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Original poster

Twin block braces

33 replies

MistressMouse · 05/07/2019 15:22

Oh my god, my poor teen had these fitted today. He is dribbling. He can’t talk. He can’t eat. His friends are laughing at him and calling him names and he’s very upset. So upset he cried in my arms. He’s to wear them 23 hours a day for the next 6-9 months.
I know it’s only day 1 but, dear god in heaven, how is he to cope? How am I to cope? Anyone through this and survived? Anyone going through it? I’m on the brink of taking them out and cancelling the whole treatment. He is almost 14 and has a “traumatic overbite.”

OP posts:
TeenTimesTwo · 05/07/2019 15:26

His friends don't sound very 'friendly'.

He needs to keep them in except when brushing his teeth, and take pain killers. He'll get used to them in a few days / a week.
Soup, ice cream, whatever, then chop up favourite food small, then back to normal (bar toffee etc).

DD had these as part of her orthodontic work.

monsieurmarius · 05/07/2019 15:29

I had these - they were fine but take a few days to adjust. You take them out to eat don't you?

RagingWhoreBag · 05/07/2019 15:37

DD has these. Nobody has taken the piss except her brother on day one who didn’t realise she had them and said “why is DD talking like ‘lish’ (this)” and got promptly told off!

His friends are just being rude and the novelty will wear off once they get used to it. DD learned to talk in them quickly but it did knock her confidence for a little while.

They’re awful, but they do work if you wear them all the time - her jaw has grown enough in a few months for her to stop wearing them soon and it’s made a huge difference to her smile. He’ll soon get used to it.

We’re so lucky to have this density for free in the UK, it would be daft to abandon the whole treatment at this point because some of his mates are idiots!

RagingWhoreBag · 05/07/2019 15:38

Dentistry not density - stupid phone!

Oblomov19 · 05/07/2019 15:41

I'm sure it's hard at the beginning but he'll get used to it. my DS1 would love to have braces but his aren't bad enough to qualify and I wish I too had had braces as well.

applepieicecream · 05/07/2019 15:43

It's hard at the start but they get used to it really quickly and they work super fast. The speech gets better and mine doesn't eat with them in. Once they see them working they're more inclined to wear them. Once they get used to them and can speak you can barely notice them

TeenTimesTwo · 05/07/2019 15:43

You keep them in to eat.
DD's orthodontist said something like when you are eating is when your mouth is doing most work so its the most beneficial time to have them in. (I think).

scullie · 05/07/2019 15:46

Agree with pp. My son had these and quickly got used to them. They have absolutely transformed his massive overbite. The time goes by speedily and he's now got the fixed brace fitted along with many other teens. It's not such a big deal, and remind him that when he's got beautiful perfect teeth for free in a year or two he'll be the one that's laughing Smile

LonelyPiggy · 05/07/2019 15:46

The most important thing is to eat with them in - loads of teens take them out as eating is tricky, but he will be out of them twice as fast if he can get used to it....

Spooksandchocolatecake · 05/07/2019 15:46

He'll get used to them In less than a week...on the other hand I think the more pressing issue is to get him some nice friends

scullie · 05/07/2019 15:47

@TeenTimesTwo they come out to eat, or ours did anyway. They nearly ended up in the bin many a time wrapped in what looked like a used napkin!

TeenTimesTwo · 05/07/2019 15:50

Perhaps eating depends on how blocky they are?
Or how firm the orthodontist is on the benefits.
Certainly keeping them in means you can't lose them!

JaneEyreAgain · 05/07/2019 15:51

It will get better!!! I promise!

If he is in pain, it is worth seeing an osteopath who can help relieve the pain and according to the research, can help speed things up and ensure that the changes are not reversed when the treatment stops.

Poor boy, but really, it will get easier.

scullie · 05/07/2019 15:55

Agreed, depends on how blocky! My Ds couldn't get his teeth together with them in so they had to be removed to eat. The losing of them was a constant concern!

ExpletiveDelighted · 05/07/2019 15:59

My DD couldn't eat with hers in, but they have still worked, she's about to switch to fixed ones now. It was only the first few days that were seriously uncomfortable, then a little bit whenever they were adjusted.

Pekkanekka · 05/07/2019 17:38

Did had these, but when she was in y6/7. She had huge overbite and had to wear the block braces for 18 months before having a fixed brace.

Tbh my dd wouldn't wear hers to school, so she put them in when she got home and wore them during the night. It still worked for her luckily and she has perfect teeth now.

RagingWhoreBag · 05/07/2019 18:53

DD was told to take them out to eat - ortho said she can’t understand how anyone can eat with them in! But given that’s only for an hour a day, she still wears them for 23 hrs a day. Taking them out at school might be an idea but it is going to take longer for it to work, which is a shame based on nasty comments from some idiots.

SunshineP · 05/07/2019 19:49

The first few days are the worst and then it settles. Even when it’s tightened it’s never as bad. My kids both have Calpol for a few days and very soft food.
I’m sorry his friends are being mean but he will probably have the best teeth out of all of them.
Once of my children is 3 years into treatment and her teeth were awful. The transformation has been astonishing. I’m hoping this year she might finally finish treatment but I suspect it will be the full four years.

Original poster
MistressMouse · 05/07/2019 21:44

Want to thank you all. He’s taking them out for meals but back in after. He’s a bit weepy and unsettled so we’ve agreed to just try and get by day by day, or portions of the day. I forgot about bedtime though, sleep might be tricky.

OP posts:
ExpletiveDelighted · 05/07/2019 21:48

Mine was told to aim for wearing them 20 hours + and that less than 15 wouldn't work. She takes them out to eat and most days for an hour or so for one of her hobbies (swimming and singing in a choir), also for hockey at school, we could see the difference very quickly.

Original poster
MistressMouse · 05/07/2019 21:53

I was told 23 hours. That’s interesting about the 15 hours Expletive.

OP posts:
Mrsmorton · 05/07/2019 21:57

There's a huge thread on here if you have a search. They're a superb alternative to highly unpleasant surgery (Ex dentist speaking). Hang in there. It's so worth it.

Todaythiscouldbe · 05/07/2019 22:04

There are other options if he can't get used to them. DS couldn't get used to them at all and we gave up after 3 weeks. He has perfect teeth now (had a huge overbite and protruding top teeth)

Pekkanekka · 05/07/2019 22:27

My dd wouldn't wear them at school
at all and definitely didn't when eating... this meant she had to wear them as soon as she got in from school and all night, which was fine. They worked very well still and then she moved on to fixed braces.

applepieicecream · 05/07/2019 23:04

The most important thing is to eat with them in

We were told to absolutely not eat with them in

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