Braces for buck teeth vs deep bites: did you know they're not the same thing?

Yeah, the elastic phase kind of freaked me out too. I kept thinking,

“I keep picturing them snapping and hitting someone in the face, or flying across the room during a yawn.”

And totally agree, I always thought overbite = buck teeth. Turns out a deep bite is more about how your top teeth overlap your bottom ones vertically, not just sticking out. My ortho explained it with those x-rays too... it’s wild how much is going on behind the scenes. I also had headaches and jaw tension, and they’ve eased up since my bite started shifting. Chewing tough stuff is still a pain, but it’s slowly getting better. Hang in there—it really is more than just “straight teeth.”

Honestly, I thought the same thing about elastics—my mind went straight to “what if one snaps and I lose an eye?” but in reality, it’s more like a little ping and then... awkwardly picking it off your sweater. Not nearly as dramatic as my brain made it out to be.

The deep bite vs. overbite thing totally threw me off too. I always thought “buck teeth” meant a big overbite, but apparently, you can have a deep bite without your teeth sticking out. My ortho pulled up my x-rays and started talking about “vertical overlap” and “incisal edges” and suddenly I realized I had no clue what was actually going on in my mouth. It’s wild how much is happening under the surface—no wonder my jaw was so tense all the time.

I still get nervous about chewing anything tougher than a banana, but at least the headaches are less intense now. It’s weirdly reassuring hearing other people say their pain got better once things started moving around. Makes all the weird lisping and food cut into tiny pieces feel worth it, you know?

The way orthodontists throw around terms like "incisal edge" and "vertical overlap" makes me feel like I’m back in high school geometry—except now it’s costing me a small fortune. I used to think all the money was going toward straightening the teeth that actually show, but apparently, there’s way more happening in the back that nobody warned me about. I totally relate to the banana diet. Every time I try to eat something crunchy, I get flashbacks to my last adjustment and the look my wallet gave me.

I also had no clue there was a difference between deep bite and overbite until my ortho started showing me diagrams and x-rays. Turns out, I’ve got both... lucky me. The deep bite is what’s been making my jaw feel like it’s permanently clenching, but the overbite is what everyone always commented on growing up. Weird how one is obvious and the other just sneaks up on you.

On the bright side, my headaches have eased up too since things started shifting. It’s almost like my jaw is finally getting a break. Still, I keep wondering if all this moving around is going to mean more appointments (and more bills). Has anyone found that their insurance covers any of these extra visits, or is it all out of pocket? I’m just trying not to end up living on instant noodles because of orthodontic expenses.

Also, not sure if anyone else has had this, but my ortho mentioned something about “bite turbos” for a deep bite. They sound like a car part but apparently they’re tiny ramps glued to your teeth? Just curious if those actually help or if they’re as awkward as they look in pictures.

I totally relate to the banana diet. Every time I try to eat something crunchy, I get flashbacks to my last adjustment and the look my wallet gave me.

Haha, the banana diet is so real... I was basically living on mashed potatoes for a week after my first set of bite turbos. They really are as weird as they sound—mine felt like little speed bumps on my molars. Eating with them was awkward at first, but I got used to it after a few days. They actually did help with my deep bite, though. My ortho explained it’s all about “discluding” the back teeth so the front ones can move properly. Didn’t make sense to me until I saw the progress.

Insurance-wise, mine only covered a fixed number of visits, so anything extra (like emergency bracket repairs) was out of pocket. I’d double-check your policy—sometimes there are hidden perks or flex spending options that help a bit.

Curious—has anyone had issues with jaw clicking or popping as their bite changed? Mine started after the turbos went on, and I’m not sure if that’s normal or something else to worry about.

I actually had the opposite experience with bite turbos—they made my jaw feel more relaxed, not clicky. My ortho said sometimes the bite changes can make your jaw muscles work differently for a bit, but if the clicking keeps up or gets painful, it’s worth mentioning. Also, I didn’t realize at first that deep bites and buck teeth needed such different approaches. I just assumed “braces are braces,” but apparently not… My friend with an overjet had elastics and I never did. Wild how specific it all gets.