tongue space

[ridens]

Hello,

I posted this question in the braces forum but didn't get any answers. I thought I'd try here as well.

Is there a way to check how much tongue space you're supposed to have? I have a feeling I have too little but I'm not sure if that's because of the way I place my tongue or because there really isn't enough space. I once read that if you relax your tongue and let it lay flat you can see how much of the teeth it covers and that's how much space you lack.

[stunner]

I don't have your answer, but I think your question is a good one. Do you have an overbite? So your tongue gets squished into your smaller lower jaw? Is that the indicator you're using to assess your own need/desire to go through surgery?


I'd be interested to know what others say--those who have been through the surgery and can speak to (pun noted) the question. What I want to know is what does it feel like to actually HAVE enough room to relax your tongue--so, like, instead of laying in bed on your side in a fetal position--which is comfortable for much of the night, let's say, you'd be comparing it to stretching right out on the bed, face up.

That's the metaphor that comes to my mind. Never been able to "stretch out" so to speak, but have gotten used to the alternative so no real discomfort (other than braces from time to time).

[Corrinne]

I've gone from having a huge underbite and loads or tongue space to having a normal bite - each jaw was moved 5/6mm which is a huge move.

The first few days my tongue felt crazy huge - I was worried I didn't have enough room - it was difficult to breathe! but then as the swelling has gone down each day I feel more and more comfortable. My tongue now sits with the tip just resting against the back of my lower teeth.
I don't really notice my tongue anymore, but I still notice how weird the position of my jaws feel.

[ridens]

Stunner, your bed analogy is really good I don't think I have an overbite, I just have small arches and had 4 bicuspids removed when I was treated as a teenager. I've always felt my tongue was too big, but I can't remember if I had that feeling before braces & extractions as well. It's worse if my head is tilted down (when reading or something like that). If I sit with my spine and head straight up then it's sort of ok, but my tongue is most comfortable a bit beyond my teeth, so I often find myself not with teeth together but apart.

Corrinne, do you normally rest your tongue laying flat or up against the palate?

[Corrinne]

@ridens

Normally my tongue is resting on the floor of my mouth, the tip of my tongue will touch against my lower front teeth and a little against my upper front too.

So essentially when my tongue is at rest it is hugged by my bottom teeth and also touches the back of my upper front four teeth a little, it doesn't really touch the roof of my mouth except perhaps the part closest to my upper fronts.

[balor124]

Look for scalloping on the sides of your tongue. My arches are relatively normal. My upper is a little narrow perhaps - I get different opinions there. However, my tongue is very large for my mouth and you can see it on the indentations on the side of my tongue. As a result, it has done some "remodeling" of my face around it My bite opened up and I developed a slight underbite so my teeth fully overlap now. Doh! Gotta learn proper tongue posture.