Metal Mouth Message Board

Has anyone else found themselves clenching their teeth since getting braced?

I don't think I did it before braces, never really noticed & my dentist or ortho have never mentioned it, but recently I wake up in a morning & I can feel i've been doing it & my teeth ache. I sometimes wake up & i'm still doing it. I find myself doing it whilst awake on occassions too.

Feel like i'm gurning lol

Anyone else experiencing this?

I hope it stops I don't want to ruin my nashers

I would clench my teeth together when I was sleeping for about the first 3 months. I would wake up in the middle of the night and my teeth would be really sore. It bothered me when it was happening and I was worried it wouldn't go away either. I'm not exactly sure when it stopped, but I haven't done it for at least a couple of months now. I think I did it because my bite had changed so much that if I didn't clench my teeth together, my mouth would open while I was sleeping. I was really glad when it stopped. Hopefully it won't last much longer for you.

Oh yes. I do that now, since I have in the braces. I don't know what causes it, but sometimes I unclench at night and feel the pain from unknowingly having it clamped down for some time. I do it as well during waking hours especially when I'm concentrating on something really hard. It's painful when I release though, so I need to work on that. How? Not sure

llehsal wrote:Oh yes. I do that now, since I have in the braces. I don't know what causes it, but sometimes I unclench at night and feel the pain from unknowingly having it clamped down for some time. I do it as well during waking hours especially when I'm concentrating on something really hard. It's painful when I release though, so I need to work on that. How? Not sure

I do the exact same thing! Who knew we were all experiencing this?!?

I've noticed that I clench my teeth at night too. It varies. There's been a few mornings where, as soon as I've woken up, my jaw just does this weird little involuntary tremor, like it's loosening up again. Kinda like when you get the chills and you shiver. That doesn't happen very often but it's still crazy weird.

I've found myself once or twice on over two years waking up with sore teeth from clenching, but it's not a normal thing.

Most likley if you clench now you clenched before. You just didnt know it.
It is far easier to notice when you are wearing braces then when you are not (teeth are more sore, you ar generally more "in tune" with what is going on in your mouth, etc)
It comes from a signal from the brain and yoo typically cant 'cure' it but you can manage it.

Headaches, neckaches, pain behind the eyes can often be caused by clenching. Often times these are mis diagnosed (either by doc or by self as sinus problems or other issues)

I am a clencher, I wear an NTI at night and if I forget a portion of a night I pay for it.
I have had many staff members who had migraines that we have treated (pts too) and have rec'd substantial relief.

I am also experiencing this. I did not do this before braces.

I think I am grinding my teeth less since being in braces, but I'm definitely starting to clench more . The past few weeks I have been waking up in the morning with my jaw/teeth really tightly clenched to the point where my teeth ache. My braces are not causing me anymore discomfort, probably because I've had the same wire since November... but this clenching is making my teeth ache in the mornings.

Yes, I have become a clencher as well... I try not to, pretty sure I do in my sleep. Seems to be pretty normal, but if it is giving you headaches etc, then tell the ortho....almost braced for 9 months and this seems to be an on and off kind of thing...lately, I can't stop clenching...

peach wrote:I've noticed that I clench my teeth at night too. It varies. There's been a few mornings where, as soon as I've woken up, my jaw just does this weird little involuntary tremor, like it's loosening up again. Kinda like when you get the chills and you shiver. That doesn't happen very often but it's still crazy weird.

Hi everyone - Omigosh - I thought I was going crazy! I was trying to explain to my husband what it felt like - it feels like the chills & shiver as peach described exactly - and the involuntary tremor. And I noticed when I wake up, I'm clenching my teeth so hard. I was going to ask my ortho about this.
I've never experienced this before till I got the braces. It was just so weird to me. I'm just glad to know others are going thru it so it's not just me.
But it's a really weird feeling. Guess that's part of getting braces. Hope it goes away eventually.

I just had my upper braces put on 16 days ago. I too stated to clench my teeth. Thefirst week I woul wake up in the middle of the night clenching. Yes I have been grinding but never clenching to my knowledge.

Hi i know this is an old post but i am experiencing exactly the same. Can you please tell me how long the pain in your teeth lasted after clenching? Sometimes mine only lasts a day, other times over a week but maybe i am clenching again the following night. I thought it wasnt normal so went to the dentist as i was also getting sensitivity to cold amd she thinks i may need root canal after telling her my symptoms. I am sure its just from clenching as i have no abscess? Thanks.

Me too.....but even more so since I am wearing rubber bands from top teeth to lower teeth... thank goodness others are doing it too. Prior to braces, I did not clench my teeth. Since having braces on, I do it more now then at the beginning. I guess we are our own unique group....

I have always been a teeth clencher, but it has gotten so much worse as my bite as become more aligned. It's like now when I clench, I can feel my teeth fitting together like a hand in a glove, and I think I clench even more because I like the way it feels! And I am really stressed at work due to some major changes, so I find myself clenching even during the day...used to be mostly at night....

It has gotten so bad that I have briefly considered talking to the ortho about it. But I'm afraid that it would lead to molar build-ups, and I'm done with all the weird things in my mouth--if I can help it!