"Felt like I had a mouthful of pencil erasers all day."
Haha, that description is spot-on. Reminds me of when I first got braces myself—I was convinced I'd never eat normally again. I remember trying to bite into a sandwich and feeling like my teeth belonged to someone else entirely...awkward times. But you're right, after a couple weeks it just became second nature. Now, looking back, it's funny how dramatic it all seemed at the time. Your nephew's got this—soon enough it'll just be another funny story to tell.
Haha, sandwiches were the worst for me too...I remember trying pizza for the first time after veneers and feeling like my teeth were made of porcelain (well, technically they are, lol). Did anyone else have trouble trusting their bite again after dental work? Took me forever to stop chewing cautiously...
Totally relate to this—after my crowns, I spent weeks feeling like every bite was gonna crack them. Apples were the absolute worst...I'd slice them into tiny pieces and still chew super slowly. Eventually got back to normal, but even now, sometimes I catch myself hesitating before biting into something crunchy. Did you ever fully regain confidence in your bite, or do you still second-guess yourself occasionally?
"Eventually got back to normal, but even now, sometimes I catch myself hesitating before biting into something crunchy."
Yep, same here. Honestly, after my crowns, I became super paranoid about biting into anything remotely crunchy or hard. I remember one time, maybe a month after getting them done, I was at a friend's barbecue and someone handed me corn on the cob. I stood there awkwardly holding it, debating whether it was worth risking an emergency dentist visit (and the bill that goes with it, yikes). Ended up discreetly slicing off the kernels with a plastic knife—felt ridiculous, but better safe than sorry.
It's been almost two years now, and while things have definitely improved, I still catch myself pausing before biting into something tough or crunchy. Apples are still sliced up, carrots too. I don't know if I'll ever fully trust my bite again...maybe it's just a cautious habit I've picked up. On the bright side, being overly careful probably saves me from unnecessary dental expenses down the road, so there's that.
Totally relate to this. After finishing my orthodontic treatment, I thought I'd finally be able to eat normally again, but nope...still second-guessing every crunchy bite. The first time I tried popcorn post-braces was honestly nerve-wracking—I spent more time carefully inspecting each kernel than actually watching the movie. Pretty sure my friends thought I was being dramatic, but they haven't spent years worrying about brackets popping off or wires snapping.
Even now, months later, I'm still slicing apples into tiny pieces and avoiding nuts altogether. It's probably overly cautious at this point, but the anxiety of damaging something and having to go back for repairs is just too real. Plus, after investing so much time (and money) into getting my teeth straightened out, the idea of messing them up again is terrifying.
On the bright side, I've definitely noticed fewer random toothaches or sensitivity issues since being extra careful. Maybe there's something to be said for being overly cautious? Still hoping I'll eventually relax a bit more about it though...would be nice to enjoy chips without feeling like I'm risking disaster every single time.
