Braces for buck teeth vs deep bite: did you know there’s a difference?

Yeah, I noticed the same thing - my deep bite basically shredded my lower lip for months. I tried to be cheap and just use wax, but it disappeared faster than my willpower at the ortho’s office. Those silicone covers are way overpriced, but honestly, they worked better for me than anything else. My friend had an overjet and she was always complaining about her upper lip getting raw. Guess it really does depend on the type of bite you’ve got. Still wild how our mouths just... adapt after a while.

That’s interesting - my experience was kind of the opposite. I’ve got a big overjet, so my top front teeth stick out, and honestly, it’s my upper lip that always takes the beating. It gets all chapped and irritated, especially if I talk a lot or eat anything even slightly acidic. Never really had issues with my lower lip though, so it’s wild how much the bite type changes things.

I tried both wax and those silicone covers too. Wax just vanished after a couple hours (or after I ate), but the silicone stuff actually stayed on... even if it cost more than I wanted to spend. Did you ever try any of the off-brand versions? I found some on Amazon that were way cheaper, but I couldn’t tell if they were safe to use or not.

Here’s something I’ve been wondering: did your ortho ever mention if certain types of braces are better for deep bites vs. overjets? Mine just gave me standard metal brackets and said they’d adjust as we went along, but I read somewhere that there are specific appliances or even different bracket placements depending on your bite. Not sure if that’s legit or just marketing.

Also, how long did it take for your lips to finally “toughen up”? I’m almost six months in and still get random flare-ups. Wondering if this is just how it’s gonna be until the braces come off, or if eventually my mouth will just stop caring.

Kind of amazed at how adaptable our mouths are though... like, who knew lips could survive all this metal scraping day after day?

Kind of amazed at how adaptable our mouths are though... like, who knew lips could survive all this metal scraping day after day?

Right? I’m still blown away by how much my lips have put up with. I totally get the upper lip struggle - mine was raw for months. I tried off-brand covers once and honestly, I got paranoid about what was actually in them, so I went back to the pricier stuff just for peace of mind. My ortho never mentioned special brackets either, just “standard” everything, but I’ve read that too and wonder if it’s more hype than anything. My lips never fully “toughened up,” but flare-ups did get less frequent after about 8 months. Still, some days are rougher than others... especially after adjustments.

Metal mouth life is wild, honestly. I remember the first few weeks, my lips felt like they were getting sandpapered every time I talked or ate. I tried those wax covers too, but half the time they’d fall off before lunch. Never really trusted the generic brands either - just seemed sketchy, and if I’m putting something in my mouth all day, I’d rather not risk it.

About the brackets, my ortho said there were “options,” but never pushed anything fancy. I did wonder if the special ones were just a sales pitch or actually made a difference. In the end, my lips just sort of got used to it... though after every adjustment, it was back to square one for a few days.

Did anyone else get techy and try to 3D print their own wax covers? Probably not safe, but I was tempted after a rough adjustment week.

I totally get you on the wax situation. That stuff is like the dental world’s version of tape - you think it’ll stick, but it always bails when you need it most. I never trusted the off-brand ones either... tasted weird and felt gritty. Ended up just asking my ortho for the “official” wax refills every time I ran out.

About the brackets, I had the same thought - are these “premium” ones just for show? My ortho tried to pitch ceramic brackets once, but honestly, I stuck with the standard metal. My friend paid extra for those clear ones and still complained about lip irritation, so I’m not convinced they make much difference comfort-wise.

And yeah, after every adjustment, it’s like your mouth forgets what normal feels like. I never tried 3D printing wax (though now I’m kinda curious), but I did try using silicone earplug putty once when I was desperate. Wouldn’t recommend... left a weird taste and didn’t help much.

In the end, I just toughed it out until my lips got used to it again. The struggle is real, but it does get better - eventually.

Yeah, honestly, the official wax refills are the only ones that ever worked for me too - those off-brand ones just crumble or taste funky. About the brackets, I felt the same way. My ortho pushed ceramic like it was a game changer, but I read that for deep bites, metal brackets are actually a bit sturdier and less likely to chip. For buck teeth, sometimes they’ll use different wires or springs to push things back, but with deep bite it’s more about opening up the bite so your lower teeth aren’t hidden. I didn’t realize how different the strategies could be until I started asking questions at my appointments. And yeah, after every adjustment it’s like your whole mouth is brand new (and not in a good way).

