The fixed bite plate is a very important part of your orthodontic treatment, if needed. It is cemented to your teeth to protect your lower braces and reduce the depth of your bite. This appliance will allow your back teeth to grow while it holds your front teeth. Dr. Donato will remove it after several months when the correction is achieved.
What to Expect
At first the bite plate feels strange on the roof of your mouth. You will feel some tightness against your side and back teeth. These teeth may feel sore or tender for 2-3 days following the placement of the appliance. Eat gently on these teeth until they feel better. Your tongue may develop grooves in it from resting against the appliance, these will disappear when it is removed. Most importantly your back teeth will not touch each other temporarily. You will have to eat gently on your front teeth only. Eventually, the back teeth will begin to touch again. Your speech will be different for a couple of days and then will quickly return to normal.
Do’s
- Brush the appliance when you brush your teeth.
- Rinse out if you cannot brush to remove food that may get lodged in the appliance.
- Use Tylenol or other pain relieving medication for the first couple of days.
- Use PhosFlur once a day to protect the teeth covered by plastic.
Don’ts
- Do not chew gum, taffy, or sticky candy while you have your bite plate.
- Do not pull, bend, or pry your bite plate, this may cause it to angle downward and get in your way.