I just wanted to be done. But weirdly, after those last little shifts, I realized my jaw didn’t pop anymore when I chewed.
Did your headaches go away too, or just the jaw popping? I’m only a few months in and already get those “whole face pulsing” days you mentioned. Kind of makes me nervous about what’s still ahead… Did anything actually help with the pain, or was it just waiting it out?
Honestly, I can totally relate to that “whole face pulsing” feeling—mine was like a dull pressure that would come and go for weeks after each adjustment. But I gotta say, for me, the headaches didn’t magically disappear with the jaw popping. The popping stopped first (which was a huge relief), but the headaches were more stubborn. Sometimes I’d get a couple days’ break, then they’d flare up again, especially after the ortho tightened things.
I know some people say you just have to tough it out, but I actually found a few things that helped. Warm compresses on my jaw at night made a bigger difference than I expected. Ibuprofen helped too, but I tried not to rely on it every time. Honestly, distraction worked weirdly well—like, if I was watching a movie or hanging out with friends, I’d forget about the pain for a bit. Oh, and switching to softer foods for a few days after adjustments made chewing way less miserable.
One thing I’d push back on is just “waiting it out.” If you’re really hurting, sometimes your ortho can tweak things or recommend something specific for pain. Mine suggested a mouthguard at night when I started clenching from the discomfort, and that actually helped with the tension headaches.
It’s definitely nerve-wracking not knowing what’s ahead, but everyone’s timeline is different. My friend barely had any pain at all and finished in under two years; meanwhile, I felt like I was living at the orthodontist’s office forever. But once the jaw stuff settled down, it was such a game changer for chewing and even sleeping.
Hang in there—it’s not fun right now, but it does get better. And if something feels off or unbearable, don’t just tough it out. Sometimes there are little tweaks or tricks that make a big difference.
I get what you’re saying about not just waiting it out, but I’m always a little nervous about adding things like mouthguards without double-checking with the ortho first. One time I tried a store-bought one and it actually made my jaw ache worse… Maybe I’m just overly cautious, but I always worry about making things worse before they get better.
That’s actually what I’m worried about too—like, what if I try something on my own and it just messes things up more? I keep reading stuff online about people using mouthguards or wax or whatever to help with pain, but then I get nervous that it’ll slow down my braces or make my bite worse. Did your ortho ever say anything about what’s safe to use for jaw pain while you’re in treatment? Mine just told me to stick to Tylenol and soft foods, but the pain still gets pretty bad some days.
I sometimes wonder if being extra cautious is actually making things drag out longer, though. Like, maybe I should be asking more questions or pushing for more adjustments. How often do you check in with your ortho when stuff like this comes up? I never know if I’m being a pest or just doing what I’m supposed to…
I never know if I’m being a pest or just doing what I’m supposed to…
Honestly, I’ve felt the same. I used to worry about bugging my ortho but after a couple rough weeks, I just started calling when things got bad. They always said it’s better to ask than risk messing something up. Tylenol and soft foods only helped so much for me too. I tried wax for the brackets but avoided anything else unless my ortho okayed it. Don’t stress about reaching out—you’re paying for their help, after all.