Yeah, I totally get what you mean about the wax - tried a generic one once and it was like chewing on a candle that had been sitting in a dusty garage. Never again. And about the brackets, my ortho was all about the clear ones too, but I swear the metal ones are like tiny tanks. I chipped a ceramic bracket on a tortilla chip, of all things. Didn’t even know that was possible.

The thing about deep bite vs buck teeth is wild, right? I always thought braces were just “braces,” but then they started talking about bite plates and elastics and I realized there’s a whole secret menu. For my deep bite, they put in this weird plastic thing behind my front teeth that made me talk like I had a mouthguard in for weeks. Super cute.

Oh, and the post-adjustment pain...it’s like your teeth are auditioning for a new role and forgot how to act. Soup became my best friend for at least two days after every appointment.

That “secret menu” thing really hits home - there’s so much more to braces than just the wires and brackets, right? Those bite plates are no joke. I remember feeling like I was learning to talk all over again, and don’t get me started on trying to eat anything crunchy. But you get used to it, honestly. Soup and mashed potatoes basically became my go-to for a while too. Hang in there, though. The weirdness fades and you’ll be glad you stuck with it.

Yeah, the bite plates totally threw me for a loop too. I was so focused on the cost of the braces themselves, I didn’t even realize all the “extras” that might come along - elastics, bite plates, and those random wax packs. The first week, I pretty much lived off instant oatmeal and yogurt because it was cheap and didn’t hurt to eat. It does get easier, but man, I wish someone had warned me about the hidden expenses and the weird lisp I developed for a bit. Worth it in the end, but definitely not as simple as it looks.

Man, the lisp is so real. I sounded like Daffy Duck for a solid month after getting my bite plate. And yeah, nobody mentioned the “surprise” extras - my wallet was not ready for all those little add-ons. I basically became a soup connoisseur just to survive that first week. It’s wild how something as small as a bite plate can make you rethink your entire grocery list... but hey, at least my teeth are finally lining up. Worth it? Yeah, but I wish I’d known what I was signing up for!

Wait, nobody told me about the lisp either. I’m literally sitting here practicing S’s in my head, hoping I don’t sound like a cartoon when my bite plate comes in next week. Was it really that bad? Did you just get used to it eventually, or did you have to do anything special to help with talking? I’m kind of dreading having to answer the phone at work.

And the “extras”... ugh, I thought I was prepared for braces costs, but now I’m seeing all these posts about surprise charges like bite plates and elastics and whatever else they can dream up. Did your insurance cover any of that? Or is it just one of those things where you have to pay up and hope for the best?

Soup life sounds real right now. Did you ever find anything besides soup that worked for eating in those first few days? I’m worried about getting bored fast. And chewing gum is out, right? My ortho was super strict about that.

Also, how long did it take before your teeth started feeling “normal” again - like not sore all the time? I keep hearing horror stories about not being able to sleep because of the ache. Not sure if that’s just internet drama or if it’s actually something to expect.

I know deep bite and buck teeth need different stuff, but honestly, all these little details (like bite plates) are making me second-guess if I even know what my treatment will really be like. Did you get a ton of info up front or was it more like “surprise, here’s another thing you need”?

Sorry for the million questions. Just trying not to freak out before my appointment…

The lisp thing is super common with bite plates, but most folks find it improves after a few days - your tongue just needs to figure out where to go again. Practicing out loud (even if you feel silly) actually helps more than you’d think. I wouldn’t stress too much about the phone; people are usually way less critical than we are of ourselves. For soreness, the first week is rough, but after that, it’s more of a dull ache now and then. I always recommend soft foods like mashed potatoes or scrambled eggs if you’re over soup. Did your ortho walk you through all the “extras” at your consult, or have you been learning as you go?

Did your ortho walk you through all the “extras” at your consult, or have you been learning as you go?

Honestly, I feel like I’m learning as I go, mostly by panicking and then googling everything. My ortho gave me a rundown, but it was a blur - between the nerves and all the new terms, half of it didn’t stick. The lisp threw me off way more than I expected, and I’m still self-conscious talking on Zoom calls. Practicing out loud does help, but it feels so awkward. Also, is it just me or do mashed potatoes get old really fast? I’d kill for something crunchy... but I’m also terrified of breaking something.

