Also, has anyone else had issues with their bite feeling “off” after dental work? Sometimes I feel like my teeth don’t quite line up like they used to. Not painful, just… different.
Totally get this. After my last crown, my bite felt like a jigsaw puzzle with one piece jammed in upside down. My dentist kept saying, “You’ll get used to it,” but honestly, it took weeks before things felt remotely normal again. I swear, every time I chewed, I’d second-guess if I was about to break something.
I’ve tried those jaw exercises too, but let’s be real—after a couple days I just forget. The chewy-foods ban is brutal, especially if you’re a fan of bagels or steak. And yeah, stress is a huge trigger for me. If I’m anxious or grinding my teeth at night, my jaw sounds like popcorn in a microwave the next morning.
Here’s a weird one: has anyone had their jaw “lock” open or closed for a few seconds? Happened to me once mid-yawn and I’ve been paranoid ever since. Is that just TMJ being dramatic, or something to actually worry about?
That jaw “locking” thing is honestly terrifying—I had it happen a couple of times after some dental work last year. It’s like, suddenly you’re frozen and you panic thinking, is this it? Am I stuck? My dentist brushed it off as “just TMJ,” but I’m not convinced it’s nothing. I started sleeping with a mouthguard (even though it feels weird) because I was so worried about grinding making things worse. I don’t think we should just accept an off bite or clicking as normal—sometimes they need to adjust the work a bit more, even if it’s a hassle. My anxiety goes through the roof every time my bite feels different, so I totally get where you’re coming from.
Jaw locking is the worst—it happened to me after getting a crown, and I legit thought something was seriously wrong. My dentist also just called it TMJ, but honestly, it freaked me out for weeks. I started using a mouthguard too, even though it took forever to get used to. I agree, weird bite changes shouldn’t just be brushed off. Sometimes you really do need them to tweak the work, even if it feels awkward to push for it.
