New to Braces...Starving!

[nightowl12]

Hi everyone!

I'm just starting my journey with braces (24 month treatment time). My ortho is starting with my top teeth for the first 6 months. I had spacers put in on Tuesday along with top brackets. I go back in two weeks to have the spacers removed and have the remaining brackets and wire put on.

So far I don't have many complaints - my brackets are rough on my cheeks so I've been using wax to cover the bothersome ones.

One thing I am struggling with though is eating/feeling full. I'm afraid to break my brackets. So far I've stuck with yogurt, soft bread, chicken, things like that. I get full pretty quickly (probably because I'm eating more slowly and eating smaller pieces) and then like an hour later I'm hungry again. Any tips on how to feel full?

Thanks for accepting me as a member of the forum!

[jaime]

It's extremely unlikely you'll break the brackets. At worst, you'll pop one off which is no big deal, and pretty common. Your worry about breaking them is also very common, but trust me, you'd probably have to chew metal to break one. In my 24 months of braces, the worst I've done is dislodge a wire from the molar bracket and I sure as heck am not eating soft foods every day.

Try eating things high in protein and/or fat, as those keep you feeling fuller for longer than carbohydrates (especially simple carbohydrates). However, there are a lot of soft options that are carby!

I ate a lot of oatmeal when I first got my braces and after adjustments.

Smoothies and protein shakes are good, too. Maybe add some coconut milk to thicken it up.

Soft cooked pasta like macaroni or ravioli is good too.

[nightowl12]

Thanks for the tips jaime!

I know in time I'll get more used to the feel of the brackets in my mouth, it's just been hard to get used to them. Right now they are just an annoyance, I wanted to rip them out yesterday! It's frustrating trying to figure out how to eat with them on : P

[jaime]

You are certainly not alone in those feelings...everyone goes through a period of adjustment with the braces. Very soon, you'll forget you even have them.

I remember the first time I ate after I got mine...very bizarre feeling, and it felt so messy.

Hang in there, the adjustment phase is very temporary! Every time you eat, it'll get better.

[MissEvaH]

I thought I'd never get used to eating with them but it gets better every day. I drank a lot of milkshakes to fill up but I still lost a few pounds. I'm 3 months in and mostly back to normal eating now. I still don't eat chips or popcorn or chew gum but I certainly eat more of a variety now than I did in the first month.

[nightowl12]

Thank you both! I had a more substantial dinner tonight and was less afraid of breaking the brackets. I'm sure it'll be a learning process all over again once they put my wire in in two weeks.

Today was up and down, I felt panicky at times that I've committed to two years of braces, and other times I forgot that my brackets were there. I know the end product will be worth it!