Had a similar experience with braces—initially felt like my bite was totally off after removal. Almost went back for adjustments, but gave it a couple weeks and things settled naturally. Glad I waited it out.
I get why waiting worked out for you, but honestly, sometimes it's better to just go back and get things checked sooner rather than later. I had braces twice (yeah, lucky me 🙄), and the first time around I did exactly what you did—waited it out, hoping things would settle. They kinda did, but my bite never felt quite right. It wasn't terrible or anything, just...off enough to bug me when eating certain foods or even talking sometimes.
Fast forward a few years, I ended up needing braces again (long story short: wisdom teeth came in and messed everything up). This time, after removal, I noticed the same weird bite feeling. Instead of waiting, I went straight back to my ortho. Turns out there was a minor alignment issue that could've been easily fixed with a quick adjustment. Took literally one visit and a couple weeks of wearing elastics at night—no biggie.
Point is, while your bite might naturally adjust over time, it doesn't always happen perfectly for everyone. If something feels consistently off or uncomfortable, it's worth getting checked out sooner rather than later. Worst-case scenario? You waste an hour at the orthodontist's office and get peace of mind. Best-case scenario? You catch something early and avoid bigger headaches down the road.
Just my two cents based on personal experience. Glad yours worked itself out though—wish mine had been that cooperative!
I get your point, but sometimes going back too soon can lead to unnecessary stress. I went back right away after my braces came off because something felt off, and my ortho said it was normal settling. Now I'm second-guessing if I should trust that or get another opinion...ugh. Guess it's a fine line between being proactive and overthinking things.
"Guess it's a fine line between being proactive and overthinking things."
Totally get this. When my daughter got her braces off, she kept saying something felt weird, and I debated forever about going back. Eventually did, and turns out it was nothing. But honestly, better safe than sorry, right?
"Guess it's a fine line between being proactive and overthinking things."
Yeah, I feel this one deeply. Reminds me of when I finally decided to get contacts after years of glasses. The optometrist said everything looked good, but I swear something felt off—like my eyes were constantly dry or gritty. Spent days googling symptoms (big mistake, lol) and debating if I was just imagining it or if something was genuinely wrong. Eventually went back in, feeling kinda silly about it, but turns out the lenses were slightly off in fit. Nothing major, thankfully, but enough to cause discomfort.
Honestly though, even if it had been nothing at all, I'd still rather know for sure than keep worrying about it. Sometimes peace of mind is worth the awkwardness of going back and asking questions...even if you feel like you're being overly cautious.
