A question to SARPE post-op's

[Guest guest]

Hi,

is there someone out there to share his/her longterm post-op

experience on SARPE? My ortho has suggested this to be my option

before starting the actual orthodontics part. I have not yet talked

to an OS about it, so I'm really standing in square one right now.

One thing (among thousands of others) that worries me is whether it

is possible that after SARPE you will experience permanent pains or

aches that did not exist pre-op. I've figured that can happen after

some major jaw surgeries, but I've been lead to believe that SARPE

really is not a major surgery. For the time being I do have crooked

and crowded teeth but no pains whatsoever so I'm a little worried if

some might come up along the surgery. Anyone?

(Sorry about the possibly poor language and inadequate vocabulary,

I'm not a native English speaker.)

Thanks in advance!

- J

[Guest guest]

Hi,

is there someone out there to share his/her longterm post-op

experience on SARPE? My ortho has suggested this to be my option

before starting the actual orthodontics part. I have not yet talked

to an OS about it, so I'm really standing in square one right now.

One thing (among thousands of others) that worries me is whether it

is possible that after SARPE you will experience permanent pains or

aches that did not exist pre-op. I've figured that can happen after

some major jaw surgeries, but I've been lead to believe that SARPE

really is not a major surgery. For the time being I do have crooked

and crowded teeth but no pains whatsoever so I'm a little worried if

some might come up along the surgery. Anyone?

(Sorry about the possibly poor language and inadequate vocabulary,

I'm not a native English speaker.)

Thanks in advance!

- J

[Guest guest]

Long-term, well I am 8 weeks post-op of lower advancement, SARPE and

genio, so that's not really long-term. I do not have any pains or

aches in my pallate, although I believe there is someone that posts

that still has numbness in his gum due to a SARPE. I don't have any

numbness there. I don't expect any pains or aches to come in the

future either. You're right that the SARPE itself is not a major

surgery, they make a few cuts in the top of your gum in order for you

to be able to widen your pallate with the expander (In adults, the

pallate is usually fused together so that's why they need to make the

cuts). You'll probably experience some swelling, a bit of numbness

right out of surgery and you'll have to eat soft or liquid foods for

a while.

After about 5 days post-op you start to turn the expander for about 5

more days until there's a huge gap between your 2 front teeth. You'll

walk around with that gap for about a month (unless you're one of the

lucky ones that get a 'fake tooth' installed). With my last

adjustment which was almost 2 weeks ago, they put a heavy wire in

order to close the gap, and it's almost closed already (I guess my

gap is now Letterman size), for it to completely close will

probably be one more week. I can already see that my smile is much

wider than before, I used to have my 2 front-teeth sticking out

(overjet) and a very 'narrow' and high pallate.

And next month my expander comes out, so the expander I will have in

my mouth for a total of 3 months. The expander is a hassle with

eating and speaking but it's strange how I got used to it after a few

weeks already.

Any more questions, let me know.

Nathalie

> Hi,

> is there someone out there to share his/her longterm post-op

> experience on SARPE? My ortho has suggested this to be my option

> before starting the actual orthodontics part. I have not yet talked

> to an OS about it, so I'm really standing in square one right now.

> One thing (among thousands of others) that worries me is whether it

> is possible that after SARPE you will experience permanent pains or

> aches that did not exist pre-op. I've figured that can happen after

> some major jaw surgeries, but I've been lead to believe that SARPE

> really is not a major surgery. For the time being I do have crooked

> and crowded teeth but no pains whatsoever so I'm a little worried

if

> some might come up along the surgery. Anyone?

> (Sorry about the possibly poor language and inadequate vocabulary,

> I'm not a native English speaker.)

> Thanks in advance!

> - J

[Guest guest]

Long-term, well I am 8 weeks post-op of lower advancement, SARPE and

genio, so that's not really long-term. I do not have any pains or

aches in my pallate, although I believe there is someone that posts

that still has numbness in his gum due to a SARPE. I don't have any

numbness there. I don't expect any pains or aches to come in the

future either. You're right that the SARPE itself is not a major

surgery, they make a few cuts in the top of your gum in order for you

to be able to widen your pallate with the expander (In adults, the

pallate is usually fused together so that's why they need to make the

cuts). You'll probably experience some swelling, a bit of numbness

right out of surgery and you'll have to eat soft or liquid foods for

a while.

