ortho wants me to clench as hard as i can please help

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#1 Post by **59fifty** » Sun May 17, 2009 1:07 pm

i have a small overbite and a tiny triangle gap in my front teeth which is the only reason i can think of why the ortho wants me to clench my teeth as hard as i can for 4 hours a day

he didnt say why but i trust him cuz hes a great ortho. but my teeth start to hurt from clenching so hard..is this really ok?

#2 Post by **bbsadmin** » Sun May 17, 2009 1:43 pm

That sounds really strange to me. Couldn't you wind up with a lot of jaw pain from clenching hard for that many hours per day? You should definitely ask him why he wants you to do this and what it will accomplish.

#3 Post by **59fifty** » Sun May 17, 2009 6:47 pm

when i had a gap in my teeth from an expander she also told me to bite down but i never did becuz i forget

now i just rememberd >< so i guess its not the first time ive been told to clench

also he said the longer the better >< right now my bottom row of teeth has become sensitive and cant really bite into chips any more

#4 Post by **Andromeda** » Sun May 17, 2009 7:19 pm

Hmmm that does sound really strange. I am wearing elastics and they pull my jaws together really tight so it's basically like involuntary clenching and yes my teeth get pretty sensitive from the clenching as well. My jaw muscles get sore from trying to pull against the elastics to keep my teeth apart so I usually just give in and let it clench. I dont' know why your ortho would tell you to clench on your own though - I imagine it would be pretty difficult to do. I'd definitely give a call and ask for a reason.

#5 Post by **ReneG** » Sun May 17, 2009 7:29 pm

My lower teeth have been slow to move in to close the extraction gaps. At my last appointment, he added in powerchains to the wire springs and suggested that I bite down more often to simulate chewing. He said that the increased blood circulation may help speed up movement. I asked if I should start chewing gum and he said that while he has patients who do and miraculously don't get gum stuck around the brackets/wires, it's up to me.

He didn't say clench which is quite different from just biting down.

#6 Post by **59fifty** » Mon May 18, 2009 11:07 am

surprisingly im seeing amazing results
the gap is slowly but surely looking smaller

and my over bite is shrinking

the gap was noticeable from far away but now i can only tell if i look at an angle

however ithink i have to keep doing this so they stabalize and dont move back, either way i am seeing results