Haha, your cheek-biting comment just brought back a flood of memories. When my son finally got his braces off after what felt like an eternity (seriously, I swear we celebrated at home like it was a national holiday), he had the exact same issue. Poor kid kept chomping down on his cheeks during dinner, and every meal turned into a comedy sketch—half laughing, half wincing.
The worst part was, he’d been dreaming of biting into an apple without slicing it first. You know, that classic braces-free moment they always show in commercials? Well, reality was way less glamorous. He took one enthusiastic bite and immediately bit his cheek so hard he nearly dropped the apple. We still tease him about that one.
It took him a good couple weeks to adjust fully. He said it felt like his teeth were "too big" for his mouth now, which cracked me up. But after all those months of adjustments and rubber bands and orthodontist visits, I guess your mouth just gets used to being held a certain way. Suddenly having freedom again is bound to be weird at first.
Anyway, hang in there—it does get better pretty quickly. Before you know it, you'll be eating apples and sandwiches without even thinking twice about it...and without injuring yourself in the process.
Haha, I totally relate to your son's apple moment. When mine came off, sandwiches felt like a dangerous sport for a week or two. But you're right, it passes pretty quickly...soon enough, you barely remember what braces felt like. Hang in there!
I remember that sandwich struggle well—felt like my teeth were made of glass for days after adjustments. But honestly, after a while, you get used to the rhythm of it. When my braces finally came off, it was almost strange how quickly I forgot the discomfort. Now, years later, I barely recall what it felt like to have them on...except maybe when biting into a really crunchy apple. Hang tight, it'll be worth it.
I get what you're saying about eventually forgetting the discomfort, but honestly, does everyone really forget it that easily? I'm still in the thick of it, and I swear every adjustment feels like a tiny medieval torture session. 😂 Maybe my teeth are just drama queens or something, but each tightening feels like the first time all over again.
Also, I'm curious—did anyone else here get a second opinion about their treatment timeline? My ortho keeps saying "just a few more months," but it's been "just a few more months" for like...a year now. I'm starting to wonder if he's secretly adding extra time every visit just to mess with me. 🤔
And speaking of crunchy apples, is it weird that I've started dreaming about biting into things again without worrying about brackets popping off? Like, literal dreams about casually munching popcorn and almonds without a care in the world. Please tell me I'm not alone in this.
But seriously, did anyone here actually switch orthodontists mid-treatment? Was it worth the hassle, or did it just prolong everything even more? I'm tempted, but also worried I'll end up stuck in braces until retirement if I mess around too much.
"My ortho keeps saying 'just a few more months,' but it's been 'just a few more months' for like...a year now."
Haha, same here. I actually did get a second opinion recently—turns out my original timeline was pretty optimistic. Didn't switch orthos yet, but seriously considering it... just nervous it'll drag things out even longer.
