Night clenching.....

Message

#1 Post by **Lisablueeyes1** » Mon May 10, 2010 9:15 pm

Omg! I've been braced 3 months now, and I have the bad habbit of clenching at night!!! I never did this before!!! How can I stop? My teeth are always in some kind of pain. Has anyone have this happen to them?

#2 Post by **TumbleDryLow** » Tue May 11, 2010 6:29 am

I went though periods of clenching while in braces. Never did it prior. Some rubber band configurations made it really bad. In my case, it went away. You may want to bring it up with your dentist/ortho though.

#3 Post by **drrick** » Tue May 11, 2010 7:36 am

You have probably been a clencher all along but now your teeth are more 'sensitive' so you are noticing it more.
Def tell your doc

#4 Post by **hal2me** » Wed May 12, 2010 11:59 am

Hi Lisablueeyes1!

I've been doing this since my braces came one. My ortho explained that it was my bodies way of adjusting to the pressure on my teeth. He said this is normal and a lot of people do this.

This is totally normal and just about everyone with braces has experienced this.

Best of luck with your treatment!!

#5 Post by **Lisablueeyes1** » Wed May 12, 2010 8:49 pm

hal2me wrote:Hi Lisablueeyes1!

I've been doing this since my braces came one. My ortho explained that it was my bodies way of adjusting to the pressure on my teeth. He said this is normal and a lot of people do this.

This is totally normal and just about everyone with braces has experienced this.

Best of luck with your treatment!!

. Normal.... Hmmmmm don't ya just love braces??? The thing I can't deal with is the pain all the time! Morning time is the worst! Anyone use a night guard?

#6 Post by **ashesgap** » Wed May 12, 2010 9:30 pm

I saw someone post that he was going to use a nightguard, and let us know how it worked for clenching....but he hasn't posted yet. So i'm going to talk to my ortho about in next tuesday, and see if he can't suggest something. My jaw hurts horrible in the morning. I was a clencher before braces, and i also do this weird cheek suck in all night. So my cheeks, and tongue are molded like my teeth in the morning...painful.
I hope someone comes up with something to help with the clenching.

#7 Post by **bracedup** » Thu May 13, 2010 4:43 am

I clench my teeth at night, never did before. I have a big overbite ATM and I am hoping this will cease when my teeth are better positioned in time.

#8 Post by **DrBlur** » Thu May 13, 2010 6:11 am

ashesgap wrote:I saw someone post that he was going to use a nightguard, and let us know how it worked for clenching....but he hasn't posted yet. So i'm going to talk to my ortho about in next tuesday, and see if he can't suggest something. My jaw hurts horrible in the morning. I was a clencher before braces, and i also do this weird cheek suck in all night. So my cheeks, and tongue are molded like my teeth in the morning...painful.
I hope someone comes up with something to help with the clenching.

I used a nightguard prior to braces, and my ortho told me NOT to use it once I got braced...

#9 Post by **ashesgap** » Thu May 13, 2010 8:45 am

Well that just stinks. So we're doomed to clench for the next 2 years?

#10 Post by **wycket** » Thu May 13, 2010 9:07 am

I have been a severe chronic grinder/clencher for years, and always had a custom-made nightguard. Once I got braces, I had to switch to a Splintek nightguard. My ortho and dentist have both indicated it's totally fine to use, and is much better than NOT having one, at least in my case. It's not the most comfortable appliance, but it's helping protect my teeth. I've already ground through one of the bite pads, and I've only had it for 5 months. Imagine how damaged my teeth would be if I didn't have the nightguard!! I got mine at Walgreen's, and I'm sure they are sold at other retailers in the US.

If it's something that really bothers you, I'd look into getting a nightguard. For me, it seemed counter-productive to spend several thousand dollars fixing my teeth, only to damage them by grinding throughout the process!

Best of luck to you!!

#11 Post by **hal2me** » Thu May 13, 2010 10:08 am

Does anyone clench more after an adjustment? I do! Last night I was clenching my teeth so hard I woke up with a bad headache. It was my first night with elastics, so that may have had something to do with it.

Good luck!

#12 Post by **Lisablueeyes1** » Thu May 13, 2010 8:40 pm

hal2me wrote:Does anyone clench more after an adjustment? I do! Last night I was clenching my teeth so hard I woke up with a bad headache. It was my first night with elastics, so that may have had something to do with it.

Good luck!

. I've only had one adjustment so far, but yes I did notice that I clenched more after the adjustment!!! Sometimes I even have blood!!!! But I know it will be worth it in th end.......

#13 Post by **Lisablueeyes1** » Thu May 13, 2010 8:50 pm

It's like some built up anger in all of us. With all this clenching we're doing! At times it feels I can't bite down hard enough ( crazy I know)! I think I'll try some Cotton tonight.

#14 Post by **lovelyleo** » Mon May 17, 2010 1:24 pm

I did this at the beginning of my treatment. Which is probably why my teeth stayed sore for so long. After awhile I stopped doing it. So it could be that you always did it or the braces could be making you clench. I would discuss with the Ortho if it becomes a nuisance.

#15 Post by **Theresa48** » Tue May 18, 2010 7:27 pm

Today is my 5th day, and I noticed I might have been clenching a bit last night and man oh man, is my mouth and jaw tired!! I have "bumpers" in that keep my from closing my mouth all the way, so I kind of gnaw on them, I'm trying to relax,,,now I see this is pretty common...