After about 5 days post-op you start to turn the expander for about 5

more days until there's a huge gap between your 2 front teeth. You'll

walk around with that gap for about a month (unless you're one of the

lucky ones that get a 'fake tooth' installed). With my last

adjustment which was almost 2 weeks ago, they put a heavy wire in

order to close the gap, and it's almost closed already (I guess my

gap is now Letterman size), for it to completely close will

probably be one more week. I can already see that my smile is much

wider than before, I used to have my 2 front-teeth sticking out

(overjet) and a very 'narrow' and high pallate.

And next month my expander comes out, so the expander I will have in

my mouth for a total of 3 months. The expander is a hassle with

eating and speaking but it's strange how I got used to it after a few

weeks already.

Any more questions, let me know.

Nathalie

> Hi,

> is there someone out there to share his/her longterm post-op

> experience on SARPE? My ortho has suggested this to be my option

> before starting the actual orthodontics part. I have not yet talked

> to an OS about it, so I'm really standing in square one right now.

> One thing (among thousands of others) that worries me is whether it

> is possible that after SARPE you will experience permanent pains or

> aches that did not exist pre-op. I've figured that can happen after

> some major jaw surgeries, but I've been lead to believe that SARPE

> really is not a major surgery. For the time being I do have crooked

> and crowded teeth but no pains whatsoever so I'm a little worried

if

> some might come up along the surgery. Anyone?

> (Sorry about the possibly poor language and inadequate vocabulary,

> I'm not a native English speaker.)

> Thanks in advance!

> - J

[Guest guest]

Nathalie,

thanks for the information! You only need to wear the expander for 3

months? Good for you! And it's coming off so soon now!

3 months is what my ortho estimated for me as well, but I've also

heard of people having to wear one for 6 months so I'm preparing

myself for that scenario just in case. I guess they can't tell you

beforehand how long it's going to be?

My palatal expansion will be needed because of my impacted upper

canines. Those little devils have really made a mess up there. They

have almost pushed their way into my laterals' roots!

At first they planned to just cut the canines off but because they

are so close to the teeth next to them it might compromise my

laterals and even my first premolars. According to the latest plan

they first want to widen my palate to make more space to work in to

begin with. (I'm not sure I can explain this right, English is not my

native language as you can tell.) After six months new x-rays will be

taken to see what kind of teeth movement will have happened. Then

they will either cut them off anyway or, if they seem to be moving at

all, try to pull them down in their place.

> After about 5 days post-op you start to turn the expander for about

5

> more days until there's a huge gap between your 2 front teeth.

Did you find this tricky? Did you manage do turn the key yourself or

did someone help you with that? I don't know how I'll be able to do

that with the gag reflex I have: I gag every time I wash my teeth!

How about the gizmo itself? Does it make you gag at first?

- J

[Guest guest]

Nathalie,

thanks for the information! You only need to wear the expander for 3

months? Good for you! And it's coming off so soon now!

3 months is what my ortho estimated for me as well, but I've also

heard of people having to wear one for 6 months so I'm preparing

myself for that scenario just in case. I guess they can't tell you

beforehand how long it's going to be?

My palatal expansion will be needed because of my impacted upper

canines. Those little devils have really made a mess up there. They

have almost pushed their way into my laterals' roots!

At first they planned to just cut the canines off but because they

are so close to the teeth next to them it might compromise my

laterals and even my first premolars. According to the latest plan

they first want to widen my palate to make more space to work in to

begin with. (I'm not sure I can explain this right, English is not my

native language as you can tell.) After six months new x-rays will be

taken to see what kind of teeth movement will have happened. Then

they will either cut them off anyway or, if they seem to be moving at

all, try to pull them down in their place.

> After about 5 days post-op you start to turn the expander for about

5

> more days until there's a huge gap between your 2 front teeth.

Did you find this tricky? Did you manage do turn the key yourself or

did someone help you with that? I don't know how I'll be able to do

that with the gag reflex I have: I gag every time I wash my teeth!

How about the gizmo itself? Does it make you gag at first?

- J

[Guest guest]

I also counted on 6 months, just to make sure I would not be

disappointed if it got more, I was lucky, it became only 3 months!