I totally get the mashed potatoes burnout... I swear, if I never see another bowl, it'll be too soon. The lisp thing is real, too - my partner says it’s “cute,” but I’m not convinced. I keep wondering if my ortho said something about this at the consult and I just blanked from nerves. I’m so paranoid about biting into anything harder than a banana.

I’m so paranoid about biting into anything harder than a banana.

That brought back memories. I remember the first week after getting my braces - my ortho was super clear about soft foods, but I swear, everything felt risky. Did anyone else get that weird sensation like your teeth were loose? I was convinced they’d just pop off if I bit into anything crunchy.

About the lisp: mine stuck around for a couple months, especially with new appliances. Did your ortho mention if it would go away on its own? Sometimes they gloss over that stuff in the consult, or maybe I just zoned out from all the info overload too.

Curious, was your treatment for buck teeth or a deep bite? My case was all about fixing a deep bite, and my ortho explained there’s a different approach compared to just pushing teeth back. I didn’t realize how much that changed what you can eat (and how you talk) in those first months. Anyone else notice their bite felt totally different once things started shifting?

Biting into a banana was about as daring as I got for the first few weeks, honestly. I swear, I’d look at a slice of pizza and feel like it was made of concrete. That loose tooth feeling - yep, had it big time. I remember poking at my teeth with my tongue like, “Are you still attached in there or what?” Never had one pop off, but I sure expected it.

About the lisp... mine came and went depending on the day (and how tired I was). My ortho just breezed past it - said it would “settle down” - but I swear it lingered longer than he let on. Sometimes I think they downplay all the weird side effects so we don’t freak out.

I was in for buck teeth, not deep bite, but the process still meant soft foods forever. Couldn’t eat an apple for months. My bite changed so much I felt like my jaw belonged to someone else for a while. Did anyone else have their jaw click more during treatment? That threw me for a loop.

My bite changed so much I felt like my jaw belonged to someone else for a while. Did anyone else have their jaw click more during treatment?

Yeah, the jaw clicking threw me too. Mine started around month three, right when everything was shifting and I could barely chew soup. It freaked me out at first, but my ortho said it’s pretty common as your bite adjusts. Still, I’d catch myself grinding my teeth in my sleep - probably from stress - and that made the clicks worse some days. It did settle down eventually, but man, it made eating feel weird for a while.

My kid went through a phase where her jaw was popping like crazy, especially after her deep bite started getting fixed. It honestly worried me more than her - she thought it sounded funny. The orthodontist said it’s normal, just the jaw catching up with all the changes. I think it’s easy to stress about every new sound or feeling, but most of it really does pass once things settle. Still, I wish someone had warned us how weird chewing would feel for a while...

That jaw popping thing is wild, right? My nephew had a similar thing when his crossbite was getting corrected. At first, I thought something was wrong with the appliance, but his ortho said it’s just the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) adjusting as the bite shifts. It’s kind of fascinating how the body adapts to rapid structural changes - almost like a firmware update that needs a few reboots before everything runs smooth.

I wish someone had warned us how weird chewing would feel for a while...

That part really resonated with me. My own experience with braces (for an overjet, not a deep bite) included this whole awkward phase where my molars didn’t seem to line up at all. It felt like learning to chew from scratch. Out of curiosity, did your kid have any issues with headaches or jaw fatigue during that adjustment period? I remember I had these random headaches that eventually faded as my bite stabilized.

Wondering if different types of malocclusions - like deep bite vs. buck teeth - lead to different “side effects” during treatment. Anyone else notice that?

Man, I totally get what you mean about the chewing thing. That awkward phase is so real. When I had braces for my deep bite, it was like my teeth forgot how to meet up. I’d bite into a sandwich and just... miss? Super weird.

It felt like learning to chew from scratch.

Yeah, exactly that. My jaw would get tired after just a few minutes of eating, and there were these random headaches in the first month or two. I think it’s partly because the muscles have to re-learn their job as the teeth shift around. My ortho said deep bite fixes can be extra rough on the jaw because you’re changing the vertical overlap, not just pushing teeth forward or back.

I actually noticed my brother had braces for an overjet (buck teeth) and he didn’t get the same jaw fatigue, but he did complain about his lips feeling weird and dry all the time. Seems like different bite issues mess with totally different parts of your face. The body’s way of adapting is kinda nuts if you think about it...