Braces are designed to improve your bite, ensuring your teeth fit together correctly. But what happens in the meantime if your teeth hit your new braces brackets when you chew? Your braces brackets could pop off your teeth! Luckily, there is an easy solution: bite turbos.
They sound pretty cool. Bite turbos resemble tiny ramps that fit onto your teeth and prevent them from hitting your braces. This allows us to move your teeth with braces without you having to worry about hurting them every time you chew.
Wilson & Hendrickson Orthodontics uses bite turbos for patients who need them. Will that include you? Let’s find out how bite turbos work and who needs them the most.
What Are Bite Turbos?
A bite turbo, also known as a bite block or bite ramp, is available in metal or plastic. Bite turbo orthodontics has made it easier for patients whose teeth would rub against the front of their incisors or sides of their molars. Once the braces went on, those teeth would then hit the braces brackets.
Repeatedly bumping your teeth against the braces brackets can loosen or break the bracket. This could cause delays in treatment, mainly if the problem occurred frequently, as the brackets were repaired.
That’s where bite turbos came in. Patients with bite turbos before and after show far less instances of brackets popping off their teeth once the bite blocks are in place.
A bite turbo is a small, triangular device placed either on the back of the incisors or on the molars to prevent your teeth from contacting the braces brackets. Usually, two bite blocks are added to the teeth at a time. Just in case one comes off, the other will still protect your braces until we can replace the other.
How Are Bite Turbos Placed?
Bite turbos are placed based on the areas of your bite that cause trouble. Patients with an overbite may have a better chance of hitting brackets on the front of the teeth. In those cases, bite turbos are placed on the back of the upper central incisors. Those with an underbite may have bite turbos placed on the lower central incisors.
Patients with a crossbite on their molars may have bite turbos placed on the first or second molars to protect the back teeth. In rare instances, we may place them on the premolars.
The bite turbos are bonded to the teeth much like the braces brackets.
How Long Will I Wear Bite Turbos?
How long do bite turbos stay on? The length of time for bite blocks can vary depending on how your treatment progresses. Some patients may only need them a few months, while others may wear them for up to a year.
Once we examine you during your first visit and determine your best treatment options, we will be able to tell you whether bite turbos will help you and how long you may need them.
Do Bite Turbos Hurt?
In general, bite turbos don’t hurt at all. You may experience some discomfort for the first couple of days after we place them on your teeth, but your mouth will adjust to them quickly. It’s basically the same as with your braces.
We recommend you eat soft foods for the first few days after you get your bite turbos. We often place the bite blocks at the same time as your braces, so the discomfort will be felt at the same time. Soft foods will help, or you can rinse with warm salt water to reduce gum irritation. If necessary, you can use an over-the-counter painkiller as directed.
Remember these things about your bite turbos:
- You likely won’t wear the bite turbos as long as you wear braces, so they are temporary. Once it’s certain your teeth won’t hit your braces brackets, we can remove the bite ramps.
- Your teeth will actually move more comfortably when you chew because your teeth won’t be scraping each other! You may notice that chewing and talking are more comfortable.
- You need to brush carefully around the bite turbo to ensure plaque doesn’t build up around them. A water flosser can help get plaque from around them.
- Your speech may be affected for the first few days after getting bite turbos, but your tongue should get used to them. You should be able to speak normally after a few days or up to a week.
- Your bite block should stay on for the duration of their use, but if one comes off, give us a call. If your appointment is close enough, we may wait until then to replace it as long as the other bite block is intact. Otherwise, we will schedule an appointment and bring you in to replace the bite turbo.
- You can always call us if your bite turbo seems uncomfortable and the discomfort doesn’t improve after a few days.
How to Chew With Bite Turbos
You’re probably wondering how to eat with bite turbos. It will be a bit tricky at first because your teeth won’t be able to meet like they have before. So how do you chew with bite turbos?
We recommend you start with soft foods, not just because of the discomfort but because it’s just naturally easier to chew. This can include mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, yogurt, pasta, smoothies, protein shakes, applesauce, and cooked oatmeal.
The soft foods will be easier or sore teeth, but it will also give your mouth a chance to “train” with bite turbos and braces. You’ll quickly learn how to position your teeth and tongue to chew your food better.
Once the soreness is gone and you have the soft food eating down, graduate to more solid but braces-friendly foods. This can include cooked vegetables, soft cheeses, soft bread, and even tender meats like fish. After a week or two, you should be able to enjoy any braces-friendly food!
Bite Turbos and Braces in Topeka, KS
Bite turbos are one tool in our braces treatment plan to improve your smile. These allow you to bite and chew better and prevent damage to your braces brackets during treatments. The goal is to create the smile you’ve always wanted.
If you’re ready for braces in Topeka, KS, and you want to know more about bite turbos, schedule an appointment with Wilson & Hendrickson Orthodontics.
