WE SUPPORT “CHEW” (YOU)

One of the first things you’ll notice after you get your dental braces put on is that you can’t bite the way you used to. That’s because you are biting on some of the orthodontic brackets. It is normal because the teeth are crooked and the upper and lower teeth are contacting near the area where we normally place the brackets. So the brackets come in the way of the bite. Because our jaw muscles are really powerful (the human bite force has been recorded to exceed 100kg!), it’s not surprising then that some of the brackets will detach from the teeth under such stress.

To reduce the likelihood of breakages, we usually put some dental cement on the teeth to act as bite supporters when you chew. This will then take some of the load off the brackets. You still need to be more gentle when you chew though, because the brackets might still come into contact with the opposing teeth when your jaw moves sideways during chewing, or when biting on something.

Braces bite supporter on the molar.

While you are getting used to this new “bite”, it will be easier to go on softer food as your chewing efficiency is reduced. The bite supporters will wear down over time and will be removed at the end of treatment. Sometimes they might chip off if you bite hard on them. This usually doesn’t cause any problems unless you start breaking your braces or if it’s very uncomfortable. If so, give the clinic a call and come back sooner to get some cement added on.