That’s actually a really sweet idea—using music to work through the awkward speech stuff. I remember my niece did something similar, but her thing was tongue twisters. She’d crack herself up trying to say “she sells seashells” with a mouth full of brackets, but it totally made her less self-conscious.
I hear you on the “help looks different for everyone” bit. Sometimes it’s about finding what distracts you just enough, right? I’m curious—did your daughter ever complain about eating or was it mostly the speaking part that got to her? For me, the food thing was the hardest. Soft foods forever... I still can’t look at mashed potatoes without thinking of braces.
Did you notice any changes in her confidence once she got used to everything? That adjustment period can be so rough, but sometimes these little routines (even silly ones) seem to make all the difference.
For me, the food thing was the hardest. Soft foods forever... I still can’t look at mashed potatoes without thinking of braces.
Same here—eating was way worse than talking for me. I got so sick of yogurt and soup, honestly. Did your niece ever try those dental wax things? I found them super helpful for the first few weeks, especially with all the rubbing and sores. Confidence-wise, it took me a while to not feel so self-conscious, but once I could eat more normally, it got better. Did anyone else here just avoid crunchy stuff completely? I still get nervous around popcorn.
I totally get the popcorn paranoia. I’m still wary of it, honestly, even though my braces have been off for a while now. I remember snapping a bracket on a tortilla chip once and having to pay out of pocket to get it fixed—my insurance didn’t cover “snacking mishaps.” After that, I just stuck to softer stuff and cut crunchy things into tiny pieces if I really wanted them. Not the most fun, but it saved me some cash and stress.
Dental wax was a game changer for me, too. I bought the store brand, which was way cheaper than what the ortho sold, and it worked just as well. The first week was brutal with all the rubbing, but once I figured out how to use the wax, things calmed down a lot. It’s not a perfect fix, but it definitely helped me avoid those painful mouth sores.
The food thing was rough, but I actually found that after a couple months, I got used to eating differently. I started making big batches of things like chili or pasta that I could eat for a few days, just to keep it simple and affordable. I know some people say you can eat almost anything with braces if you’re careful, but I didn’t want to risk another broken bracket. I definitely missed crunchy veggies, though. Carrots and apples were off the menu unless I sliced them super thin.
Confidence-wise, I felt awkward at first, especially when I had to talk at work or smile in photos. But after a while, it just became normal. I kept reminding myself that it was temporary and that the end result would be worth it. Now, looking back, I don’t regret spending the money or dealing with the hassle. My bite feels so much better, and I don’t have to worry about chipped teeth or jaw pain anymore.
If you’re still in the thick of it, hang in there. It gets easier, and you’ll find little tricks that work for you. And yeah, maybe just skip the popcorn for a bit—it’s not worth the risk or the expense.
That’s so relatable—especially the part about snapping a bracket on a tortilla chip. I had a similar thing happen with a crusty piece of bread (thought I was being careful, but nope). It’s wild how quickly you learn which foods just aren’t worth the drama or the bill.
I also found dental wax was a lifesaver, but it took me a few tries to get it to actually stay put. I’d always end up swallowing half of it by mistake the first week. Eventually, I figured out if I dried off my brackets with a tissue before putting the wax on, it stuck better. Not sure if that’s textbook advice, but it worked for me.
“The food thing was rough, but I actually found that after a couple months, I got used to eating differently.”
Same here. At first it felt like my entire diet was just mashed potatoes and yogurt, but after a while you get creative. I started roasting veggies until they were super soft just so I could still get some greens in. Missed biting into an apple more than I expected, honestly.
Confidence-wise, I totally get what you mean about feeling awkward at first. Smiling in photos felt weird because the brackets seemed so obvious to me—even though most people barely noticed. After a while though, it just became part of my routine and I stopped overthinking it.
One thing that surprised me was how much better my jaw feels now that everything’s lined up. Didn’t realize how much tension I was holding until it went away. The hassle and expense sucked at the time, but having fewer headaches and being able to chew evenly is worth it.
Did anyone else have issues with their retainer after getting braces off? Mine felt way tighter than expected, and there was this weird adjustment period all over again...
Man, the retainer thing threw me for a loop too. Mine felt like it was trying to squish my teeth back together, even though they were already straight. I remember thinking, “Did my ortho mess up?” but apparently that’s just how it goes. Wild how your mouth just isn’t used to anything *not* being there for a while. Anyone else get weird jaw clicks after switching to the retainer? It took me a few weeks to stop noticing it.
