/looks deformed/the overbite wasn't that bad in fact we don't notice it - they don't need these awful braces surely etc etc = parent & child in tears.
Step 2 - constant drool, can't speak properly & in pain = parent and child in tears ...... child insistent they remove them & parent in total quandary
Step 3 - drooling diminishes, speech improves but child & parent notice 'ridiculous' looking profile .....looks like the bottom jaw is thrusting forward - totally unacceptable ......looks 'deformed' = child and parent in tears (& child angry!)
All leads to step 4 - how the hell can they go to school like this??? They'll be teased/bullied etc = child in tears/furious/refuses etc and parent in nightmare situation.......

Now for the good news 😄
Step 5 - school friends are sympathetic / nice/don't really care and actually after the first day or so it's never mentioned again!! (After all, if a child is going to bully another child, they'll do it - no brace needed as an excuse) A few kids may make an unkind comment but basically it's forgotten/ignored.

Step 6 - about 6 weeks in the 'weird' profile suddenly doesn't look weird anymore. Parent still in frenzy of worry - child pretty much resigned to them & ok.

Step 7 - 6 months check up ..... "OMG!! Can't believe how we didn't notice the overbite before ....... Child looks great"
Step 8 - 9 months later - "WOW!! I'm so glad we did this" 😄😄😄😄

Hang on in there!!! It's soooooo worth it honestly!!

Effic, thanks that's helped me a ton! Honestly still terrified for her when she goes back to school since some girls in her class aren't the friendliest. I think these fixed braces will also mean she'll have to stop beauty pageants for the year - but I'm not complaining there lol. I suppose in the end it'll be worth it and I think I'll have a good talk tonight with her and lether have a good cry. Maybe bribe a bit with makeup or something. It is only the first day afterall. Thanks again!

Fantastic news Scarlett! You must all be so pleased! Will let you know how my daughter gets on in September, am really hoping she is ready for the fixed braces.

Effic, that is SO true

Elliemay, it will get better!

Things are already looking up! Let my DD read through this discussion a bit which really motivated her and then after a nap and pep talk she feels a lot better. Still no pain or drooling which is great and it'll hopefully stay like that - even the lisp has gotten somewhat better. She did take out the brace for dinner but was able to eat a banana with them in afterwards. Really glad things are looking up - todays been an emotional rollercoaster with gcse results and braces! Sigh it'll be all worth it in the end. Good luck to everyone else - mad respect for all mums who've had it their children with it even longer. :)

Re-joining this thread. Although ds has been free of twin blocks for a year and since on fixed braces, his upper midline is still slightly offset. Has anyone had to band from one upper tooth to opposing lower tooth at night ? He's off to uni in a few weeks and had hoped things couldn't get any worse...

Hi vjg, how did your dd get on with the ortho last month? Did she get her fixed braces?

Scarlett, I changed the appointment so she goes next week now. Fingers crossed, she has had the twin blocks 8 months now and although she does well she is keen to get rid of them

Hope you get the news you want next week! Let me know how it goes. My son back in November to see if he needs fixed braces or if his back teeth are moving together with only wearing the blocks at night. It'll all be worth it when they have cracking smiles!

She was seen today and now only needs to wear the twin blocks at night, she will be going back in 3 months, that was the good news part!

It was complicated by an ankylosed tooth she has which they want to refer her for again, she was seen at the dental hospital and we were told it did not need to be removed but apparently it is worse now. It would be a surgical extraction under GA which we want to avoid.

Good news that she only has to wear the blocks at night. Is she over the moon with how her teeth are looking?

Sorry to hear she's got complications with the ankylosed tooth. That won't have been what you wanted to hear. Hope you get some good news about that when the referral comes through.

She is pleased with the news butI think she is just very stressed about the possible tooth extraction. She has never had any dental treatment and the thought of a general anaesthetic worries her (and me!).

The tooth looks like it hasn't erupted properly and is stuck to the bone. It is at the back but could be reabsorbed somehow and cause problems. My husband was at the appointment today and said they didn't seem to find her notes saying she had already had a consultant dentist and consultant orthodontist look at it, so I'm going to get the secretary to resend the letter. Our dog has chewed our copy and it has holes in!