Well, because I also had lower jaw advancement I wasn't able to open

my mouth wide enough to find the " keyhole " to turn the expander. So

every day for 5 days I went to my ortho who carefully turned it (he

had this new " model " of expander with a light in it, very high-tech

but I hated that thing just the same). The first time was scary

because I really felt he was pushing my lower jaw down and I was so

afraid he might disrupt something in my lower jaw. But every day it

got a little easier. Since you will only have the SARPE, you or your

partner or a family member should be able to do it yourselves. You

basically put the " key " in the hole of the expander and push it to

the back. But don't worry your ortho will explain exactly how to do

this. The expander did not make me gag because it's not so far back

in your mouth where all the " activity " takes place, I'm sure it will

be fine. Good luck!

Nathalie

>

> Nathalie,

>

> thanks for the information! You only need to wear the expander for

3

> months? Good for you! And it's coming off so soon now!

> 3 months is what my ortho estimated for me as well, but I've also

> heard of people having to wear one for 6 months so I'm preparing

> myself for that scenario just in case. I guess they can't tell you

> beforehand how long it's going to be?

>

> My palatal expansion will be needed because of my impacted upper

> canines. Those little devils have really made a mess up there. They

> have almost pushed their way into my laterals' roots!

> At first they planned to just cut the canines off but because they

> are so close to the teeth next to them it might compromise my

> laterals and even my first premolars. According to the latest plan

> they first want to widen my palate to make more space to work in to

> begin with. (I'm not sure I can explain this right, English is not

my

> native language as you can tell.) After six months new x-rays will

be

> taken to see what kind of teeth movement will have happened. Then

> they will either cut them off anyway or, if they seem to be moving

at

> all, try to pull them down in their place.

>

> > After about 5 days post-op you start to turn the expander for

about

> 5

> > more days until there's a huge gap between your 2 front teeth.

>

> Did you find this tricky? Did you manage do turn the key yourself

or

> did someone help you with that? I don't know how I'll be able to do

> that with the gag reflex I have: I gag every time I wash my teeth!

> How about the gizmo itself? Does it make you gag at first?

>

> - J

[Guest guest]

I also counted on 6 months, just to make sure I would not be

disappointed if it got more, I was lucky, it became only 3 months!

Well, because I also had lower jaw advancement I wasn't able to open

my mouth wide enough to find the " keyhole " to turn the expander. So

every day for 5 days I went to my ortho who carefully turned it (he

had this new " model " of expander with a light in it, very high-tech

but I hated that thing just the same). The first time was scary

because I really felt he was pushing my lower jaw down and I was so

afraid he might disrupt something in my lower jaw. But every day it

got a little easier. Since you will only have the SARPE, you or your

partner or a family member should be able to do it yourselves. You

basically put the " key " in the hole of the expander and push it to

the back. But don't worry your ortho will explain exactly how to do

this. The expander did not make me gag because it's not so far back

in your mouth where all the " activity " takes place, I'm sure it will

be fine. Good luck!

Nathalie

>

> Nathalie,

>

> thanks for the information! You only need to wear the expander for

3

> months? Good for you! And it's coming off so soon now!

> 3 months is what my ortho estimated for me as well, but I've also

> heard of people having to wear one for 6 months so I'm preparing

> myself for that scenario just in case. I guess they can't tell you

> beforehand how long it's going to be?

>

> My palatal expansion will be needed because of my impacted upper

> canines. Those little devils have really made a mess up there. They

> have almost pushed their way into my laterals' roots!

> At first they planned to just cut the canines off but because they

> are so close to the teeth next to them it might compromise my

> laterals and even my first premolars. According to the latest plan

> they first want to widen my palate to make more space to work in to

> begin with. (I'm not sure I can explain this right, English is not

my

> native language as you can tell.) After six months new x-rays will

be

> taken to see what kind of teeth movement will have happened. Then

> they will either cut them off anyway or, if they seem to be moving

at

> all, try to pull them down in their place.

>

> > After about 5 days post-op you start to turn the expander for

about

> 5

> > more days until there's a huge gap between your 2 front teeth.

>

> Did you find this tricky? Did you manage do turn the key yourself

or

> did someone help you with that? I don't know how I'll be able to do

> that with the gag reflex I have: I gag every time I wash my teeth!

> How about the gizmo itself? Does it make you gag at first?

>

> - J